Company Manager

[ucjrdude902]

I'm watching Sarah Bolt's "Sister Lives" videos and she featured the company manager so quick question. How does a company manager work. They work for the actual theatre or the show themselves?

[gravity87]

The Company Manager works for the show itself.
This video pretty much sums up the job: http://americantheatrewing.org/careerguides/detail/the_company_manager

[morosco]

Probably one of the toughest jobs associated with a show (especially a touring production). Not for the faint of heart. But those good at it love it!

[ucjrdude902]

Thanks Gravity, besides the fact they are a decade old those videos are neat.

[CapnHook]

FOR the show and WITH the theater. The Company Manager puts in the longest hours as they are in an office all day, then at the theater at night.

[Skywalker3]

I'm a Company Manager! Not on Broadway. But at a touring production in Holland.

My main job is just make sure the show is being played! That the actors are there on time, that the are prepared and doing there jobs well. And make sure that everything in the theater were playing is all right. In frond of house and backstage.

A lot of times it is just about being there, talk to a lot of people and make sure every one is doing fine.
And yes, my phone starts ringing around 10am and doesn't stop till I get in the car around 3 pm to get to the theatre.
And it al stops when I go to bed around 2 am..

You have to love theater otherwise you go mad after one week doing what I do! But I love it!

[CapnHook]

It's a little different job description in the U.S. From what you just described your job being, Skywalker3, part of what you do is done differently on Broadway. It's actually stage management's job here to make sure that the actor are here on time and that they are performing the show accurately.

The company manager does check-in with all departments before the show, including the actors and everyone backstage, then they go to the box office to sign off on the report for that performance.

[Skywalker3]

I work for a smaller production company. And we don't have a Stage Manager. Only the big Stage Entertainment productions have one, but even there I'm not sure.

In Holland, the Company Manager (and an assistant) are the only production employees on tour.

The biggest difference between a show on Broadway and a show in Holland is that a show is produced by only one production company. (And we only have 5 of them here..)
But that's an other subject..