Evan Alexander LaChance
Evan Alexander LaChance (MET’23)
General Manager, Broadway Education Alliance Inc.
MS, Arts Administration; Graduate Certificate, Commercial Theater Development
This interview was originally published in fall 2023. Evan has since accepted the position of Agency Business Administrator for AKALive entertainment, arts, culture, heritage, and destinations marketing.
What motivated you to earn your master’s degree at this point? Why did you choose to fulfill your goal at Metropolitan College?
I decided I wanted to go back to school and earn my master’s while I was living in New York City right after the first lockdown was lifted. I had worked as an actor and dancer in musical theater in NYC and nationwide for five years. After the first lockdown ended and regular businesses reopened, but the theater industry didn’t, it seemed the perfect time to transition careers. Pursuing a master’s degree would allow me to expand my skill set and build connections to reenter the industry in a different and more substantial capacity.
I chose to attend Metropolitan College for a few reasons:
- the part-time option allowed me to work full-time while pursuing my degree. I valued the ability to work and learn at the same time.
- the program was significantly more affordable than many comparable programs.
- the faculty is composed of working professionals. The evening course schedule allowed each class to be taught by someone who spent their time doing what they were teaching.
- the ability to obtain a graduate certificate in tandem with the master’s. That allowed me to gain a broad, applicable education as well as develop a specialty.
What do you find most fascinating about the MS in Arts Administration program? Do you have a particular focus within the broader field?
I find arts administration itself a fascinating field. Finding the balance among business, commerce, and community is something every organization has to reckon with. Still, arts organizations bring an element of something far less quantifiable. Art is subjective, and sometimes that subjectivity affects how people view the work. An immense amount of work goes into balancing artistic excellence with business excellence, and arts administration professionals are the ones best suited to bring that balance.
I focus on the theater, specifically commercial theater. Think Broadway. The retail arm of arts administration often feels niche. So much art work takes place in 501(c)(3) (nonprofit) organizations, and there’s this prevailing notion that one has to suffer for one’s art. But commercial theater, especially in New York City, is vital to the city’s economy. I want to create the highest quality, radically inclusive, and entertaining theater—and I believe that the commercial theater industry is the epicenter of innovation.
Congratulations on your high achievement in the Arts Administration program and your Award for Excellence in your studies! Looking back, what do you consider to be the main ingredients of your success?
The key to my success revolved around two main factors. First and foremost was the environment. I was so lucky to be surrounded by students as passionate and engaged with the materials as I was. I had teachers who sought engagement, discussion, and debate and peers who were ready and willing to engage. My best courses had not only teachers but other students and professionals pushing me.
What helped me the most was framing the coursework and assignments as the starting point and finding a way to personalize each project. Finding a practical application for the coursework and treating it as a job assignment versus a course assignment shifts the framing and personal investment. With the amount of exposure this program offers to external professionals and the opportunities to build your professional network, treating the coursework as practical work helped me engage guest speakers more meaningfully.
How could you successfully balance your studies with your commitments outside the classroom?
This area required immense balance. As I mentioned, I was working full-time while in class year-round. During my final semester, there was a period when I was working 40 hours a week at a public health startup, eight hours in class, and around 12 hours at a second, part-time job (that I got from a professor in the program. Networking is essential!), all while doing an out-of-class consulting project for several hours a week. It wasn’t easy, but committing to a schedule and setting deadlines helped immensely. Using the syllabus to identify stress points overlapping with work and personal demands helped me anticipate where I would be pulled thin. Often this led to addressing assignments earlier than dictated. Tackling a midterm paper a few weeks early so it didn’t coincide with work commitments led to a consistent workload versus peaks and valleys, causing stress and crashes.
Was your success in the program driven by a particular outcome—such as professional advancement, educational achievement, personal satisfaction, or something else?
Yes. All of the above. Before I arrived, I knew exactly what I wanted to obtain from this program. I knew precisely what I wanted to learn to further my professional advancement. I wanted my academic work to represent my potential professionally, so educational achievement was significant, but I also wanted to feel pride in what I did. For me, they’re all linked.
Is there a particular course or project that enhanced your experience in the Arts Administration program? Please explain.
Broadly, the Performing Arts Enterprise (now the Commercial Theater Development) certificate was the most valuable part of the program. To take one project through four courses and fully flesh out every facet from the business model, leadership style, and artistic team to the development pathway, budget, production timeline, pricing, marketing strategies, subsidiary businesses, and alternative markets was the most incredible experience. The exposure to every board, brick, and screw needed to build a house gave me a comprehensive view of the business I wanted to work in. That experience was invaluable. In one course, we had to develop our branding and marketing strategy. That served a dual purpose: it exposed us to a specialty we may choose to go into and allowed us to be better prepared even if we don’t. I feel I am a better producer for being able to engage with professionals who know something about their field versus deferring to their expertise.
Can you share any examples of skills, principles, or practices learned in the program that you were concurrently able to apply to your job?
It’s a little tricky because my professional work was about as different from arts administration as it could be. I initially worked for a public health company focused on COVID-19 testing, identifying viral illnesses and diseases, and the best ways to engage with the public. That being said, many skills were immediately helpful—for example, class discussions on management and leadership. I audited myself in real-time and the strategies I used to deliver results. I took Legal Issues in Arts Administration (MET AR 778) and immediately began working under our general counsel and reviewing our business contracts. I think these courses played a role in how I engaged in my professional career.
What’s next for you? If you are changing roles, moving on to a new career, or receiving any promotion, we would love to hear about it. Would you say your program helped prepare you for the next phase of your life/career/education?
I am looking to change roles and industries! I have started working at the Broadway Education Alliance, helmed by Susan Lee, who teaches Current Trends in the Performing Arts Industry (MET AR 753). While it isn’t a permanent placement, it has allowed me to directly engage the skills I learned in the program in the larger arts community. It’s given me a title that makes me more marketable and has put me in the room with several industry leaders in the business I want to transition into!
You were recognized by faculty and peers for your hard work and dedication to the Arts Administration program. What “words of advice” or encouragement have been a guiding principle, or simply inspiration, for you? Any words of wisdom you would like to pass along to students starting in the program?
There’s a Maya Angelou quote that I find to be particularly apt for this program: “Nothing will work unless you do.” There is so much in life that I cannot control, but I can own the product I put out. Buckling down and doing the work with pride is my best reflection. I suggest that students engage with their professors and peers. In this program, your professors are working professionals, and the industry is small. If you work hard and show a willingness to collaborate, participate, and contribute, they will move mountains for you. They know what you need to know, so being receptive to their lessons is essential. Engaging can feel uncomfortable, but learning to express yourself in a classroom is the safest environment possible.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I had a long list of things I wanted to achieve when I came to this program, and I got everything I wanted. That isn’t because the program is perfect, but because it is receptive and committed to turning out the best professionals it can. If you come up with specific goals, you can get exact results. I’ve received more value from this program than I ever anticipated, and I hope future students do, too!