Running Your Theater: Artistic Director

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Artistic 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=3788
Printed Date: 11/21/24 at 9:00pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Artistic Director

Posted By: Mr G
Subject: Artistic Director
Date Posted: 1/30/09 at 7:35pm

I'm on the board of a CT. We have an Artistic director who wants to control the Theatre. He by-passes the board on too many things. He thinks he should be able to expell people from the theatre for missing a rehearsal and even being late. Can I get some input on what an AD's authority is at other theaters. I know what I think it should be. But the AD tells me I'm wrong and that's not the way it's done at most theaters across the country. We do not have a managing director.

Thanks

Replies:

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 2/02/09 at 10:04am

Certainly the Artistic Director's "boss" is the Board. The Artistic Director certainly has to operate within the mission of the organization and follow policy set forth by the Board. He she should also have a means of communication with the Board, usually reporting at monthly meetings.

The main role of the Artistic Director is the artistic side of the Company opposed to the business side. So he/she must oversee the artistic staff (paid or volunteer) - technical, costume, design, director, etc. He/she may also be a producer or production director. He/she should have an artistic vision of what needs to happens and, yes, they should set policy. IMHO this would include policy on missing rehearsals. Of course the Board's policies over trumps the Artistic Director's policies - though you are getting into micro-managing.

I don't know what you mean by "wants to control the Theatre", but I would say that he/she is one of the major two or three people that control the Theatre. The Artistic Director would control the theatre in terms of productions; the Executive Director the theatre in terms of business and fundraising. All this should be laid out in the Artistic Director's job description so that these types of things are avoided.

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KEB

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 2/02/09 at 11:20am

You may want to request to run a session with your board on mission, professional practices, roles and responsibilities. The idea is not to specifically change any one behavior, but to define behaviors that properly reflect your CT. If there are excesses of this Artistic Director that will naturally come to his/her attention--along with the boards view. So this deflects the problem away from you vs. this person. You may not like the answers either, but you can then deal with the expectations. It also will make it easier in the future to hire people for these roles and minimize conflict.

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Posted By: VPA1
Date Posted: 2/02/09 at 1:45pm

I am the Artistic Director of our CT of 173 seats. We accomplish 8 productions a year.

My authority extends over our CT's season offerings, play directors, their cast and crew and the artistic elements of every production. That being said, I RARELY micromanage my play directors, particularly in terms of their cast and crew. That is the domain of the play director.

I get involved only if there are issues that extend beyond the normal parameters of a show. I suspended one actor for two years because he repeatedly threatened to walk out in the middle off a production run because babies were crying in the audience and the admin didn't take sufficient action to prevent further problems. I also keep the "Warn List" of folks who've had incidences of various serious problems, so that directors can be made aware of them prior to casting.

I assist the play directors in insuring we are all on the same page regarding theater use and protocol. I regard my primary function as one of assisting and helping rather than oversight.

IMHO, any Artistic Director who consistently micromanages play directors needs to have his priorities redefined for them.

Posted By: Mr G
Date Posted: 2/04/09 at 3:04am

Thanks. Very helpful. By control the theater, I meant control over everything artistic or not. Should we sell Coke or Pepsi. Which way the tp comes off the roll etc.

There is a job description and most but not all parts are complied with.

My thoughts are the director can fire an actor for any reason he chooses but expelling an actor from the theatre should be up to the board of directors.

Posted By: Mr G
Date Posted: 2/04/09 at 3:15am

Thanks. I like the idea.

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 2/04/09 at 2:40pm

The Coke/Pepsi thing and tp thing sounds like managing director stuff to me, but you said you don't have a managing director. Who handles the day-to-day operations? Does someone act in that capacity? It might not be prudent or possible to wait for a Board meeting to make those kind of decissions. It also sounds pretty menial stuff for a Board. If the Coke guy shows up and says, "I'm dropping off 20 cases for you and I'll bill you later" someone should be there to say "OK" or "No".

The AD may have the good of theatre in mind and is just expediating things. I am a production director without the authority of an Artistic Director and if I am the "highest ranking" person present when a decission needs to be made I'll make it and inform the Board/Producer later. Sometimes I get flack for it, but I make the best decission I can, and if there is no one else there to make the call what else am I suppose to do? I want good relationships developed, and not just with actors, technicians, and audience, but with vendors as well. We are community theatre and it takes all of us.

I'm not sure what you mean by "expelling an actor from the theatre". You mean forever, like not coming in for any reason? That does seem extreme. Is your Artistic Director suited for CT? It sounds like he may have a professional bent and not suited for CT. It was an adjustment I had to make as well.

Let me ask, in that particular case, if it went to the Board, what would the Board have decided? Would it have been significantly different than the AD's decission? What was the relationship of the person expelled with the CT and/or any of its Board members?

Seems extreme for missing one rehearsal or for people being late. If I did that, I'd loose 1/4 of the actors immediately, and rest wouldn't work with me again for doing that to the others.

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KEB