General Manager

Location: Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Ave., Madison, WI

Reports To: President, Barrymore Board of Directors

FLSA Status: Exempt

Supervision: Full-Time Professional Staff

12 months, Full-time, 3 Year Renewable Position

The General Manager is responsible for the overall leadership and management of The Barrymore Theatre, a commercial event theater that serves as both a premier live entertainment venue and a community gathering space. This position oversees all aspects of operations including event booking, guest services, facilities, financial performance, and staff management. The General Manager will ensure the theater delivers exceptional experiences for audiences and clients while balancing commercial success with support for local and community-focused programming.

In conjunction with the Board of Directors, the General Manager is actively involved in strategic planning and visioning for the organization.

The Barrymore Theatre is a 971-capacity live music venue on the east side of Madison, Wisconsin. Originally built as the Eastwood Theater in 1929, the Barrymore was renamed in 1987 and converted into a live performance venue by two neighborhood visionaries. The goal was to create an entertainment and community venue that could serve as a centerpiece for the revival of Madison’s then-declining Schenk-Atwood neighborhood.

The theater has held over 3,000 shows and events including rock concerts, comedy performances, films, plays, dance recitals, broadcasts, political rallies, children’s programming, and community events.

The now thriving Schenck-Atwood neighborhood has grown and changed around the theater. As the theater approaches its 100th anniversary, there is tremendous opportunity to re-envision the theater’s relevance and impact to the uniquely vibrant character of Madison’s East Side.

Leadership & Strategic Management

• Provide vision, direction, and leadership for all aspects of theater operations.
• Develop and execute business strategies that maximize revenue while maintaining strong community engagement.
• Represent the theater publicly, fostering partnerships with promoters, local organizations, sponsors, and civic leaders.
• Participate in fundraising and development efforts on behalf of the theater, as an active member of the boards’ Fundraising Committee(s).
• Lead projects that engage the Barrymore with the community (example: a celebration of the Barrymore Theatre in 2029, when the building turns 100 years old.)

Venue & Event Operations

• Oversee daily theater operations, including box office, concessions, front-of-house, facilities, and event production.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, licensing, and accessibility requirements.
• Work with promoters, artists, and community groups to deliver successful events.
• Manage vendor and rental contracts to support both commercial and community programming.
• Understands music industry trends; analyzes the financial results of the different types of booking choices and shares relevant information with partners to ensure mutual success of events.
• Ensures that needs of artists and industry representatives are met, and the artists receive excellent experience in playing at our venue.

Financial & Business Management

• Work with accounting firm to prepare and manage accurate, timely annual operating budgets and monthly financial reports.
• Drive revenue growth through ticket sales, rentals, concessions, sponsor ships, and other entrepreneurial activity.
• Control expenses and ensure the financial sustainability of the venue operations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

Programming & Community Engagement

• Build a diverse event calendar that balances revenue-generation and fiscal stability with community engagement.
• Support partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and local groups to provide accessible programming.
• Evaluate event performance and adjust booking strategy to reflect audience demand.

Staff & Volunteer Leadership

• Develop policies and systems that empower staff.
• Hire, train, and supervise staff across operations, technical, and guest services teams.
• Provide leadership that fosters…