Function

• Theatre producers are charged with every aspect of initiating a production. They manage the business end, responsible for many financial and administrative duties. They secure funding, establish and oversee budgets, choose venues and determine ticket prices. Upon selection of a script, producers hire directors, designers, technicians and performers. They oversee the administrative staff of a theatre company and develop a number of marketing and advertising strategies.
  
  

Education and Training

• There are no specific education requirements for theatre producers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They come from a variety of backgrounds--from actors and directors to business managers. Yet, many often often obtain degrees in arts management. The Producer's Perspective website recommends taking a variety of theatre courses like directing, acting and design to get more familiar with the different aspects of a production. Similarly, the BLS states that producers often start their careers "in a theatrical management office, working for a press agent, managing director, or business manager."
  
  

Special Skills

• Theatre producers must be business-minded, detail-oriented, creative, well-organized and able to successfully maintain and oversee a number of different projects simultaneously. They must work well in a collaborative environment, communicate effectively and be motivators. They must possess excellent leadership skills and a complete understanding of the theatre business and its people.
  
  

Considerations and Potential

• To succeed, the BLS recommends total commitment to the business, noting that competition for theatrical jobs is quite stiff. Also, aspiring producers, actors and directors often go considerable lengths of time before acquiring a job.
  
  Employment in producing and similar fields was expected to grow 11 percent from 2008 to 2010, according to the BLS. Though the number of aspiring theatre professionals is quickly rising, many will leave the field early due to competition and lack of consistent work and sustainable income.
  
  

Salary

• The median annual wages of producers was $64,430 in 2008, according to the BLS. The middle 50 percent earned between $41,890 and $105,070. However, this figure varies greatly upon the producer's experience, size of the production company, ticket prices and the show's success. As the BLS website states, "Stage producers seldom receive a set fee; instead, they get a percentage of a show's earnings or ticket sales."