Congrats! The job of a High School Theatre Manager is a rare hybrid job that combines education and business management and a theatre background.
More and more high school are managing to raise the money for capital projects to build a theatre facility, but once the keys are handed over there is no money budgeted to operate these facilities. This typically leaves the high school with a state-of-the-art theatre facility and no one to properly staff it so that it is appropriate and optimal for educational purposes and suitable for practical and safe operational use. So kudos to your district for realizing that highly qualified management and staff is needed in order to set up the operating systems, create a safety program, maximize student learning, and optimize building usage!
Finding training and advice about this growing field can be difficult. One subject that is not often taught in university theatre programs is Theatre Management. This differs from Stage Management in that Stage Management is the management of the actual show or event that comes into a theatre, while Theatre Management is the management of the theatre into which the shows and events come. So, like you, most people fall into Theatre Management from one of the other specialties – design, stage management, technical crew, directing, acting or teaching. However with so many high schools building theatres on their campuses these days, I predict that High School Theatre Management is going to become an essential specialty.
That said, a High School Theatre Manager does not need to be able to run all the aspects of a theatre by themselves, and in fact they should not be running everything themselves – remember, the hospital administrator doesn't perform the surgeries – however a Theatre Manager should have an understanding of the needs of all of the specialties within a theatre facility, without which management decisions cannot be competently made.
Please let me know if I can be of any help!
All the best!
------------------------------
Beth Rand, EBMS
High School Theatre Operations Coach
Lighting Designer
Next HS Theatre Management Training for Drama Teachers online course: Winter Session starts Jan. 15 (limited to 8 students - some spots still open, you can join in this session for up to 2 weeks).
Author of "High School Theatre Operations" and "The High School Theatre Safety Manual" and several more books on Amazon and also at
http://www.presett.org/helpful-books-for-you.html.www.PRESETT.orgWestminster, CO
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 01-12-2018 18:24
From: Joseph Ellison
Subject: Facility Management
Greetings! I am asking for some references and advice! Our school wants to implement a facility management plan for people and groups that want to rent our space for events and performances and I am one of the ones that will be in charge of the meetings and over seeing the rentals. So my job will be checking the equipment in and out and setup and managing monies. So I need advice in any systems you recommend or prices to charge for use of equipment and hiring operators. Suggestions on applications and handbooks, basically anything. We've never really had any system like this before (until recently no one has really been using the space but now we are starting to see more request. So ANY advice from application to booking to checking out, etc. Thanks!
------------------------------
Joseph Ellison
Theatre Director
Rio Rico AZ
------------------------------