Here's the organizational chart that was used at the theater where I was hired as artistic director.
We had a board of directors who hired three people... the
house manager, tech director and the artistic director.
The
house manager was responsible for the staff that sold tickets, worked the concessions, managed the reserved seating, oversaw the special programs offered per production, that cleaned the space pre and post show and took care of inventory.
The technical director was responsible for hiring a
stage manager, technicians (lighting, sound, carpentry...
etc), and designers (even though we were lucky and ours also did all of the design. The TD over saw the set construction, lighting design and the sound design and their crews.
The artistic director was responsible for the directoral/production staff that worked on the show that didn't fall in the pervue of the TD. My responsibilities included choosing the season and presenting it to the board of directors with a budget/revenue break down per production. I also was expected to hire all of the staff for the production (pending final board approval of any hirerees). I would start by hiring a
producer who would then take care of all of the show organization. They hired the director, the music director, the choreographer and the different production specialists (costumers, properties,
etc...), again... all pending final board approval (they liked to keep their fingers in things
).
These three positions answered directly to the board.
My staff usually had a flow chart like this:
Producer --> director --> all others on an equal footing but yet now really supposed to meddle in others' areas (example... I would be very upset with the music director if he/she decided to tell the properties mistress how to do her job.).
I tried to handle the various issues through the
producer, but sometimes they were unavailable so I would go directly to whatever person needed to be contacted.
*****
In my high school I make it plainly known that I have the final say on everything as the drama advisor. Our music director, who is simply amazing, has times taught the students a number that doesn't mesh with what I was hoping to happen on
stage. There were a couple of rare times when I asked her to change things and was met with friction. It all boiled down to me saying to her... "hey... no matter what you think... I am the one with the final picture in my head and what you're doing isn't within the frame." Usually, though, she is very good at following my suggestions. I am also very good at taking her criticism if what I am thinking is musically impossible or will vocally harm the student in any way. If I were to make a flow chart of my high school's organization it would look something like this:
Board of Education
Superintendent
Principal
(Fortunately for me these people aren't very knowledgeable... unless it involves a pointy ball... and they leave me to my own devices)
Drama Advisor (me)
Music Director (called the asst. director) and choreographer
Parent committee heads (parents who are very good at certain areas... for example... my marketing parent head happens to be a parent who owns a multi-million dollar business... she teaches the marketing committee which is headed by teh "student
producer" how to sell their show but then lets them design and create their marketing strategy)
Student committee chairs
I hope this helps... BTW... in the 14 years that I was AD for the GLTG I only had two big issues and both of them dealt with music directors... which lead to their termination. I feel your pain with your music director. What is it with them anyway *growl*