Theatre Manager

Position:  Theatre Manager
Reports to:  General Manager

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About Theatre for a New Audience

Founded in 1979, Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA) is an award‐winning off‐Broadway

LORT‐ C theatre whose mission is to develop and vitalize the performance and study of Shakespeare and classic drama alongside other new work.  TFANA is dedicated to building a culturally diverse and equitable environment and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented populations. The position will remain open until a diverse and qualified pool of candidates is identified.

 

Values and Strategies:

We are guided in our work by five core values: a reverence for language, a spirit of adventure, a commitment to diversity, a dedication to learning, and a spirit of service. These values inform what we do with artists, how we interact with audiences, and how we manage our organization. Language is at the heart of all we do. We focus on the language and ideas of writers. We believe that hearing great language powerfully expressed improves our listening skills, opens our eyes, and deepens our perception and understanding of the world around us. We infuse our work with adventure—provocative ideas, visual boldness, and a sense that we are on a lifelong journey with Shakespeare and classic drama. We are committed to diversity— diverse approaches to dramatic material, diversity on our staff, in our casting and audiences, and multifaceted relationships with uniquely different communities. Learning is a fundamental principle of the Theatre, and we value learning as a process that takes place over time—a process that depends on our ability to promote curiosity, reflection, study, research and dialogue in all our work. We are dedicated to service. Inspired by our civic role, we seek to create broad public access and to bond the diverse New York community through the language, pleasure and ideas of classical drama.  To advance our mission and values, Theatre for a New Audience:

  • produces Shakespeare alongside other plays of classic stature and major contemporary plays, creating a dialogue over centuries between Shakespeare and other authors about our contemporary world;
  • builds long‐term associations with artists and offers programs for their growth and ongoing development;
  • promotes the humanities by presenting dynamic discussions with leading artists and scholars in a variety of fields in conjunction with the plays we present;
  • programs for wide‐ranging audiences—from connoisseurs of diverse repertory to young people who are seeing groundbreaking productions for the first time;
  • promotes access for diverse audiences by offering economically‐priced tickets;
  • provides rich arts‐in‐education programs, including teacher training and the largest in-depth program in New York City to introduce Shakespeare to Public School students;
  • uses its facilities and intellectual resources to serve the local artistic, educational and social communities where the Theatre operates, and contributes to the international theatre community through touring, artistic exchanges and partnerships.

 

Theatre Manager

Reporting to the General Manager, the Theatre Manager will oversee all Front of House and Box Office operations, supervising one full-time Box Office Manager as well as a part-time staff of approximately 40 seasonal employees including hourly house managers, ushers, and box office associates. The Theatre Manager also manages building rentals, overseeing inquiries and contracts, and serving as the client’s point of contact throughout the rental period.

This role will work on-site at Polonsky Shakespeare Center, the Theatre’s home in the Brooklyn Cultural District.  The Theatre Manager works closely with departments and employees across the organization, most regularly with Marketing, Production, Artistic, Facilities, and Facilities staff.

The ideal candidate will have exceptional leadership and customer service skills, as well the ability to execute numerous complex tasks while maintaining a calm and professional environment for TFANA’s audience, artists, and staff.

Responsibilities:

  • Hire, train, schedule, and all Front of House staff (hourly house managers, ushers, booksellers, and fireguards).
  • Hire, train, schedule, and supervise all Box Office staff (full-time Box Office Manager and part-time Box Office Associates).
  • Manage payroll for all hourly Front of House and Box Office employees.
  • Field all HR concerns from Front of House and Box Office staff and work with the General Manager and Managing Director to resolve employee concerns.
  • Alongside the Box Office Manager, oversee all ticket sales (subscriptions, single tickets, and group sales), ensuring as smooth a purchasing process as possible for patrons, whether they purchase online or over the phone.
  • Build all packages, productions, and events in our ticketing system (Spektrix) and serve as the Theatre’s primary liaison to the Spektrix support team.
  • Collaboratively create and maintain customer service policies and procedures, including but not limited to ticketing policies, theatre house rules, COVID safety measures, and emergency safety plans.
  • Proactively address unanticipated logistical challenges and crises in creative ways.
  • Ensure that appropriate Front of House staff members maintain all necessary safety certifications, including fireguard and CPR/First Aid/AED certifications.
  • Work with the Facilities Director and Production Manager to provide a safe and pleasant environment for audiences and artists.
  • Propose and execute Front of House and Box Office budgets for both annual and production-based expenses.
  • Oversee book kiosk sales, staffing, and reporting.
  • Serve as primary liaison to the cast, crew, and creative team for all productions regarding ticketing procedures and Front of House policies.
  • Oversee rental inquiries and contracts and serve as the clients’ point of contact throughout rental periods.
  • Convey rental needs to other departments both in advance of and during rental periods.
  • Use our ticketing system (Spektrix) to provide weekly box office settlements to the Finance Director for accounting purposes and the General Manager for the purpose of royalties.
  • Attend weekly Marketing Meetings to provide on-the-ground Box Office updates and weekly Availability Reports.
  • Attend weekly Building Operations meetings.
  • Work evening and weekend hours per performance schedules on a regular basis.
  • Other duties as required.
  • This individual will be required to obtain and maintain CPR/First Aid/CPR and Fireguard certificates.

 

Qualifications and Traits:

  • 3+ years of relevant Front of House/Box Office/Visitor Services experience, preferably at a performing arts organization.
  • Demonstrated excellence in customer service roles, as well as a genuine care for performing arts audiences.
  • Demonstrated strong staff management skills – ability to analyze employee concerns and work with direct reports to craft a healthy work environment.
  • Fluency with MS Office applications, especially Excel.
  • Ability to artfully manage time in a fluid, fast-paced environment.
  • Proficiency in the use of ticketing platforms (Spectrix preferred).
  • Ability to work within a budget and manage monthly updates, forecasting potential overages.
  • An understanding of the NYC theatre marketplace is a plus.

 

Compensation:

Salary $60,000 — $65,000. Benefits offered include medical, vision, Life and long-term disability insurance, paid time off, Employee Assistance Program and voluntary pre-tax programs for retirement (403[b], Transit and FSA).

 

To Apply:

Applicants for this position should send full cover letter and chronological resume (combined into a single PDF) to jobs@tfana.org  with “Theatre Manager” in the subject line. 

 

Theatre for a New Audience is committed to attracting, hiring and retaining employees who reflect the cultural diversity of our community. We believe that every employee has the right to work in a respectful environment that is free from discrimination, consistent with our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and respect. This commitment extends to all aspects of the employment relationship.