The Challenges (and Joys) of Working in Educational Theater

Overcoming Challenges in Educational Theaters: Making the Impossible, Possible

When you teach theater, every production can feel like a high-wire act. Between tight budgets, limited resources, and the demands of managing a cast of students (any cast, really), it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Despite these challenges, we continue to push forward. Why? We know the value that theater brings to our students and our communities. We know the positive effects it has on student confidence, life skills, and even grades. We understand how it brings people together. But really, because it's like oxygen. We can no easier step away from the theater than we can stop breathing. Since we can't live without it, let’s talk about some of the biggest hurdles we face—and how we can overcome them.

Building magic with limited resources in an educational theater.

The Struggle for Funding

One of the most pressing challenges in educational theater is securing adequate funding. Arts programs are often among the first to face cuts when school budgets tighten, leaving theater educators scrambling to stretch every dollar.

Without proper funding, it can be difficult to afford the necessities like costumes, props, lighting equipment, and even royalties for scripts. Do admin know we have to pay for those? How often do you find yourself dipping into personal funds or hitting up every family member with spare change to fund your show?

This is a whole topic in and of itself, but here are some very basic things to consider.

What's your ticketing model?

In our school, our ticket sales come directly back to us. This isn't the case for my friends down the road in a different district, whose ticket sales go back into a general fund that supports all activities. While we both want butts in seats, we approach ticket sales very differently. In our program, we can look at price, set levels for student sales, general admission, and offer discounts to groups, bump prices for priority or reserved seating, and benefit from those choices. Down the road at my friend's school, they set their ticket prices very low, all across the board, and ask the audience for donations to the theater program at every performance, with great success. They don't get to keep their ticket sales, but direct donations come right back to them!

What relationships can you develop with other theaters?

Sometimes managing costs ia a matter of putting money back in your pocket. What theaters are around you that would be willing to work with you? Borrow props and costumes, sure, but also come in and work with kids on performance skills? Are they tossing materials you may have a use for? Could you advertise at their events? We're creative people, but we often get isolated from our peers when we are laser focussed on our shows. Open those channels of communication and see what happens. No theater near you? How about second hand stores, hardware stores, estate sale companies, carpet stores, fabric stores. The possibilities are endless.

Traditional funding solutions to we are familiar with:

• Fundraising Events: Hosting events like benefit performances, silent auctions, or selling theater merchandise can raise much-needed funds.

• Community Sponsorships: Local businesses may be willing to sponsor a show in exchange for advertising in the program or during performances.

• Grants: Look into local and national arts grants. Organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts or local arts councils often have funding opportunities available for educational programs.

Like I said, this is a whole twelve topics all on its own. If you're interested in our fundraising plan, join Backstage AIC's Facebook page and look for it in the guides. On The Stage also has free fundraising resources.

Creative fundraising can help fuel your next production.

Gaining Community Support

Community involvement is essential for any theater's survival. While some communities wholeheartedly support their schools' theater programs, others may need a little encouragement to see the value of what’s happening on the stage and behind the scenes.

A strong connection between the theater and the community can open doors to more resources and opportunities for students. It can also help build a larger audience base, ensuring that each performance fills the seats. For those communities that need convincing, what value can you directly bring to them. Think outside of program ads.

Ways to build community support:

• Invite local leaders: Engage with local leaders, business owners, and influential community members by inviting them to attend performances or even participate in productions. Offer group sales discounts for employers to bring their staff for an evening. Get on the social calendar of senior groups and day care centers. Find your local scout groups and see how coming to a performance, volunteering, or even helping with the show could support their member's badge and recognition programs. You have a lot to offer in more ways than you think.

• Showcase student growth: Make sure the community knows how theater helps students build valuable life skills, like teamwork, leadership, and communication. I've had many former students call me to tell me their auditioning skills helped them get a job. High profile employers like Meta and Microsoft look for theater on an applicant's resume. Even more basic than that, I've had parents tell me theater was the reason their student got through school. Don't be shy about how good theater is. Make your case, loud and proud and with joy.

• Promote the arts year-round: Host theater workshops, summer camps, or after-school events to keep the arts in the spotlight beyond the regular school year. This might be a tall ask, so if you need the summer season to recharge, don't give that up. There are probably other people (those colleges from a few paragraphs back) who run programs or would sponsor a clinic to showcase their own programs if they knew the interest was there. Promote others, help move students toward other opportunities. You will all benefit.

A strong community connection helps bring educational theater to life.

Keeping Students Engaged

Today’s students have endless distractions competing for their time and attention. Engaging them in theater—whether on stage or backstage—can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. But once they’re hooked, the benefits are endless.

For students who might not want to perform, get them backstage! This is my favorite part! The crew runs the world and there are options from artistic, to mechanical, to business and promotions. Giving students the chance to explore these other avenues can increase engagement and show them that theater isn’t just about acting—it’s about creating something bigger than themselves. Those student hands will take some of the pressure off you as well. If the kids are creating the social media campaign and all you're doing is approving posts, you get more exposure without the hours of (extra) work.

Strategies to increase student engagement:

• Variety of Roles: Advertise a diverse range of roles, both onstage and behind the scenes, so that every student can find their place.

• Student Ownership: Encourage students to take ownership of certain aspects of production—whether it’s leading a scene, managing props, or creating marketing materials.

• Fostering Collaboration: Make sure students are involved in the creative process. Allow them to help with decisions, solve problems, and learn from mistakes in a collaborative environment. This is a life skill teachers, schools, and employers all appreciate.

Every role in theater—onstage or behind the scenes—contributes to the final production.

Ending on a High Note: The Lasting Benefits of Theater

Despite the challenges, the rewards of working in educational theater far outweigh the struggles. Theater teaches students invaluable lessons in leadership, communication, empathy, and creative problem-solving. And these lessons aren’t just confined to the stage—they stay with students long after they leave the theater.

Even if students don’t pursue a career in the arts, the skills they learn through theater are applicable to almost any career path. Theater fosters confidence, teaches collaboration, and shows students how to think on their feet. It teaches them how to listen and respond, how to create something from nothing, and how to lead with both empathy and authority.

Theater’s lasting impact: students gaining life-long skills and unforgettable experiences.

The Show Must Go On

At the end of the day, the challenges we face in educational theater are real—but so are the rewards; for both us and our students. With creative problem-solving, strong community ties, and a commitment to student engagement, we can continue to create something magical. We can ensure that theater remains a powerful, life-changing force for every student who steps into the wings.

Let’s keep raising the curtain, even when the odds seem stacked against us. Because we know that the benefits of theater—confidence, teamwork, creativity—are too valuable to lose.

What can I do right now?

• Have you found creative ways to fund your theater program? Share your ideas in the comments!

• Make our blog regular reading for more discussions on how to keep your theater program thriving.

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