Managing Director - The Colonial Theatre of Rhode Island

Coming off a Successful 2021 season, The Colonial Theatre of Rhode Island seeks Managing Director, a creative thinker with leadership, admistrative, fundraising and financial skills to work in partnership with the Board of Trustees and Artistic Director to guide and grow the nonprofit theatre and its mission, vision, and values.



The Colonial Theatre is committed to producing professional theatre of the highest quality, which includes providing an outdoor, summer Shakespeare Festival, and to establishing a series of educational programs and training opportunities for both children and adults designed to enhance both knowledge and appreciation of Theatre Arts.



The Colonial holds an equally strong commitment to our community: that its productions, overall, be both broadly appealing and challenging; that ticket prices be free or affordable, that local service organizations and other non-profits receive our support for their endeavors, and that Colonial Theatre’s offerings be a source of inspiration and education as well as entertainment.



The Colonial’s flagship production, Shakespeare in the Park, has entertained tens of thousands in Westerly’s historic Wilcox Park every Summer since 1991. Over the past three decades our outdoor Shakespeare festival has become a beloved summertime tradition for the greater Westerly community.



Location: Westerly, RI Position type: Off-Season: Part Time

Seasonally: Full time



Minimum Experience: Three (3) to Five (5) years of nonprofit arts managerial experience; theatre arts management and fundraising experience preferred.



Salary and Benefits: $40,000 – $90,000; Compensation package includes health benefits, paid vacation, and sick leave.



Start Date: Winter 2022



The Colonial Theatre is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants shall be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or marital status.



Role of the Managing Director:

The Managing Director (MD) works in partnership with the Board of Directors as the Theatre’s executive team. The MD serves as the chief financial officer of the Theatre and must exercise responsible stewardship of all resources within the organization for the optimum balance of artistic quality, financial strength, and institutional integrity. The MD is also responsible for directing and supervising day-to-day administrative activity and relationships, including:



Board of Trustees: The MD serves, as staff liaison to the Board. As appropriate, The MD also assists with Board recruitment work in the service of the Colonial Theatre.



Administration and Supervision: The MD directs administrative operations. The MD works to provide administrative services for the production process, including supervision of human resource functions, licensing and contract negotiations, scheduling, and finance management.



Financial Management/Fundraising: The MD continually evaluates the impact of programming decisions against financial and institutional priorities. Responsibilities include the annual budget (in collaboration with the Artistic Director), presentation of the monthly financial reports and oversight of all ongoing financial matters from payroll to the annual CPA audit. The MD works to create, implement, and support fundraising campaigns, special events, and grant opportunities.



Advocacy: The MD/AD team presents the public face of the Colonial Shakespeare Theatre. Along with the Associate AD, the team works to advance the Theatre’s relationship with local, state and regional organizations including government agencies, advocacy groups, local businesses, schools and universities, other arts organizations, and the wider community. The MD may be called upon to speak to private and public organizations and to the press.



We are committed to keeping Shakespeare in the Park free and open to the public as it always has been. We rely on generous donations to provide these high-quality performances to anyone who wishes to see Shakespeare, no matter their situation. The Colonial firmly believes that many essential skills we need to succeed in a modern economy — conducting presentations and meetings, working collaboratively, and the like — can be taught through theatre. We offer summer camps as well as apprenticeship opportunities in our Shakespeare shows for local youth who are as passionate about learning, practicing, and producing as we are.



Since we held our first Shakespeare in the Park festival in 1991, Downtown Westerly’s historic Wilcox Park has hosted our shows. This remarkable Victorian strolling park and arboretum lies at the center of the Westerly-Pawcatuck community and is a fitting home for one of the community’s oldest arts traditions.

Our summer productions are performed from a temporary, custom-built stage at the northern end of Wilcox Park. The Park’s grassy basin can accommodate over 10,000 attendees. Many people set down their blankets a few hours ahead of time, order dinner from a Downtown restaurant, and enjoy a picnic meal with family and friends before the show begins.



Summer evenings are special when the Colonial performs Shakespeare in the Park. As the light fades from the sky and the air begins to cool, the show draws you in a little further. We at the Colonial are proud to keep Wilcox Park, the back yard of the community, a place where anyone can gather and experience professional theatre, free of charge.



Procedure for Application:

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and references to the Managing Director Search Committee.



Please forward application packets (Word or .pdf format) via email to info@colonialtheaterart.org



Applications will be received until December 15, 2021, at 12:00 PM EST.
Salary: $40,000 – $90,000