Eric Armstrong fell in love with theater in the first grade, when he began acting in local children’s theater. And while Armstrong was happiest inside a theater — backstage, onstage, in the audience, selling tickets, performing or cheering in the house — he never thought of it as a place he could build a career. “Growing up in a lower-middle-class family, I have always aspired to pursue a career that offers more stability and a reliable income source,” said Armstrong. But his passion was strong and he decided to study acting — attending the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).
In the meantime, Armstrong also put himself in the setting he loved: a theater. “I was a water vendor, carrying wine, water and candy in buckets up and down the aisles,” he said. When acting didn’t work out, Armstrong looked for other avenues to stay in show business and, as he remembered, “a few theater managers saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue a career in theater management.”
Armstrong began as an theater management intern for the Shubert Organization in 2019, becoming an apprentice manager on a union contract just a few months later. After the pandemic, Armstrong served as associate theater manager for the Shuberts, supporting shows and front-of-house teams as they resumed operations. Soon enough, the Broadway production of “A Strange Loop” needed an associate company manager. Armstrong got the job and eventually ascended to company manager. After “Strange Loop” closed, he became the associate company manager of “New York, New York” followed by the pre-Broadway touring engagement of “The Wiz.” But Armstrong wasn’t an associate for long. He soon became the full-time co-company manager for the tour and Ozian revival on the Main Stem.
In fall of 2024, Armstrong took over on the first national tour of “MJ” as company manager with Bespoke Theatricals, a position he still holds today. Here, he describes his role, specifically on tour, and how it differs from Broadway.
