Running Your Theater: Managing Director

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Managing Director

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Theater Administration
Forum Name: Running Your Theater
Forum Discription: General questions about how to make it work
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2318
Printed Date: 10/30/25 at 10:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Managing Director

Posted By: Noname II
Subject: Managing Director
Date Posted: 3/28/07 at 9:53am

Does anyone have any good experience, definitions, or resources for delineating the differences between the Artistic Director and the Managing Director?

We've had the same person doing both for a long time. However, he is a great theatre person with good business skills. We also have a great business person with good theatre skills who is willing to help share the workload. These two people work well together, but we are looking for guidance on a traditional "division of labor."

Please share.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Replies:

Posted By: Kibitzer
Date Posted: 3/29/07 at 10:11am

The simple answer is one takes care of business while the other takes care of art. Sure, this is obvious, but I can't tell you how often I see the obvious getting overlooked. The separation of duties can really be that simple, but there is one caveat I would present to you.

There are those sticky little issues where business and art overlap (e.g., play selection vs. marketability may be one of those areas). This is where an organization needs to decide what's more important and put one or the other at the top of the organizational hierarchy. You may have two people at the moment who get along terrifically and will always work out such differences, but that may not always be the case. Organizations need to set policies and develop structures that are independent of current personalities (good or bad) and reflect the priorities of the organization.

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"Security is a kind of death." - Tennessee Williams

Posted By: Noname II
Date Posted: 3/29/07 at 11:57am

Thank you, Kibitzer.

Those are along the lines that we are looking, but trying to define a bit more clearly.

It's a good point that we need to plan for the future. Our goal is that the jobs will once again merge under one person, who is then paid. (Right now, it is one volunteer, and it's becoming a bit much. Two vols might be less likely to keel over under the weight of everything. Or so we hope.)

I welcome any and all other thoughts on this topic.

Posted By: falstaff29
Date Posted: 4/01/07 at 9:22pm

Not to be deliberately unhelpful here, but division of labor really depends on what you guys want. There are many theatrical positions among which there is fluidity as to what is whose responsibility. Just be sure that everyone is clear as to what is in whose purview.