As part of our International Women’s Day series, we’re spotlighting inspiring women shaping the live entertainment industry. With over two decades of experience in theatre and ticketing, Joanne McCarthy, VP of Global Ticketing, has navigated an ever-evolving industry with strategic thinking, and a commitment to excellence. From her early ambitions of being on stage to leading ticketing operations for Magic Mike Live, Joanne shares her journey, challenges, and insights on leadership, resilience, and the power of embracing one’s unique strengths.
What did you dream of doing when you were younger?
“Not ticketing! I’ve always been very driven, but I was also a bit of a dreamer growing up, I was always changing my mind about what I wanted to do. I thought about being a nurse, a therapist, an Olympic gymnast, a teacher, a travel rep, the list goes on… and so I ended up striving for a career on stage & screen, perhaps so I could be all those things. The instability, however, of being in front of an audience soon had me wanting to set roots. I worked in many different areas of theatre, but my love of being creatively strategic, personal relationships and problem solving, eventually led me to ticketing.”
How did you get started in live entertainment?
“I suppose it was in from a young age as a performer. I studied American Theatre Arts at Rose Bruford College and got to spend a year of that in the USA, which is funny to think about now that I have come full circle, working often in the States. My first full-time box office job was at the St James Theatre (now the Other Palace) on the show Urinetown. From there I started to climb the career ladder pretty quickly.”
Can you share a memorable moment in your career that has had a significant impact on you?
“I would say starting at Magic Mike London just weeks before the show was due to reopen post pandemic. That was a grand undertaking, I think we were the first show to reopen in the West End. That experience taught me so much about leadership, project management and camaraderie. It was a real ‘the show must go on’ moment, I started looking at myself differently after that, I saw what I was truly capable of.”
What advice would you give to young women who want to enter the entertainment industry?
“Take every opportunity given to you, even if it doesn’t feel like your dream. The route to success isn’t always clear but gaining knowledge and building relationships are the stepping stones to finding your way there. There are no shortcuts to true success, work hard and celebrate your uniqueness because many people might be able to do the job, but it’s YOU who is going to get that job, not your C.V. in that same vein, embrace being a woman, don’t try to be a man in women’s clothing, the soft skills women bring to their work are highly valuable and often underrated.“
In your opinion, what are the key qualities that make a great leader in live Entertainment?
“I think you have to stay humble. We work in an exciting industry but that doesn’t mean every day is fun fun fun. It’s hard work, you must love being a leader and you have to take what you do seriously, without taking yourself too seriously. Being approachable, open and sincere, whilst having your organisation/show at your heart, will help you make the right decisions when it comes to leadership.”
Who has been your biggest mentor in your career and what were some of the most valuable lessons you learned from them?
“I have an amazing coach who was my old HR Manager at LW Theatres, her name is Vicky Swarbrick. She helped me to see myself and the skills I bring to my work. She taught me to celebrate all my wins, gave me perspective, and offered alternative ways of thinking when times were tough.”
Is there a particular female figure that inspires you?
“I love Brené Brown, her book ‘Daring Greatly – How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead’, had a huge impact on me. But there are so many women out there, working hard, living authentically, doing amazing work. Florence Given is another great example, the writer of ‘Women Don’t You Pretty’ and ‘Women Living Deliciously’.“
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve had in your career and how did you overcome them?
“Hmm, there was one big one that happened in 2022. Our software suffered a major data crash at Magic Mike London, and we lost 3 weeks’ worth of sales data. We still had the run the show obviously, so we had to sell tickets with no live system, find all backups we could from the last 3 weeks of sales and get to work putting those customers back into the show as soon as we could, all the while managing customer expectations and ensuring we were on sale again in a matter of days. Honestly the only thing you can do in those moments is trust in yourself wholeheartedly. I had to have many difficult conversations with customers as well as my peers and clients. I carefully managed the team so that they were focused on one small task at a time, whilst I worked hard on the bigger picture, reporting and financial reconciliation. Having friends in the West End helped too; we drafted people in to help with our backlog of work on a temporary basis and I’m forever grateful to those people.”
How do you measure success, and what are some of your proudest achievements?
“Financial success of course, seeing how much money your project/idea made or saved. But also, how happy people are within your organisation… Was my senior leadership happy with the results, are the team happy coming to work every day? It’s important to me that I stop and reflect on all my successes, big or small; did I meet a deadline, did that project go off without a glitch, did I get something across the line, did I get through the day without any disasters?! I would say this is one of my proudest achievements, being recognised as somebody in your industry doing great work is a dream.”
If you were to give your younger self some advice, what would that be?
“Don’t get too fixated on the outcome or bogged down in how you think your life should look, but do stay focused, and when you’re having a down moment, find a way to believe in yourself and lift yourself back up. Take advantage of courses, coaches’ books and friends. Seek out a mentor if you can, someone who’s position you’d like to be in, and don’t be afraid to talk to them about what they did to get where they are. The most important thing I’d tell myself though… Listen to your gut and not other people!”
How would you like to contribute to the evolution of the live entertainment industry and what impact do you hope to leave behind as your legacy?
“I’m driven to work for shows and organisations I am truly passionate about, and to see evidence of how what I’m doing is making an impact. My hope for my legacy is that I contributed greatly to the success of the organisations I worked for and that the work had meaning; Theatre, well all art has the ability to change lives. As a woman it gives me such pride to work on Magic Mike Live, which foundations lie in female empowerment and it’s so exciting to witness people truly embracing our brand and our message that women really do deserve more.”
