How to manage Live Stage Show Management
Live stage Stage Management is an art that is learned through extended study, mentoring, and experience. In the world of professional theatre, the stage manager is one of the most important players. Far more than just calling cues, the stage manager’s position starts months before rehearsal and continues at 110% throughout the run, maintaining the artistic integrity of the show. Think you got what it takes?
1.Meet with the director and producer
Though each production is different, odds are at least one of these two will become your new best friend. They definitely have expectations for the production and for you, so start off on the right foot by asking what those are!Are there any duties they want to do themselves? Some directors like to take things into their own hands. How do they want rehearsals run? Do they have any specific guidelines you should be aware of? And be sure to establish a routine where you two or three can check-in with each other post-rehearsal.
2.Be an organizational machine
Months before rehearsals begin, you’ll need to start scheduling and coordinating. A good stage manager can take in all of the scheduling needs from the director, music director, vocal director, choreographer, fight choreographer, dialect coach, movement coach, production manager, costume designer, etc. and reasonably accommodate everyone’s needs in a timely manner. Basically, the stage manager is a miracle worker.
3.Meet with the technical director
He or she is probably the one that’ll give you a set of keys. How else will you be able to do your job? Talk with them about what they see as the biggest obstacles in the show and what you should know about the set up of that specific theatre.Take a thorough walk around the theatre, familiarizing yourself with everything from emergency exits to the most convenient trash can. This theatre will be home for the next few months — the quicker you get to know it, the easier your job will be.
4.Prepare your Stage Manager kit
When anything goes wrong, even the director won’t be the one everyone turns to it’ll be you. So stock your kit with everything you could possibly need.
5.Prepare your prompt book
This starts off with the script blown up in a binder. Make it one-sided, hole punched on the right. That way on the left of the binder you have the script, and to the right of it, you can place a blocking sheet (hole punched on the left). If you have a ground plan of your set, add that in too.
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6.Form your crew
Line up the crew that will be working the show and clearly communicate what you know of the show needs to them. Everything is still in its preliminary stages, but the sooner you know you have other people you can depend on, the quicker you can relax.
7.Track everything
After a rehearsal, you basically need to be Rainman. What was that blocking note that the director gave around 7:45? Boom, you have it written down, no worries. You’ll be taking notes on blocking, choreography, length of scenes, notes for rehearsal report, lighting and sound cues, et cetera, etcetera. It seems like overkill until the one time when the entire show hinges on something you have written down on page 47 of your book.
8.Be the timekeeper
Every show has that person who’s notorious for being late. It’s your job to call them up and make sure they’re not dead and if they’re not dead to chew them out for being late (in a civil way, of course). When everyone and everything is ready, you get the show on the road. When the city wants you out of the building, you’re keeping an eye on the clock, too. Otherwise, these things will go on for hours.
9.Know that you may be in book
For some theatres (and provided you’re not working a dance show), you’ll be the one on a book. That means when an actor drops a line, you call it out. You need to constantly be focusing and following along. If an actor doesn’t know a line and you’re not there to pick up the slack, you’re losing seconds constantly and you will end up being behind schedule.
