We CU Performing at Centenary University!
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts: Production Management
Gain experience coordinating technical, logistical, and creative elements required to successfully produce live performances and events.
Someone has to be in charge. How about you?
In Centenary University’s Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts, Production Management concentration, you will learn the skills needed to work as a stage and production manager in the professional theatre. The program covers all areas of production from collaborating with actors and designers to working with theatre administration.
The Production Management curriculum blends training in management, design and technical skills with core Theatre Arts courses in subjects ranging from acting to directing. With Centenary’s emphasis on liberal arts studies, you will also be exposed to a wide variety of courses that will only enhance your abilities as a communicator and as a leader.
Learn to lead
At Centenary, you will have the opportunity to assist professional stage managers with the Centenary Stage Company, a nonprofit professional theatre group based on campus. This unusual opportunity will allow you to:
Earn Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) points toward your equity card as a stage manager.
Manage a variety of productions from the touring Young Audience Series to Centenary Stage Company main stage productions and University student productions.
Network with working professionals to gain insight into the craft of stage management.
Our program is based in the Carol and David Lackland Center, widely considered the premier theatre of its kind in northwest New Jersey. The center has three distinct performance venues — a 487-seat theatre, a 177-seat theatre and a black box theatre — where our Production Management students can learn their trade.
Your Future
Academic Advancement:
Next steps include MFA/MA in Theatre, arts administration, stage management, design/production certificate, teaching certification, or nonprofit management credential.
Career Pathways:
Actor, Performance Artist, Drama Therapist
Industry Outlook:
Performance roles are competitive; there is growing interest in interdisciplinary performance art and therapy.
Regional employers include
NJPAC; Paper Mill Playhouse; McCarter Theatre Center; George Street Playhouse; Two River Theater; State Theatre New Jersey; Count Basie Center; New Jersey Ballet; regional production companies; school districts.
Salary Outlook:
$30,000 – $50,000
Getting Started
For New Jersey entry-level roles aligned to BA in Theatre Arts: Production Management, a reasonable starting range is approximately $35,000–$52,000, depending on role, licensure/certification, employer type, and prior experience.
Early Career and Progression
Approx. $60,000 midpoint at about five years, with higher earnings in specialized, licensed, technical, supervisory, or high-demand settings.
Approx. $85,000 average or attainable mid-career benchmark around ten years, especially for advanced credentials, management responsibility, or specialized practice.
*Salary and Outlook Data