Towards the effective management and marketing of theatrical productions in Nigerian universities: the University of Jos and Benue State University Theatre Departments in perspective

Abstract

This article advocates the effective management and marketing of theatrical productions in Nigerian universities, using the theatre departments in University of Jos and Benue State University as fulcra of discussion and analysis. This is predicated on the fact that many theatre arts departments in Nigerian Universities have not been able to adequately manage their productions and possibly market them. This is probably because there is no clear-cut plan of what to do with the productions outside achieving their educational  urpose, thereby underutilising them. Deploying the administrative management theory (AMT), this article uses the content analysis method to posit that the educational theatre trains would-be professionals and attends to the needs of the university community and its environs as it concerns; education, information, entertainment and the like. As such, failure to effectively manage and market theatrical productions will result to subduing and devaluing educational theatres. Consequently, the paper submits that, creating awareness of theatrical productions through different media (electronic, print and traditional) can go a long way in attracting the audience to these productions. Also, box office productions in the university should be stepped up to underscore their value and justify the efforts in achieving such productions. If this happens, educational theatres can be selfsustaining and capable of producing graduates who can withstand the harsh economy of the new world. The paper recommends that heads of educational theatres should take up the challenge of ensuring that productions go beyond achieving course requirements but speak volumes of what the theatre stands for as well as attracts something
tangible to the theatre.