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Running a theatre involves more than what audiences see onstage. It also means bolstering fundraising, tightening finances, building audiences, and solidifying relationships with staff, volunteers, colleagues & community.  

Essentially, when we talk about management we are referring to all those who have to oversee, supervise, coordinate and take responsibility for components of the process. The goal is to make sure the best work is done, usually with limited uman resources, within a set time frame and budget.

As Hope McIntyre notes in her e-book, The Business of Theatre, "Unlike management in other sectors, theatre comes with a lot of uncertainty. You can’t say for sure how well a show will sell and how much it will earn. You have to juggle the best artistic choices with reality, realize a mission, and consider crucial aspects of representation, equity, and healthy working conditions. In other words, you need to understand both the arts world, the non-profit notion of community benefit, and the business end of things."

Management Roles

For more details, see our Theatre People job descriptions.

• Arts Administration. Titles may vary: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Managing Director, Artistic Director, Executive Director, or a combination of titles (Managing/Artistic Director).   In all-volunteer groups, the role may be handled by the President of the organization.  Most community theatres have a single chief administrator, but larger ones may split responsibilities between two people--one to handle artistic direction, the other to handle the business end.
• Artistic Management. The artistic director of a theatre company is responsible for the theatre's production and directorial choices, as well as its artistic vision.
• Financial Management.  Financial managers monitor their organization and ensure that budget overruns do not occur. This means coordinating with staff (including directors) and volunteers to verify that costs are acceptable, as well as developing long-term budgets to plan for the expansion of the organization.
• Volunteer Management. Volunteer management is the gateway to the community, providing residents with opportunities to become more involved in local life, and serving as a company's grassroots source of public relations and marketing.
• People Management. In collaboration with the board, the chief administrator establishes specific policies and practices that promote cooperation and open communication among employees & volunteers so that they can work together to advance the company’s mission. 
• Marketing & Public Relations. Some think of marketing as promoting a new production, a season ticket, or a summer workshop--but in fact it begins with understanding what a target audience wants (or might enjoy).  It also entails establishing a respected "brand" that separates a company and its offerings from others'.
• Education Director. Designs and implements classes, workshops and other activities in the performing arts, such as acting, musical acting, improvisation, dance, playwrighting, and technical theatre.

> More Resources

• Free Management Library has offered indispensable board governance resources since 1995, including fact sheets, forms, sample policies, board manuals, and other helpful tools. A collaborative effort by several entities, this website continues to be the best online source of free information, covering nearly every aspect of effective management and nonprofit operations. Select from a wide variety of topics such as career advancement, cultivating desired culture, organizational change, and more.
• Nonprofit Tech for Good is a leading technology resource for nonprofit professionals, providing valuable, easy-to-understand information, news, and resources related to nonprofit technology, online communication, and mobile and social fundraising. Download Nonprofit Tech for Good’s free 2018 Global NGO Technology Report, the only annual research project dedicated to studying global web and email communications, online fundraising tools, social media, mobile technology, data management, and security software.
• Running a Nonprofit: The National Council of Nonprofits provides nonprofits with the tools, research, and resources needed to operate more effectively, efficiently, and ethically. To advance equity, we make these materials available for free to all nonprofits.