Stage Managing for Dummies?
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Topic: Stage Managing for Dummies?
Posted By: Guests
Subject: Stage Managing for Dummies?
Date Posted: 4/09/02 at 8:55pm
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Hello all, I'm new to this board (obviously), and I'm looking for a little bit - or a lot - of help.<br><br>My name's Kelly, and I'm a Freshman - in ninth grade - in high school. In October, I started dating a very smart fellow who had a knack for acting and who was very involved with the theatre. I also enjoyed drama, but I never wanted to steal the spotlight from him. Therefore, I decided to learn my school's lighting system for productions, performances, and whatnot in the auditorium. For our Fall production of Romeo and Juliet, I worked backstage and with the rest of the tech crew - which was not very many people.<br><br>The point of this post is.. we are performing the musical Carnival as our school's Spring show. I talked to the director in advance, offering to do the light design. I went to practice today with my boyfriend (who is playing the male lead) and the rest of the cast, at the director's request. I wasn't expecting to start on the lighting design so soon, knowing that practice had just started recently. I wasn't prepared for anything, but he called me up in front of the cast and quieted everyone, announcing.. "Meet Kelly, your stage manager. She'll be second in command - so if I'm not here, listen to her. What she says.. goes."<br><br>In Romeo and Juliet, I watched Jay, the stage manager, a bit. I understand the concept and all, but.. I'm fourteen! I'm the only girl on the stage crew, -and- I'm the youngest of all the students in the cast and on the crew. I know this is a huge responsibility, but that's practically all I know! What am I doing? What are my responsibilites? When this performance goes on stage and people are filling the auditorium, they're really going to be watching -my- show. I'd welcome any suggestions (even books to read) and basic preparations for this role through posts on the board or e-mail. (Any comments or anything, I'd reaaalllyy appreciate.) Thank you -so- much.
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Replies:
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/10/02 at 2:50am
Hi KellyLynne,
Welcome to the world of theatre. The Stage Manager's job is a tough one if you do it to the max. Different theatres handle the title and the duties of Stage Manager in different ways. Here is some information that might help -- A book and a website to check out:
The Stage Management Handbook by Daniel A. Ionazzi ISBN 1-55870-235-0
Check-out the extensive and informative website -- http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/2203/SMhandbook.html
I hope this helps,
Break a leg,
Bil K
Fiat Lux!
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/10/02 at 2:56am
I forgot to add... Don't be afraid to steal the spotlight from your boy friend. If you also want to act, don't hold back. Go for it!!! Above all, keep one thing in mind. Have fun! I've been having fun in theatre for 35 years.
Bil K
Fiat Lux!
-------------------------------------------
When you desire success
as much as the air you breathe,
you shall then have it!
Socrates
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/10/02 at 4:08pm
Bil is right that the job of Stage Manager varies from theater to theater and from production to production. As a director, the Stage Manager is my right hand. Your Director is right that you speak for him/her. I would never start a production without knowing that I had a good stage manager. I have worked with the same stage manager on 6 of my last 7 projects. Together we are a team.
I rely on her advice. We talk a lot about the production. She sees things that I don't see and vice versa. She does an extremely good job dealing with the odds and ends that enables me to focus on the actors and the other production issues. She is far more organized than I am and keeps track of all the things I need to work on. During a rehearsal I might lean over and tell her that we need to work on something. She will put it on her list of things to work on and she and I review the list regularly to make sure we are working on the right things. She always has her pad and is usually writing things down.
I have come to rely on her to write down the blocking when we finalize it. If I have a problem, I can ask her how we did it last Wednesday and she will be able to tell me.
You need to sit down with your Director and find out just what they want you to do. You can make the job anything you want it to be.
Don't be afraid to try to do anything you want to do in the theater!!!
I will e-mail you her address so you can ask her any questions yo have.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/11/02 at 10:46am
Somewhere along the line I gave the mistaken impression that I was an organized sort to some theater folk. So what happens? I get recruited as Stage Manager. Now, Stage Manager can mean a lot of different things. In my current case, my director and myself have taken a rather extreme view of the job. Following are some of my responsibilities.
1) Auditioning the actors with the director. She uses me as a sounding board and apparently values my opinion (imagine that!).
2) I had the unfortunate duty of calling all the auditioners who didn't get cast. I guess some theaters and directors don't bother with this step, but it seems a common courtesy.
3) It is up to me to ensure the actors know when and where they have to be, and to ensure they are on time. This includes calling late and absent actors. Babysitter? Seems like it sometimes.
4) An extension of item three is making sure all the actors have everything they need, and know everything they need to know. Scripts, schedules, contact sheets.
5) Arranging for a rehearsal hall. There are three plays in production currently, one in performance, one getting ready to go on two weeks after the current play ends, and my play. Being third string means that we may not have part of the theater to rehearse in and need to make alternate arrangements on occasion. My job.
6) Recording blocking, and changes in blocking. Stick close to the director as she may make changes in side conversation with the actors. You want to record these changes.
7) On Book Man. An actor forgets a line during rehearsal, I give it to them.
8) Noting blown lines and blocking for later correction.
9) Calling lights and effects.
10) Warning actors about upcoming cues (rehearsals only ... the actors are responsible for their own cues come dress and performance)
11) Prop man. Anyone know where I can get a bunch of ceramic buddha's?
12) Assistant director. The director may be out for a week or two for surgery. I will step in.
13) Understudy. During rehearsals I will read the lines of anybody absent. Unfortunately, as we don't actually have any real understudy's, I am also at risk of having to go on stage if *Really Bad Things* happen. It is worthwhile to make sure the master book with all the marked up scripts and plots is legible in case this happens so someone else can prompt for effects, props, and everything else that needs doing (probably the director, who you I guess you could call the Assistant Stage Manager. Man, does it get convoluted). Not the best case scenario, but we work with what we have.
14) Calling time and places. The easiest of all jobs. Keep an eye on the clock, though.
15) Keeping the cast and director happy. This can include some ego stroking and politics.
16) Running the crew. Stage hands, lighting personel, sound effects, curtain, what have you.
This is a long list, and I know I've forgotten many items. I went into this with the intention of making the director's and actor's jobs as easy as possible; and because of that I am taking on just about every possible responsibility that can be associated with sm.
A few suggestion.....
A) BE EARLY, always. Ok. You are in school and they may not let you jump out of class to be ready thirty minutes early. Do what you can, though. The extra time allows you to get yourself and the set ready and sets a good example for the cast.
B) Be organized. Get yourself a fat three ring binder and put everything in it. Marked up script, plots, contact sheets, notes, everything. If someone tells you something Write It Down! Don't depend on remembering anything.
C) Anticipate. My current director thinks I'm the best stage manager ever. Why? Because I brought pencils and highlighters to the first rehearsal. Yup. Funny thing, almost none of the actors brought anything to write with. I anticipated this problem (been there, done that) and suddenly I've been given a new found respect.
Now, I'm new at this job. What I've listed is only what I've learned so far. I can't imagine what else might be waiting around the corner.
Finally, to define the job: The Stage Manager's job is to make the show run smoothly.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/11/02 at 11:05am
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Adam - that is a wonderful description of the SM job. Mike should copy it out and post it for anyone else who asks in the future.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/11/02 at 1:20pm
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It would make a good article, but there are so many variables from one Director-Stage Manager pair to another... I know I don't work the same way with every SM. Adam, would you like to take a crack at writing your ideas up with a view toward it going up as an article or perhaps part of an article here on the Green Room?
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/11/02 at 3:18pm
I could certainly clean up my thoughts in an effort of turning it into an article. Unfortunately, I don't have a tremendous amount of experience in this field. The message above pretty much outlines my current responsibilities; but I am still on a very steep learning curve. I would feel uneasy if anyone where to take my comments as expert opinion.
It's been mentioned several times that different companies and directors expect different things from Stage Managers.
However, if you would like me to put something together as an anecdotal story of a stage manager jumping into the water headfirst without first checking the depth, I would be happy to help once I put this show to bed.
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Posted By: Mike Polo
Date Posted: 4/11/02 at 6:41pm
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I think that would be perfect... Give it a go.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/11/02 at 9:13pm
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http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/2203/smkit.html This is a wonderful source of information for anyone wanting to learn about stage managing. This woman lists the contents of her stage manager's kit. Check it out.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 4/11/02 at 9:18pm
http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/2203/SMhandbook.html
The above is yet another page which was put together by a professional in the field of stage managing. Go there and learn!
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