Dana Zell has served as Managing Director for Children’s Musical Theater San Jose (CMT) for the past 10 years. Now celebrating its 58th season, CMT is a national leader in youth theater and the longest thriving arts organization in Silicon Valley. Under her leadership, alongside Kevin Hauge, Dana proudly led a successful capital campaign which allowed the organization to renovate and open its first state-of-the-art Creative Arts Center in 2021 to serve its community for years to come.
Dana is a proud alumna of the organization and has had a rewarding career in the arts. Prior to becoming Managing Director in 2016, Dana spent over 15 years in theatrical management and Broadway marketing.
Previous clients include the Broadway touring production of Wicked, Disney Theatrical Productions (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aida), Broadway touring productions of Hairspray and Contact, The Roundabout Theatre Company, and the Vineyard Theatre. She also served as Marketing Director for CMT from 2003 to 2005.
Dana holds a BA in Communications from University of California, San Diego and an MFA in Theater Management from Brooklyn College. She has participated in a leadership forum through Georgetown University and serves on the Board of Directors for Team San Jose.
Can you point to one event that triggered your interest in your career?
I have been connected to the theater world my entire life – first as audience member, then performer, and now as a proud arts leader. When I was young and attended the local Civic Light Opera with my parents, I used to say I wanted to be “Dianna Shuster” who was San Jose CLO’s artistic director. I then went on to pursue a career as a performer. The event that triggered my current path was working as a bar tender in NYC and meeting a woman who had a similar background as mine and was about to finish her MFA in arts management from Brooklyn College. I was so inspired by her journey that I decided to switch my course and started the same program the following fall. This led to many opportunities including working at Disney Theatrical Productions and Wicked, laying the foundation for my current role.
What about this career choice did you find most appealing?
Leading CMT as Managing Director is the perfect blend of so many aspects of my life that fuel me — I truly feel like I’ve found my dream role. I get to work in an artistic environment, providing opportunities for young people to develop their passion in the arts. I work for a company that produces work at the highest level and is bound together by a beautiful community of artists, performers, and volunteers.
What steps did you take to begin your education or training?
I think my whole life has been on the job training. My performance background led to opportunities to direct and choreograph local productions. Once I decided to shift my energy to the business side of theater, the MFA Arts Management program at Brooklyn College was the perfect fit because it allowed me to intern or work during the day and take classes at night. I had opportunities to work with the Roundabout Theatre Company and Vineyard Theater company in NY. These opportunities enlightened my experience in building arts education programs and supporting general management. Joining the team at Disney Theatrical Productions offered a masterclass in branding, marketing and promotions which led to an extended role with the touring production of Wicked. All of these opportunities helped provide me with the skills to take on my current role as Managing Director for CMT.
Along the way, were people encouraging or discouraging?
I tend to surround myself with positive, self motivated people and good friends. So, for the most part, I have received great support and encouragement from my community. There are definitely times that I feel I may have missed the mark or feel I’m not fulfilling my role to its greatest potential, but I have a few wonderful mentors who I am able to connect with that usually help get me back on track.
Did you ever doubt your decision and attempt a career change?
Not really. I’ve always wanted a career in the arts.
When did your career reach a tipping point?
After working for Wicked for a few years I felt extremely confident and connected to arts leaders across the country. This position really helped prepare me for my current role.
Can you describe a challenge you had to overcome?
Over the past 10 years leading CMT, I’ve learned a lot about budgeting and strategic planning. Especially now as the arts landscape is changing in regards to various revenue sources, I find myself depending more on my finance team and board members who offer expertise for us to plan for our future. This is an ongoing challenge, not just for CMT, but for all non-profit arts organizations right now and it will take a great deal of creativity, patience, and resilience to come out on top.
What single skill has proven to be most useful?
I am good at multitasking – to a fault sometimes – but in this role where I am juggling the variety of responsibilities of running an organization, along with running my family and finding time for me, I’ve found that this skill has served me well.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
From 2020 to 2021 I helped lead a major capital campaign in order for CMT to renovate and move into its own Creative Arts Center. Yes – this was completely done over the pandemic. We were able to raise over $2M almost entirely on zoom and were able to keep 99% of our FT staff employed during this time because they were able to help prepare for a massive move and support the renovation process, along with create innovative ways to engage with our community online during this time of virtual participation. Every day when I drive up to our Creative Arts Center, I am filled with a sense of pride for this accomplishment and the impact it’s had on our community.
Any advice for others entering your profession?
Working with young people, I often find myself in conversations with parents who worry that their kids want to pursue a career in theater. I say go for it! There are SO MANY different ways to have a successful career in the arts. Theater kids are resilient and develop so many life skills along the way. I like to encourage young people to do what makes them happy and find ways to forge their own path.
Website: www.cmtsj.org
