This week we're spotlighting Beetlejuice on Broadway's Production Stage Manager Matt DiCarlo! On Broadway everything... EVERYTHING happens for a reason, and it usually starts with a stage manager calling "Go!"
Thursday, November 07, 2019
Stage Manager Career Spotlight: BEETLEJUICE's Matt DiCarlo Is Our Guide To Stage Managing on Broadway
This week we're spotlighting Beetlejuice on Broadway's Production Stage Manager Matt DiCarlo! On Broadway everything... EVERYTHING happens for a reason, and it usually starts with a stage manager calling "Go!"
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Stage managing always seems to be like a thankless but important job. Not only are stage managers in charge of paperwork, schedules, and anything that goes on during the show, but they are also in charge of calling cues and helping actors. They interact with everyone at every level of the production and never seem to stop moving. If we didn't have stage managers, I would think that a show could not happen. Or at least, not happen very well. I found it very interesting that Beetlejuice had four Stage Managers, and all rotated through the various tasks equally throughout the week. It makes sense that a huge Broadway show such as Beetlejuice would have four stage managers, but I still find it incredible that even with four, it seems like the workload isn't any less. Matt DiCarlo and his staff rotate through the various tasks for the production, during the production, and even after. I thought it was really cool how integrated the understudies are in the production as well with stage managers and all that goes on. I always wondered how that works.
I love these little career spotlights! I think they're so helpful, informative, and can really shine a light on these theatre jobs that are so niche that documented experiences of can be hard to find. Anyway, there were a couple of things Matt DiCarlo said that resonated with me:
During college, I took classes in lighting design, scenic design, acting, producing and marketing, costume construction, etc. As a theatrical collaborator, it is so important to have an understanding of what everyone does. Yes! I think this is so important. This is ultimately why I chose CMU. I want to focus on my eventual area of study, but I also want a good understanding of each department first. It's challenging, especially in the areas I'm not strong in, but I know it'll be so worth it in the end. I will eventually have to communicate with these people, so knowing their language is key to successful collaboration!
Drop your resume off at the stage door with a brief cover letter (...and make sure you proofread!). So this keeps getting repeated in these interviews. I didn't know this was a thing people could do. In fact, I thought it would be considered annoying and overbearing, but I suppose that's the standard?
Oh, its so rewarding. There are so many "best" things. When the house lights dim and the show starts, you know that you play a huge part in making that experience happen for the audience. This is so relatable. For me, it's when the house lights dim and I start to hear the overture and the curtain goes out when I feel so much thrill and excitement for my role in a show. There's no feeling quite like it.
The hours are long and sometimes the job can come with a lot of pressure. I take it all in stride, count my blessings, check things off my to-do list one thing at a time, smile, and find a lot of "me" time whenever I can (and sometimes that's at really weird hours of the day!). I can relate to this here! I think I'm trying to get comfortable with the idea of just checking things off one at a time. Just take it one step at a time. That's really all we can do.
I love articles that look into the days of lesser-known (or lesser-discussed and publicized) jobs and positions in the theatre industry. Stage management can be a very subjective job depending on the company or show, so it’s always interesting to me to see the parts of the job that seem to be consistent throughout the industry, and the nuances that change and adapt to each situation. I think this article and interview gave a very down to earth description of what a day in the life is like, and I also really appreciated the advice that DiCarlo gave in terms of his education and getting into the industry. It’s so important to work well with your collaborators and co workers in terms of getting your jobs done efficiently and effectively, but at the end of the day you also want to be able to enjoy them as people too, outside of the theater.
I think my biggest takeaway from this article may be the final quote.
“What one bit of advice do you wish someone had told you when you were first starting out?”
“Trust the journey!”
I have personally been keeping that in mind as I have started to pursue my master’s IN stage and production management here. It is a common theme I have heard a lot from other managers and other people working in the theatre. You truly do not know where life is going to take you. It is important to trust that life will take you where you are meant to be. We work in an industry that is unpredictable and the smallest seemingly insignificant job can launch your career farther than you can ever dream. This bit of advice is definitely something that I know I plan on telling any mentees I may have as I progress through the career.
As someone considering a career in stage management, this article was extremely insightful. One thing that had a particular impact was the question where he discussed what he looks for in prospective hires, in which he talks about finding a person who is skilled but also a person who is well rounded because the time commitment requires that you spend a huge portion of time with your team. (He also gives advice as to how to intern for potential stage managers, which makes me feel as if he wants to share his skills with those who are interested!)I also love how through this article he reflects on how rewarding his career is, and the feeling of accomplishment every time the curtain comes up and goes back down. He describes this own personal connection to the audience, which can sometimes feel distant when working backstage. He ends the article with the advice to “Trust the Journey”, which is applicable to all aspects of theatre.
Stage managers really are the stars of the show. Coming from high school, where we basically did nothing the way it’s properly supposed to be done, I always thought the stage manager’s only responsibility was to write down blocking and make sure scene changes happened smoothly—which, to an extent, is right. But, after reading articles like this, I realize more and more how important the stage managers really are. The stage manager seems to have the longest day, with communication happening even before/after the performance and understudy rehearsals happening throughout the week. Someone once told me that once the show opens, the stage managers take the place of the director in maintaining the show every night—THAT is one hell of a job, and a demanding one at that. I saw Beetlejuice a couple of weeks ago, and the show has a remarkable amount of moving parts—costumes, automated scenery, props, PUPPETS. The stage managers on this show were killer—everything was timed out so precisely, and I know that they must work so hard on this show in particular. I was sitting so far house right that I could see into the wings, and when the snake puppet was exiting, I could see a manager with their headset guiding the snake offstage. It was really nice and refreshing to get to see the behind the scenes people working in real-time, even if just for a brief moment.
I was very heavily entrenched in management while I was in high school theatre. I am always trying to reinvent myself as a manager because I frequently doubted my abilities. That was before I realized every stage manager's job description is different depending on the production, the company, and the coworkers. I don't have to check the boxes of Production B Stage Manager while stage managing Production A. So now I take notes. I read about/study and try to remember what other stage managers do in their position so when the occasion presents itself, I will have new tricks in my repertoire to employ, be it for problem-solving or job facilitation. I have massive respect for stage managers, having to juggle all that they do. I am glad there are people out there who also appreciate them and will document and publish their hard work.
I really love reading these career profiles on different positions in the professional industry. It is very interesting because the only real knowledge that we have coming into college is what we did in high school. Being a manager or designer in high school typically means a completely different thing in the industry. I have always had so much respect for the stage manager. As a light board op in high school receiving my calls from the stage manager, I was always so impressed at how in time they were with where the cues were supposed to be and how organized they were with keeping track of all of the notes of the show. We often take a lot of these people for granted, but I really like how these articles bring a lot of what they do to light. We should always be thanking our stage and production managers for keeping everything organized.
Stage managers, in my opinion (even more than designers), don't get credited for all the work they do behind the scenes. Being with a production from start to finish during rehearsals, and then being the independent leader to tell everyone what to do for however long the production will be takes a very specific personality to make sure everyone gets along, while also making sure everyone is on task and getting the job done. It is very interesting how well rounded Stage managers need (or should) be. Matt DiCarlo, stage manager of beetlejuice on broadway talks about how he took lighting classes, scenic classes, and many other classes to help give him a well rounded background in the creative process he is a part of. I love that DiCarlo mentions the satisfaction from the job when the audience reacts and applauds from the show. This is what I find most rewarding about doing theater and what I think will always keep me pushing to create great theater.
-Pablo Anton
I love this article. I love all the articles that dive into the lives and jobs of the less-publicized jobs in the theatre and on Broadway. Stage managers (an all managers for that matter) are the only reason shows end up occuring. Take any show, especially one of the magnitude of Broadway. Now take away the managers and the entire show falls apart. Managers keep us all on track and in check, and insane shows like Beetlejuice and even small black box shows could not function without them. Matt DiCarlo also gave some great advice within this article about his process through his career with an emphasis on collaboration. He said, “As a theatrical collaborator, it is so important to have an understanding of what everyone does” which a lovely little tartan-style statement. I think that is really echoed here at CMU as we try every department before we declare and it is nice to see how important that idea is in the industry.
Reading about a stage manager's job on a show that has been running for months is really insightful and it makes sense that a show this large and going for this long would run differently than how we would work on shows that run for two weekends. Reading about Matt DiCarlo's experiences with the other stage managers and understanding how they rotate through their responsibilities is really interesting when discussing how their roles vary interact from show to show. Also, his insights about how he made his way into the business and how he recommends other people get connected are really important. I really enjoyed his commentary on his favorite parts of the job. It seems like he really is happy working in a field that he clearly admires and it is really inspiring to read about someone who seems to handle the pressure of the job in a way that he says he does.
Yes yes yes! I love Matty! I have gotten the chance to work with him multiple times in different inttierations of Beetlejuice in the workshop/ Broadway and also have seen him work as a director. I have learned so much from about stage management and take a lot of theories to heart. In the article he mentions that he filled his team out with people who make up for each others weakness and that is very true. This team is truly what every sm team should strive for as everyones strengths covers someone’s weakness and everyone is extremely good at there job. The four of them have great communication and really work well as a team. Getting to intern with him in different stages of the musical I was also able to see how stage managers change there process based off of what the project is. I cant wait to back in new York and say hey to all of them.
Wow stage management is such an integral part of theater. The stage and production managers organize the whole production. The stage managers have to call all of the cues and keep things together backstage. At show time, they are either calling the show (cueing lights, scenic automation, etc), sitting in the theatre noting the show, or in the office and also doing a few cues on the deck! There’s usually a stage manager on stage right and stage left. Matt DiCarlo isone of the four full time stage managers for Beetlejuice on Broadway. I saw Beetlejuice on Broadway when I was home and I really enjoyed it!! It was a lot of fun to watch!! It’s so interesting that he went to Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. That was also on my list of colleges that I was thinking about going to.
“No day is ever the same as the day before. I love that.” I agree with DiCarlo in this statement, because I love that no show and no day will ever be exactly the same in live theatre. While it can be crazy, the unpredictability allows for so much fun and a diverse experience that requires constant problem solving and assessment. That is why our diverse backgrounds and experience at Carnegie Mellon is beneficial to our stage management careers (even though the first 3 semesters were a little difficult to navigate being in unfamiliar territory) because we gain a deeper understanding of how to help the departments connect (as DiCarlo also talks about). It is really important in any aspect of theatre to be flexible, open minded, and collaborative, which is echoed throughout this entire article. It is really refreshing to hear about the ways someone works outside of an educational environment and, even more so, hear about how much they enjoy it. That is something that we frequently lose sight of at Carnegie Mellon.
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