Thursday, November 03, 2011
TGIS (Thank God I Stage-managed.)
TheatreFace: Many of my colleagues make fun of me for my epic paperwork, keeping a ruler in my audio script, my neat handwriting, my frustration/frequent venting about mismatched calendars/lack of information, my bouts of perfectionism, and my OCD. And then they make use of all the aforementioned skills/disorders.
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12 comments:
As someone who had randomly in high school a Stage Managing assignment for a small, student-directed production, I think this makes some valid points in that it stage managing a production is a valuable and different experience from most other production assignments that I had experience at that point. I think it did provide me an important knowledge of what has to be done in order to coordinate all the various fields in order to get a show going and the experience of calling a show was definitely an interesting one, and gave me a lot of respect for what stage managers have to do. I think the practical aspects that the author talks about gaining from stage managing I remember gaining from just general schooling and working in my own free time, such as learning different computer platforms, note taking, etc. I could understand how those skills could be gained through stage management, but I also think those are skills you learn how to do through school and the work you pursue and do. I will grant that making paperwork, and making it look it good, and clear has been a skill that has come from various PTM style classes that I've taken at CMU in the last few years, so I think having some management experience, even if it's just through homework in the classroom, is good for everybody to have
I think that most of the things that the author pointed out here are skills that any good manager should have. If I decide one day that I no longer want to manage theatre or entertainment, my management skills should certainly be useful to me in a management position in another field. The most important thing that this author points out is the way that she learned to pay attention to details and to make lists of everything. These are things that a lot of stage managers do that can seem kind of silly and pointless at times, but sometimes a seemingly pointless list can actually be extremely useful. I always find myself wondering if I'm obsessing over details too much or not enough. Maybe over time as a manager I will figure that out. I think the main points to take away from this article are 1) the fact that managerial skills can cross over and be useful in all departments and 2) that it's worth it to take the time to make clear, informative paperwork (even if it seems unnecessary), because you never know when it will come in handy.
There were two things I really liked about this article. First of all, the author points out how useful her stage-managing experienced proved to be later in life. She says that even as a designer, her understanding of the other areas of theatrical production and ability to communicate effectively have been very useful. The second big thing that I liked about this article was the authors willingness to point out her weaknesses as a stage manager, and to explain the positive attributes that stage managers should have that she lacks. I think that it is very important for people in any line of work to acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses, and to point out the benefits of behavior that they do not actually exhibit themselves.
This author makes some very good points, but what I most appreciated was the fact that she is no longer a stage manager, but still appreciates the skills she learned while being one. I feel like that kind of mentality is an important one at Carnegie Mellon, where we (as undergrads) take both design and management classes before narrowing our field of study. Not only does this give you skills that may be applicable to your work which you may not have had before, it allows you to more closely understand and work with others involved in a production even if you have never designed/managed before.
I would like to think that many of the skills that we learn in the School of Drama are applicable to many other careers. However I would have to say that the management track consists of many basic communication and organizational skills that are useful for both life and work.
This is such a great article! So often people state that people are either left-brained or right-brained, and that they have trouble being both. I am glad this article demonstrates the usefulness of a designer having management skills. It is so great that she applied the skills used in the management department to design; another great article would be a description of how being on the designer side would help in being a manager. I do feel that the management skills are more universally applicable, but it would indeed be an interesting topic to explore.
The reason I went to CMU is because the skills that I am learning here are ones that can be easily applied to any job. What have we learned here? That you should strive to be very good but not to the point where you are a perfectionist, you shouldn't water down your ideas, and how to do a lot of organizational stuff. These things all relate to the world out side of theater. I think that sometimes people think that art is impractical but the things you learn from doing art allow you to solve problems because you are looking at them from a different view point and because you have to be really invested. Also of course SM skills are still manager skills that everyone could use.
What I kind fascinating about her elaboration upon the things that matter most to her, is that I don't see her relationships or the people she is working with on that list. When I think about management, specifically Stage Management, the relationships I have and am developing is central and key to the work I am doing. I think that the tools she talks about are important, but it is all dependent upon the relationships you have with those on your team. It is great to have flexibility within computer systems, easily accessible paperwork, and attention to detail...but if you can't use those tools to communicate with the team you are working with, why bother have them at all?
Although she doesn't talk about the interpersonal relationships as much as I'd like her too...she does make a good point. The tools and skills you develop as a stage manager not only make you a more effective worker, but they make you a valuable asset and collaborator in any work environment. If you have the appropriate traits and skills engrained in a Stage Manager, you will be a successful part of almost any other project, whether based in the entertainment world, or not.
As a stage management student, this was a really great read. I don't think I will spend the rest of my life stage managing, but I know that the education I'm receiving will benefit me regardless of what aspect of theater I involve myself in. Attention to detail, time management, communication skills, and organizational ability are all skills that will improve anyone's ability to do most jobs. Also, as a stage manager one learns to look at issues from a variety of perspectives; this "professional empathy" will also serve you in your career even if you leave stage management.
Beyond the transference of skills that the rest of the commentors have mentioned, the author highlights how have a deeper understanding of the various departments and aspects of theatre make you a better theatrical practitioner in whatever field you work. For example, by understanding what a stage manager needs in order to run rehearsals, the author as a designer can tailor her paperwork and deliverable in such a way that they are directly useful. Having worked several part-time jobs front of house and in the box office when I was first out of school, I was not only able to directly transfer my organizational and people skills to those jobs, but develop a greater understanding of how a show functions on the front end with patrons. I firmly believe that anybody who works in theatre should take the time to spend at least a day in the shoes of their fellow coworkers so they can appreciate and better understand each of our jobs. You'll quickly find your vocabulary and understanding of the collaborative structure growing.
I think that while the tools of stage management may differ from other management positions, management is management.
However, even within the entertainment world, Stage Managers are required to make decisions on a much shorter schedule. It is a job about giving yourself the information you need to be able to make a split second judgement.
I also agree with Liz in that the paperwork, scheduling, etc. is all just methods of communication. And as a stage manager, ensuring communication is the most important factor. This communication can take on any form and the ability to adapt is almost as important as the ability to communicate in the first place.
As someone trying to find that happy medium between Stage Management and Technical Direction, it is fantastic that so many of the skills carry over between the two. Being able to communicate clearly with others as well as facilitate all the paperwork allows for an easy transition between the two worlds.
Besides the transfer within theatrical fields, it is always reassuring to know how well our skills can transfer to other careers. You never know what job you might have, but being able to communicate can get you anywhere.
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