Last week you read about the role of Managing Director (the business side). This week we’ll cover the Managing Director’s counterpart, the Production Manager (the artistic side).
Both roles report to the Executive Director and then the Artistic Director. And both roles support the mission of the theatre, to produce new and original comedies in a forum that highlights the talents of North Texas theatre artists. But whereas the Managing Director (MD) handles business activities in support of the mission, the Production Manager (PM) handles artistic efforts that directly carry out the mission. As such, the PM oversees the design team, the actors (through the Stage Manager or SM), and the crew.
The line can be tricky to draw sometimes. Often it comes down to who contacts whom. The PM nags the designers, actors (via SM), and crew for bios, and the MD works with the layout designer to ensure those bios get into the printed program. The PM tracks expenses of the design team; the MD ensures they get reimbursed. There is a yin and yang to the relationship between these roles.
The distinction is important and critical to maintaining artistic integrity in the work we do. The PM decides that we need another person backstage to help with scene changes. The MD may push back because it isn’t in the budget. They have a conversation and ultimately whatever is best for the show wins out! It’s a system of checks and balances that ensures that we have someone focused on the artistic product (the PM) while someone else ensures it’s done with efficiency and cost-effectiveness (the MD).
Rest assured, when you pay for a ticket or donate money to Pegasus Theatre, you have two people (the PM and the MD) who will ensure every dollar is judiciously spent in pursuit of bringing you the best experience in live stage theatre!