Kathryn Hahn, Brandon Todd Miller and Rick Bank in the Yale School of Drama production of The Misanthrope. The show was administered by Clara Jane Rice.

Prospective theater management students “should really think about what they want out of a graduate program,” says Dawn Helsing, a third-year MFA student in the discipline at the Yale School of Drama. This is solid advice that many aspiring theater professionals should follow long before they even pick up an application, because very often, a student can graduate with wildly different management ideas and experiences based on the school they choose to attend.

The top programs, including those at Yale, Wayne State University and California Institute of the Arts, provide renowned training in the field, albeit with unique attitudes and emphases.

YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA
New Haven, CT
Helsing says that her studies at Yale teach her “what it takes to be a leader,” giving her the tools she needs to get where she would like to go: managing director at a non-profit institution.

Yale’s theater management program provides students with equal amounts of academic instruction and practical training, but the program’s directors stress hands-on work experience as the most valuable and unique aspect of the education.

“You are coming to a trade school,” says Victoria Nolan, the program’s managing director. She describes the three-year program as a gradual progression from classroom scenarios to exposure to real-life issues through students’ work at the Yale Repertory Theatre. “By the end of the third year, they have a lot of experience with decision-making when running a theater,” she explains.

Alicia Roper and Lael Logan in the Yale School of Drama production of The People Vs. The God Of Vengeance. The show was administered by Joshua Borenstein.

Benjamin Mordecai, associate dean of Yale School of Drama and chair of the theater management training program, and Nolan select six to eight students each year from an applicant pool of about 40. They seek students “who really know what they’re applying for” and “who really know what they want to do in their future,” says Mordecai.

Talent, intelligence, strong written and oral communication skills and some facility for numbers will help a prospective candidate. A passion for theater is, of course, a given.

In their first year, students spend mornings in class and afternoons rotating through different jobs in various departments at the Yale Repertory Theatre, including development, box office and house management. For one semester in the second year, they participate in an off-site mentored internship. The final year is devoted to a single aspect of management at the Yale Repertory Theatre. Although students receive supervision and free-flowing advice, they essentially run the professional theater themselves.

Students are encouraged to supplement the school’s academic offerings with relevant classes from Yale’s other graduate schools. Some students even opt for a joint MBA/MFA degree.

Annual tuition for the program is about $15,950. Eighty-five percent of the students receive some form of need-based financial aid.

Application materials, including a résumé, college transcript, letters of recommendation and GRE scores, are due on February 1. Interviews for admission take place in February and March.

Prospective applicants should visit the school’s website at www.yale.edu/drama or call them at 203-432-1507.

WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Detroit, MI
Like their peers at Yale, MFA candidates in theater management at Wayne State University spend much of their three-year program obtaining firsthand experience running the productions staged by the school’s resident troupe, Hilberry Repertory Company.

The 1999-2000 Hilberry Repertory Company at Wayne State University

Alumni claim that this key component of the program allows them to gain a level of practical experience that classes alone cannot provide. “We’re not an academic program,” explains Janet Berry, the area head of the theater management program.

Despite this caveat, throughout their program, MFA students attend an intensive studio class, taught by Berry, which covers relevant topics such as grant writing, graphic arts and entertainment law. They supplement their academic training with classes from the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

Students also take two classes at the business school. Many opt for marketing courses, although students can choose any class that appeals to their areas of interest.

Outside of the classroom, they receive a management assignment for the school’s Hilberry Theatre, which runs on a rotating repertory schedule. As they create a mission of operation that includes a budget, students are completely responsible for implementing and managing their overall plan. “They run the theater in all senses of the word,” says Berry. “They have their own place and conduct all aspects of it.”

A scene from the Hilberry production of Five By Ten: Five One-Acts by Tennessee Williams

Students usually spend their free summers pursuing internships at one of the local Detroit theaters where they can obtain academic credit, if they so choose.

The program accepts about three students annually from about eight candidates. When evaluating applications, the admissions committee examines each candidate’s theater background, college transcript and letters of recommendation. A personal interview is an important factor in the decision.

“We are looking for applicants who have some experience in theater—preferably theater management—and have strong verbal, analytic and organizational skills as well as a company work ethnic and dedication to a theater management career,” explains Blair Anderson, the chair of the department of theater.

A strong enticement of the program is its economic aspects: Wayne State fully funds its theater management MFA candidates with a tuition waiver, insurance, fees and stipend.

Prospective applicants can find out more about the program at www.theatre.wayne.edu/t_aboutgrad.html or by calling 313-577-3378.

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS
Valencia, CA
In training the next generation of theater managers, CalArts aims to challenge the status quo by developing artists who will imagine and create—instead of merely fitting into existing institutions. “I think there’s a crisis in theater leadership,” says Susan Solt, dean of the School of Theatre. The management program addresses that problem.

The CalArts program offers what Solt defines as “a different kind of opportunity for administrators.” It is based on the belief that managers should not merely facilitate a production, but also be an intellectual, creative, even visionary force. Graduate management students thus devote much of their time exploring “what it really is to be an artistic leader,” relates Solt.

To compose its student body, the school seeks out artistically motivated individuals, as well as underrepresented voices in the culture. The ideal theater management student has a background in theater, but comes to the school as more of a generalist, bringing an open mind and an interest in “what’s new and what hasn’t happened yet in theater,” continues Solt.

Three students are accepted into the program each year from a pool of applicants that generally fluctuates in number— this year it was six. The admissions committee holds interviews and examines an applicant’s résumé, statement of goals, recommendations, college transcripts and any samples of relevant work.

CalArts faculty member and Mark Taper Forum stage manager James T. McDermott (right) mentors student production interns Athena Gam (left) and Corinne Lucas (center) on the set of the Taper production of Robert Glaudini’s The Poison Tree

Theater management MFA candidates work closely with faculty throughout their time at CalArts and benefit from these close mentorships. “We’re looking for junior colleagues,” explains Solt.

Students in the discipline develop skills in organization, communication and problem solving. They also examine management styles and learn about relevant business concepts. MFA candidates participate in off-campus internships during a portion of their second year.

To supplement their academic work, graduate students take on real-world responsibilities by managing the school’s productions in its six performance spaces, including the Walt Disney Modular Theatre.

Accepted students can expect competitive financial aid awards to offset the cost of tuition, which is approximately $17,500.

Prospective students ought to check out the school’s website at www.calarts.edu to learn more about the program, or call the school at 661-255-1050. Completed application materials are due on the second Friday in January.

Whether drawn to Yale, Wayne State or CalArts, prospective MFA students will get thorough preparation for a career in theater management. Each school’s students have gone on to apply their education and experience to make lasting contributions in the theater world.