University of Montana Productions facing scrutiny. Will Elton John return to Montana?

The future of UM Productions is in the air after Elton John’s manager criticized the role of the student-run group following the superstar’s concert in the Adams Center.

UM Productions, which has been bringing concerts to the University of Montana and Missoula for the last 30 years, is staffed and managed by students. UM administration is threatening to remove students from key management roles after of complaints stemming from the Sept. 28 concert.

UM Productions falls under the umbrella of ASUM, not UM administration. Students pay fees for the running of UM Productions. This makes UM Productions fairly independent of influence from Main Hall.

Story by Kelsey Bernius
Montana Kaimin

A memo from UM Executive Vice President Jim Foley to ASUM President Dustin Leftridge indicates major event-planning duties may shift to non-student venue managers. While “venue managers will contract with UM Productions for services traditionally provided by UM Productions,” they would be given “the authority to contract with outside service providers to manage various aspects of an event.”

Leftridge said he will meet with Foley as well as UM Productions director Ryan Hamilton and UM Productions adviser Marlene Hendrickson on Thursday afternoon in the president’s conference room at 12:30 p.m. to discuss the potential changes.

The four venues where UM Productions currently orchestrates events are Washington-Grizzly Stadium, the Adams Center, the University Theatre and the University Center. If the shifts occur following the meeting on Thursday, promotional authority will be shifted away from UM Productions to UM administrators. Mary Muse, the director of the Adams Center, would manage concerts at the Adams Center and Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Tom Webster, director of the University Theatre, and Candy Holt, director of the University Center, would manage their respective venues.

Leftridge pointed out these people are not all directly concerned with bringing in bands and organizing concerts, and that their other duties could detract from their ability to organize events.

“I am guessing Candy Holt has other job duties, and planning and promoting concerts may not be first on her list,” Leftridge said.

The complaints about UM Productions were brought up in an e-mail from Elton John’s manager, Howard Rose, to Mary Muse, complaining about poor management and organization of the event by UM Productions. Rose said in the e-mail that Elton John, who was considering returning to Missoula in April, would not be back unless significant changes were made.

“The poor performance by your ‘student project group’ was conveyed to me from both the production standpoint and touring management,” Rose said. He praised the community response to the concert but said production issues marred the experience for John’s staff.

A proposed policy change, outlined in Foley’s memo, would remove students from such jobs as scheduling concerts, organizing catering and coordinating support services. All financial agreements would be delegated to venue managers.

Leftridge said the Missoula community does not always realize UM Productions is entirely student-run. Overall, Leftridge said UM Productions is successful in their management of concerts.

“As ASUM president, I feel they have been doing a great job,” Leftridge said.

Some students who work at UM Productions are working toward or already have entertainment management certificates through the UM Business School. Scott Douglas, a professor in management and marketing, directs the Entertainment Management Program at UM. Douglas stressed the importance and overall success of UM Productions.

“UM Productions is a gem for students wanting to learn about an industry they would have no access to,” Douglas said.

Many UM students have gone on to jobs around the country working in the entertainment industry through either the Entertainment Management Program at UM or experience with UM Productions.

Shannon Boschee, a 2004 graduate from UM, worked for UM Productions as an administrative assistant. She now works in Los Angeles for SRO Consultants, whose clients in tour accounting include Sting, Neil Young and Tom Petty.

Andy Eastman, a musician and former marketing coordinator for UM Productions, now works for the William Morris Agency, “the largest and most diversified talent agent in the world,” according to its Web site.

In the past, UM Productions has brought groups ranging from the Grateful Dead in 1974 to the Rolling Stones in 2006. This Sunday, the band Bright Eyes will be playing in the University Theatre, produced by UM Productions.

Memo from UM Vice President Jim Foley to ASUM President Dustin Leftridge

Venue Management at The University of Montana

The University of Montana hosts concerts and other performances at various locations on campus. It is the policy of the University, with the exception of Athletic events, that event scheduling, catering, coordination of support services, and all financial arrangements be coordinated by designated Venue Managers. For the purposes of this policy the following positions are designated as Venue Managers:

– Washington-Grizzly Stadium: Director of the Adams Center
– Adams Center: Director of the Adams Center
– The University Theatre: University Theatre Director
– The University Center: The University Center Director

Venue managers will contract with UM Productions for services traditionally provided by UM Productions. On an exception basis, and after due diligence with appropriate internal support services providers, venue managers have the authority to contract with outside service providers to manage various aspects of an event.

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