<p>My daughter, a junior, is interested in majoring in performing arts management. (I think this major may go by different names at different colleges; entertainment business, for example, is a major offered by Oklahoma City Univ.) Based on Internet research, we're considering (although we haven't yet visited) schools like Hartt, OKCU and Depaul. I must admit I'm not familiar with this major, and I'm wondering if anyone else has any advice on schools we should be looking into. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>Thoughts? OK. Why on earth would anyone want to go into this field? Does she think it's glamorous? My goodness, I can't imagine anyone in a theater who is more universally despised than the business manager. </p>
<p>Yikes.</p>
<p>I'm considering something like this. I don't know if it will be a arts management or just a double theatre/economics, but I think the reason for it is those of us who don't want to get out of college with only an acting degree. it would provide alternatives to straight acting, while still being able to thake theatre classes and have all the benefits of a theatre major.</p>
<p>Wow, the response to this has been kinda harsh. I disagree with both of the post above (for very different reasons).</p>
<p>I go to DePaul, and know a lot of theatre management majors, and I have to say that while I can see that a FEW (not the majority) or the theatre ARTS majors may have wanted to do acting, but decided against getting a degree in it, that is NOT the case with the management majors here. They are a whole different bread, which is great. They even have to take a performance class, that they admit is fun, but for very different reasons. I have had conversations about this with a few of them and they all say that they have no disire to be an actor at all-in fact that would be a nightmare!</p>
<p>I don't know too much about the curriculum (from what I can tell it is really close to theatre arts, but I know they have to take a lot of business classes too), but I do know that most (if not all) of them have gotten jobs at theatres in Chicago for networking and experienced.</p>
<p>I hope that helps a little!</p>
<p>I think that thearte management is a wonderful career path for someone who loves theatre and business, and wants to be a guiding force supporting the creation of the performing arts... Theatre is a business and needs well educated, well informed arts managers. If you look in Artsearch (a trade publication listing jobs in the arts) the only job list longer than the Techncal Director list is the Arts Management list... Development Director, Business Manager, Executive Director, etc... </p>
<p>As far as majors go.. some people choose to double major in business and theatre at a school that offers course work in non-profit and arts management. A school that has an active student theatre group can also be a good fit... students at these schools can get experience in budgeting, and other theatre management related tasks. There are also a number of graduate programs in theatre management... Yale Drama School and DePaul Univerity both have wonderful programs.. The Kennedy Center offers a fellowship for college grads who are pursuing a career in arts administration. </p>
<p>Best of luck to your D!</p>
<p>Question: Does your daughter want to be an agent? Usually managers are more experieced agents who want to avoid the only 10% commission. My son is an agent and we have several friends who's children are in training programs with big agencies. In addition we have two other friends who's kids are working for casting agents in New York. The majors have been anything from business to stage management to film to history. The funny cracks about agents/managers boils down to this: when you're young and need a job you'll do anything to get an agent or a manager. If you don't become successful it's THEIR fault. If you do become successful you don't need the bloodsuckers. So, if your daughter wants to work in theater, and she doesn't go to either coast, she should find a very strong theater program and do EVERYTHING she can in every area. The more experience..the better the chance of getting a job.</p>