Education and experience are essential for becoming a theater manager. Smaller theaters may require a two-year degree, while prestigious theaters may require a Master’s degree. Gaining experience through internships and entry-level jobs is crucial. A successful candidate must understand the various components of theater production.
A theater’s reputation and size often determine the requirements for becoming a theater manager. For smaller theaters, a two-year degree and some experience may suffice, while prestigious theaters for the performing arts may require a degree in addition to experience working in various aspects of theatre. Regardless of educational requirements, virtually any job is in demand as the theater manager must walk into the job and perform. Aspiring managers can gain this experience in a variety of ways, from full-time positions, internships, or even helping run a college theater while attending school. Progressive theater responsibilities and management roles can ultimately position a candidate for a highly public role of managing a well-regarded theater production company.
Some form of education is essential to becoming a theater manager in most cases. Theaters found in small communities, public schools, or small colleges often require an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in theater and/or performing arts administration. Larger, more highly regarded regional theaters involved in high profile productions often require a Master of Fine Arts or a Master of Arts Management. The focus of study generally focuses on cultivating creative skills, as well as the economics and operations of theater and performing arts. Graduates of master’s programs often participate in practical management experience as part of the program requirements.
Gaining experience with the performing arts from a marketing, operating and production perspective is crucial to presenting yourself effectively as a theater manager. So while education can make future managers available to organizations, only demonstrated experience plus education can pave the way to becoming a theater manager. Professional expertise can be gained through a variety of avenues. Most Masters programs will include an internship as part of the requirements for graduation, where graduates are expected to demonstrate managerial competence. Those with degrees need to focus their efforts on entry-level jobs, which give them exposure to production, marketing, and box office experience.
The culmination of this education and experience on the resume of a candidate seeking to become a theater manager conveys an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes of a theater production. In addition, he also conveys an intimate knowledge of how to bring together the various essential components of theater production and make them work on tangents to create success. These components include community interactions, behind-the-scenes operations, media interactions, production, accountability, and programming.
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