CMU School of Drama


Monday, July 24, 2017

Watch War Paint From a Broadway Stage Manager’s Point of View

Playbill: War Paint, the new Broadway musical starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole as cosmetics giants Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, gave Playbill rare backstage access to capture what it’s like to be a Broadway stage manager.

Playbill follows War Paint production stage manager Tripp Phillips during a bustling matinee performance, as he calls lighting and deck cues for “Behind the Red Door,” which introduces Ebersole as Arden.

What the theatregoers see from the audience is only half the show.

1 comment:

Sidney Rubinowicz said...

I was so excited to see an article that focused in on the live production aspect for the stage manager. This area of theatre is very preference driven, therefore there are not established rules for it. Textbooks often only provide insight and ideas, so it is the decision of the stage manager which methods to utilize. I find that the best way to learn is through experience because that is where your skills are put to the test. My most valuable mistakes and lessons were learned during a production. Watching the video allowed me to view Tripp Phillips’s way of calling of a show, which differs from what I am used to doing. It is also interesting to see a professional technician in action, purely to experience his calm, composed manner. This is an essential trait for any good stage manager, because it ensures ease and comfort for the many technicians and actors they work with.