Company Manager

Job Duties

The company manager is the main administrative point of contact for actors, musicians and other members of a creative team while they are in the rehearsal hall, and later in the theatre. Communicating extensively with the performers, producer(s), and director of a given production, the company manager is a key position within any artistic company, with a high level of responsibility.

Once a director or artistic director has made casting decisions for a production, the company manager becomes broadly responsible for much of performers’ day-to-day experience during rehearsals and performances. Everything from contract negotiations and payroll to health and safety are under the purview of the company manager. Actors and other members of the artistic company turn to the company manager in case of complaints or emergency, or to make requests to improve their experience while working. Thus, company managers have the sometimes challenging task of balancing the needs of the performers (ie, the company) with the needs of producers, directors, and business managers.

The specific tasks of the company manager vary from company to company, depending on the needs of a given production. Small to midsize performing arts organizations commonly combine the roles of company manager and general manager, making the company manager responsible for extensive budgeting, scheduling, and project management. In larger organizations, these responsibilities might be spread among a number of different roles. In the case of touring shows, a “touring company manager” may be employed specifically to travel with a company and deal with the needs of a touring show in the venue, while reporting back to a supervisor who remains in the home office. For touring shows and festivals, company managers need to have the legal acumen to complete visa paperwork, and/or deal with immigration authorities in foreign countries, as well as book and take responsibility for travel and accommodation for the touring company. For companies that present, the company manager (along with a technical director) often becomes responsible for ensuring rider requirements are met.

Perhaps the most important job carried out by company managers is the handling of emergencies and “damage control.” As the representative of a theatre company in the venue, the company manager will handle public relations snafus, as well as actual emergencies impacting the health and safety of performers. Thus, a company manager should have a high tolerance for stress, and be prepared to confidently and calmly handle emergencies, difficult patrons, and backstage drama of all types.

The job of company manager is ideal for quick-learners who like to have new challenges every day, and who prefer to work on a wide variety of different types of tasks, rather than specializing in a few.