Flip the script

As a Tony-nominated Broadway producer and general manager, Heather Shields, ’07, is used to seeing theater as both art and business. But balancing both perspectives is an uncommon talent, one that has spurred her to rethink how the industry operates. Shields aims to pave the way for deeper collaboration between artists and producers.

“Many universities focus on the art form only and none of the business,” said Shields, a music major. “Until we have the theater makers aligned about how the industry has historically operated, we’ll never make meaningful change for the future longevity of our industry.”

Her solution is The Business of Broadway, an educational initiative she co-founded with three other Broadway producers. Shields and her co-founders offer a three-hour virtual course on producing and special topic courses such as social media strategies and unions. While she loves being a resource, her favorite part is the 30-minute Q&A at the end when attendees receive transparent answers about the industry.

“[The Q&A] changed my brain from going, ‘Well, this is the way it’s always been done,’ to a world of possibilities in a way many of us weren’t trained to think,” she said.

Shields’ goal is twofold. On the one hand, she seeks to educate those in the industry who lack knowledge on the business side. On the other hand, she wants to open the door to voices who are traditionally uninvolved in the creative process — such as investors. In an industry reliant on collaboration, she believes effective change will come from redefining the boundaries of community.

“This is an industry that is always open to new voices, not just artistically, but financially and structurally,” she said. “We can all ideate and explore ways the industry can emerge better and stronger and more equitable.”