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What is a Stage Manager?
What is a Stage Manager?
Stage Managers provide indispensable practical and organisational support to directors, performers, designers, and technical crew throughout the production and rehearsal process, and supervise onstage and backstage activity during performances to make sure the show goes off without a hitch.
What is Included in their Role?
What is Included in their Role?
A stage manager is the central, stabilising core from which the spokes of a production radiate. Stage managers facilitate communication across all creative and technical departments; act as a right hand to the director; oversee sets, props, lights, and sound; and call all technical cues during performances.
Although the details of the role vary depending on the art form in question, stage managers in all disciplines are broadly responsible for ensuring that the production runs smoothly from first rehearsal to final curtain call.
Rehearsal and Production
Stage managers schedule and run rehearsals, where they also:
Record the director's decisions about blocking and notes for the actors
Convey the director's wishes to designers and stage crew
Create the prompt book—a thick binder containing the production's sound, lighting, and set cues, as well as other vital information
Pre-Show and Performance
Once a show has opened, the stage manager is in charge of overseeing the integrity of the performance, including:
Supervising preshow activities such as technical and safety checks
Running the performers through warm-ups and notes
Ensuring that everyone is ready for curtain and in the wings in time for their entrances
Calling technical cues to the crew over a wireless headset
NOTE: This is typical of a stage managers role in the professional industry. In community events, such as communty theatre the role may vary according to the needs of the company.
Example: Stage Manager's Prompt Book
Activity: The Skills Needed to be an Effective Stage Manager
Activity: The Skills Needed to be an Effective Stage Manager
There are many skills that you need to be effective in such a diverse role as a stage manager. In small groups, create a mind map of the skills you would need to succeed in this role.
Have a look at the website below and add to your brainstorm if there was anything you missed.
Putting Together a Production
Putting Together a Production
When putting together a production there are 3 key stages:
Pre-Production
This includes:
concept
development of production teams and casting
rehearsals
publicity
design - lighting, sound, vision, costume, set
construction - set, costume, sound, props
bump in - transfer and set up everything in the performance venue including set, lighting, sound, vision, costumes, props
lighting and sound final set up, check and cued for the production
technical rehearsal
dress rehearsal
final directors notes.
Production
This includes:
front of house and venue management
publicity
SHOW TIME!
Post Production
This includes:
bump out - pack up or strike the production and remove from the performance venue
store or return all costumes, props, lighting and sound equipment
finalise all budgets
evaluate the production.
Theatre Terminology
Theatre Terminology
Glossary of Theatre Terms
Browse the following website to learn about some typical theatre terminology.
Video: Theatre Terminology
Watch the video to learn some more terms.
Activity: Stage Geography
Activity: Stage Geography
After watching the above video you will now have a solid understanding of Stage Geography. You will now get up and your teacher will take you through an activity where they will call out sections of the stage (e.g. downstage left) and you must go to that part of the stage. Try not to just follow the crowd - they may not get it right.
Activity: Put a Chair on the Stage
Activity: Put a Chair on the Stage
Students take turns instructing a 'stage hand' to put a chair on the stage. Remember to give really specific details.
Calling A Show
Calling A Show
In productions with a stage manager, they will call the technical cues, including lighting, audio, vision, staging, fly, pyrotechnic and actor with the specific action or dialogue by saying:
In productions with a stage manager, they will call the technical cues, including lighting, audio, vision, staging, fly, pyrotechnic and actor with the specific action or dialogue by saying:
- LX cue 15 ... GO.
- 'LX cue 15' would be said before the cue and then the lighting operator will activate lighting cue 15 on the word 'GO'.
- There may also be a ‘standby’ call before the upcoming cue or group of cues to alert all crew before the actual cue is called.
- Cues and standby's may also be grouped together when required to ensure all cues are activated in synchronisation.
Watch the video 'Footloose - tech crew perspectives' to see how the stage manager calls the cues in a production.
Exercise: Calling a Show
Exercise: Calling a Show
Over the next few period you will all get a chance to call a live show. Other class members will act as lighting and sound operators, follow spots, actors and stagehands. You will get three attempts at calling. Look at the schedule (left) to find out which role you are doing when.
Activity: Creating a Prompt Copy
Activity: Creating a Prompt Copy
Firstly we need to create a prompt copy of the script. Collect the script excerpt and work through with the teacher to add all cues. You final prompt copy should look like the example pictured (right).
Breakdown demo.xlsxNIDA workshop Rehearsal Template.pdfScheduling Rehearsals
Scheduling Rehearsals
One job that you will need to perfect when you are stage managing a show is rehearsal scheduling. You need to have everyone at the right place at the right time but you also do not want to have people at a rehearsal when they are not needed. Using the list (left, top) which has each actor/character and what scenes they are involved in, create a rehearsal scehdule using the template provided (left, bottom) that fulfills the following requirements:
'Pulse Rate', 'It's Only Fair' and 'Revelation' all need rehearsing and they will take one hour each.
Each dancer needs to attend a costume fitting in Rehearsal Room 3. Each fitting will take 15 minutes
The Band Leader and Mariachi Musicians will be needed for an hour to fix up some of the songs
All Cast and Band will be needed for a run of the show (3 hours). Rehearsal Room 1 is the only room big enough for this.
Grace Benn is unavailable for the first hour due to commitments with another show.
Calling Activity 2
Calling Activity 2
There may be cases where a stage manager is unable to do a show one night. You must be able to come in and call a show even if you have not been working on the show from the beginning. For this to happen it is essential that the correct terminology is used in prompt copies and that sufficient detail is included.
In groups of 3-5, use the following script to create a prompt copy including sound and lighting cues (including follow spots) and fly cues (curtains). You must include sufficient detail so that another group can take your prompt copy and use it to call your show. In the following lesson each group will swap prompt copies with another group and call the show from these notes.
Climate Skeptics - edited for calling exercise 2021.docxCalling Activity 2: Roster
Calling Activity 2: Roster
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