Running Your Theater: Artistic Director vs. Board

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Artistic Director vs. Board

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=4367
Printed Date: 10/31/25 at 6:29am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Artistic Director vs. Board

Posted By: GADramaCoach
Subject: Artistic Director vs. Board
Date Posted: 12/09/09 at 1:38pm

I'm the Artistic Director for a youth theatre. Because we're just one year old and don't have enough resources, students pay to be in our productions. Students are able to sign up for only one semester so I had no idea how many students would be in our spring musical. I couldn't pick a show without knowing the general cast size I would have so students had to sign up before we picked the show. I've spent between 80 and 100 hours looking at musicals online and watching clips on youtube. The deadline for registration was December 1 so I would have a month to finalize which show we'd do and plan for auditions in early January. Our current student roster is 10 girls and 2 boys. The show I chose for us to do is a new show of MTI that showcases a lot of girls and for a lot of other reasons, I think it'll be a good choice.

So here's my problem: we had our board meeting yesterday and I presented the show option and my board (3 other parents) didn't like my choice. One member was really pushing for well known shows like "Fiddler", "Oklahoma", etc. I'm more into doing more modern pop-rock musicals. The other 2 said they would trust my judgment since I've been looking for months and haven't found another show that works with our numbers. But we're at an impasse because they didn't approve my choice so we couldn't approve the budget or staff needs.

At this point I'm not sure how to proceed. Auditions are less than a month away and I have been looking for a musical since April so I know what's out there. I'm really insulted that they hired me to choose the season and now are basically saying they know better than me although they haven't looked. And I'd like to enjoy my Christmas without having to work on finding another show so I don't want to start all over.

Has anyone dealt with a conflict between the AD and the board? Does the board have to unanimously approve the season?

Replies:

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 12/13/09 at 7:37pm

From your post, as there is only 3 board members, your proposal has a majority, confered by 2/3rds, excluding your self. To my way of thinking, by 2 stating "they trusted your judgement" , the question in deed can be resonably perseeved as being carried by a majority. Thus if this was a formal motion & the question put, the minutes should be recorded and relect the motion being carried/passed.

I can't see any conflict & this should be clarified by the Chair &/or ratified in the meetings record.

However you may need to check out your Constition policy, rules & regulations. To what the proceedures of voting are in place.

-------------
Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: dboris
Date Posted: 12/15/09 at 12:59pm

As Gaafa said, it really depends on the rules of you theater. In my theatre the board votes on the season as a whole and it must be approved by the majority. It's rare that these types of decisions would require a unanimous vote.

As to the comment about "can't expect volunteers to do what they say", this can be taken in two ways.

If you speak about "volunteers" as a whole, then this statement is, unfortunately, quite accurate. Your exact case is a perfect example that I have run across a couple times. The group will agree to do a show that would be great for school groups and everyone says we will go out an solicit these groups, but in the end it never happens.

On the other hand if you are talking about a single volunteer agreeing to do something, then in my opinion they should be expected to follow through. I know in reality this often happens, but I will never defend someone for not doing something that they agreed to do.

Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 1/12/10 at 5:17am

This is why I firmly beleive that the Board of Directors should not be in charge of choosing the season. Unless they are well versed in the logistics of each production, then they have no business choosing shows based soley on name value. If you have a cast of only 5, and the board wants to do The sound of music, then you have an issue.

While name value of the play is important, it's not as important as making sure the play is proper for your group. Sure, Fiddler may fill more seats the first time, but when people realize that it was way beyond your leauge, they will not be returning for future shows, no matter the name value.

If the company has an artistic director, it is primarily his or her job to choose the season. In fact, I have never ran into a theater with an artistic director that needed approval of the board for the season of shows. The job of the board is to oversee the company, and to make sure that it keeps within it's goals and fiancial means. It is not the job of the board to be a bunch of artisitic directors (unless your group does not have an artistic director; then someone will have to choose the shows, more than likely the board).

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Landon Parks,
Producing Artistic Director,
Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co