While B-W music theatre students are learning their roles for Brooklyn the Musical, B-W senior arts management students are studying the business aspects of the production. The multi-tiered partnership between B-W and Playhouse Square will culminate in the regional premiere of Brooklyn on May 1–3 at Playhouse Square.
Playhouse Square Collaboration Provides Real-World Experience
Working with Playhouse Square personnel in this pilot program, the arts management students will gain real-world experience in the day-to-day business of presenting a show. They will work in the areas of fiscal management, marketing, publicity, ticketing and arts education.
“This relationship that we have established embodies the best of collaboration,” said Peter Landgren, director of the Conservatory. “This is an exceptional experience for our students and it’s a win-win for everyone involved…including the Cleveland arts community.”
“Working on this project has really been fantastic,” said senior arts management student Brendan Reynolds of Cleveland. The first phase of their work, he said, was the research component. The students created a survey about college students’ theatre attendance and media consumption.
“In particular we wanted to know how college students use social networking groups and how that might translate to marketing to them,” he said.
Students Use Research as Basis for Marketing and Programming
The students will use the information from their study to create marketing and educational programming for the production. The B-W students presented the results of their survey to the senior staff at Playhouse Square on March 17 and, from all reports, the presentation was quite a success.
“I believe that the knowledge we all have gained from this research component will give us something really exciting to talk about in interviews,” said Reynolds, thinking ahead to his own upcoming job search. “Having an understanding of college students and how to effectively communicate with them is really valuable and might help bridge the gap between arts organizations and college campuses.”
“The opportunity to work with the professional staff at Playhouse Square is huge for B-W’s senior arts management students,” said Bryan Bowser, director of the B-W arts management program. “They have spent the last four years learning how to balance the art and business sides of an arts organization and this capstone experience allows them to put that knowledge into action.”
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