We CU Performing at Centenary University!
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts: Theatre Management
Learn the business and operational side of theatre including marketing, production planning, and arts administration.
The Theatre Arts major at Centenary University offers its students a comprehensive, process-centered curriculum in the study of theatre
Centenary is home to Centenary Stage Company, a nonprofit professional theatre group.
This unique relationship gives our Performance Studies students the opportunity to:
- Act right alongside professional actors, including Broadway veterans, in Centenary Stage Company productions.
- Train in three distinct performance venues in the Carol and David Lackland Center, widely considered the premier theatre of its kind in northwest New Jersey.
- Perform in groups ranging from our touring Young Audience Series to main stage productions.
Love Business? Love the “Arts”? Then Theatre Management is for you.
Arts administration, also called arts management, is a field of study providing graduates with the tools to create, develop, facilitate, and evaluate arts and cultural programs and organizations. Arts management offers a viable and rewarding career path for thousands of people across the globe.
A concentration in Theatre Management at Centenary is interdisciplinary, combining classes in Business, including Social Media, Communication and Visual Arts along with Theatre Arts, giving students a well-rounded skill set to work within the non-profit Theatre Arts world, continue their studies in Graduate schools or apply their varied skills to a related field. The existence of an equity theatre and production entity on the Centenary campus allows students to experience real world practical applications of these skills. In addition, there are numerous opportunities to network with not only the artists who pass through these doors, but the various companies that perform here as part of the season.
The new summer musical theatre series will continue to provide employment and internship possibilities for our students and graduates. The arts administration field was established to meet the ever-growing demand for leadership and organizational acumen within arts and cultural organizations. Arts administrators bridge the worlds of performing and visual arts with applied managerial, financial, and programmatic skills.
According to Americans for the Arts, 702,771 businesses are involved in the creation or distribution of the arts in the U.S., and they collectively employ 2.9 million people.
What’s more, the National Endowment for the Arts reports that the non-profit arts sector generates $135 billion for the economy which has led to 4.1 million jobs.
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:
Stage Manager, Production Coordinator, Theatre Administrator
Industry Outlook:
Job opportunities are stable in theatre management, with growth in event and festival management.
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:
$45,000 – $70,000
Getting Started
For New Jersey entry-level roles aligned to BA in Theatre Arts: Management Studies, 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