Managing Mason Street: A Study in Theatre Management

Abstract

Mason Street Warehouse, an uptown theatre in downtown Saugatuck (Michigan). For most of the year, the theatre and office are quiet. However, every summer since 2003, the former pie factory becomes home to professional summer stock theatre. Specializing in musical theatre, MSW typically brings three to four productions to the stage over. the course of their season. This summer I received the opportunity to combine my double major in Theatre and Economics by working the entire summer season as an intern in Theatre Management, directly under the supervision of.the Managing Director, Ricki Levine. Using the internship as a case study, this written portion of the SIP will examine the field of Theatre Management through the lens of the MSW office. The internship and written SIP focus on the necessary elements to managing a theatre company that were employed by MSW over the course of the season. Theatre Management can encompass a great variety of things, and involves drawing together many essential aspects of theatre. The always-changing -role of the manager is briefly summed up in the book Theatre Management which says that: "a manager is a matchmaker who helps bring together the idea, the artist, the place, and the audience. Throughout the internship I was able to observe and participate in a large portion· of the 'matchmaking' process.