Exploring the Status of Education Department Within Nonprofit Theatre Organizations

This study uses interviews, financial documents, and public materials to examine the relationships between five nonprofit theatres and their respective education departments. After analyzing commonalities among the relationships, the researcher identifies five indicators that reveal the nature of the relationship between the education department and the rest of the organization. These indicators are (1) the reason behind the education department's foundation, (2) the ability of the education director to connect with other departments within the organization, (3) the capability of the education department to find and foster contributions, (4) the capacity of the education programs to earn an income, and (5) the use of data to link the education department with a positive future of the organization. Finally, by comparing the five theatres, the research begins to make connections to the overall field of educational theatre and recommends ways to increase educational advocacy within theatre organizations as a way to protect the future of education departments.