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Wednesday, November 06, 2024
What is a Stage Manager?
Wenger | J.R. Clancy: For the month of November, we are going to take a look at what goes on “in the wings”. Stage managers are a quintessential part of a production, yet almost everything they do goes unseen by the audience.
9 comments:
Ella S
said...
This is a great quick overview of stage management – it feels very approachable for anyone to read this very quick article and have a decent, basic understanding of what stage management is and why it’s important. It makes sense that the person who they interviewed says that she feels more comfortable as a performer since she understands stage management and knows that there are many eyes on the process keeping it on track. I think that it’s important when you have a team in really any industry that each subteam or each individual in the team is aware of what everyone else on the team is doing, even just generally or in a basic way, because it makes the whole team more cohesive and can let people know that they don’t need to worry about certain things because someone else is already dealing with it. Stage management really does tend to feel like a role that’s “holding the wheels on” during a process, more or less taking care of or overseeing a ton of moving parts while also making sure various groups are doing well and communicating well. It’s great that brief articles like this exist so that people who go see shows but aren’t otherwise involved in theater can get a basic understanding or appreciation for stage management.
What is a Stage Manager? Good question LOL! I think this article is very short and sweet, it sums up the job of a stage manager pretty well! I am glad they brought up being organized and making paperwork because I love organized paperwork and pretty spreadsheets, they are so wonderful. I also am really interested in knowing how this student is studying stage management and musical theatre. How does that work for her and does she ever sleep? Being for real I need to know how she does it. I need sleep lol. But being serious, I think that this article does a great job of explaining what a stage manager is, what they do, and why their work is so important and vital to any theatrical piece. I enjoyed reading this article, and I think that if anyone were to ask me what a stage manager is, or what they do, I would just send them this article and make them read it.
Being a Stage Manager I recognize that I am the backbone of any production. Often, the point person for many solutions, problems, questions or opinions, it’s important to remember how crucial it is to keep the team and production in mind when making decisions. I find that when I tell people outside of the theatre industry that I’m a stage manager, they often respond with a puzzled “huh”. Besides the performers and the flashy aspects of theatre, I think the general population, unless disposed to it, don’t fully grasp the amount of people, time and labor that it takes to put on a production of a certain caliber. I hope that with time, as the theatre industry grows and evolves the general public comes to realize how many people it takes to produce a show. I love being a stage manager because I love the community I help create inside and outside of the rehearsal room, to this day I continue to be grateful to work on a craft I love.
Being a stage manager is like being the unseen car part that just makes one thing run collectively. I find stage management so fun, and I always feel like I'm doing the most when I'm doing it; however, this article really made me think, What are we really doing? Yes, we were there to make sure everything’s set, from props and lighting to getting people in place on time and being there to solve problems before they even happen and keep everyone working together, but it just feels different when you're actually doing it. One of the best parts of stage managing is creating a vibe where everyone feels safe and taken care of. It’s about making sure the actors, crew, and everyone involved can focus on what they need to do without stressing about what’s going on in the wings. When someone tells me they feel supported, I know I’m doing my job right. And that's honestly one of the best feelings in the world. If you are interested in recognition, you are in the wrong industry because half of the job is being an unspoken hero.
Stage managers are a part of every theater technicians working experience a good or bad one can make or break a performance, I think this article accurately describes just how vital they are in theater(I would say they are just as vital as the director). They are the person that unifies the entire team, they are the connection point between everyone without them it would be unlikely that everything could come together. The manager ensures that everything is on track and without that the team would likely fall behind, loose things and be disorderly. I’ve been generous enough to have stage managers who have mostly been competent all through out my life and the ones I have had have been some of the kindest and most dedicated people I’ve ever met and I think that’s the person you need to be if you do want to be a stage manager
This article was very nice and concise on what stage managers do, it showed all the different aspects in non-complicated terms that were easy to understand. I like that they do give a general idea of what stage managers do while still leaving some room for differences in how stage managers operate. Many other sites and definitions that I’ve seen either have a very short and limiting list that doesn’t include everything or they are so vague it doesn’t sound like a job. This one tells about the show managing and the rehearsal managing in ways of the personality that most stage managers have and all the little things that they do in order to do their job. For instance, when they focus on creating a safe space while doing their job, it gives the message that through being on top of issues and managerial items, plus a little extra, the work environment is a better place for it and the show moves smoother. I have definitely seen this with stage managers I’ve worked with in the past in how if they create a good repertoire with everyone and are open to talk about anything, then being able to talk about other issues comes easier and they are resolved quicker.
I appreciate that this article exists to explain what a stage manager does. I feel like the term gets bounced around a lot with many different definitions and varying tasks. Having it be mansplained by a trained stage manager really redefined the idea that all they are is spreadsheets and yelling. It’s really cool to hear that they can oversee most technical aspects while also worrying about scheduling and cue calling and just the overall safety of the show. In my high school, there wasn’t much proper guidance for the stage managers (in terms of learning how to be a stage manager) and a lot of the work done by them was scheduling and other smaller stuff. Now entering the professional industry and after reading this article, I am happy to know that people appreciate stage managers way more than in high school and that they get credit for all of the hard work that they do.
Frequently I am hit with this question by my friends and family after asking "what exactly am I studying and why is that a three year degree??" Which is sometimes followed up with "so it's a hobby" which I push back on and detest. I usually then try to explain like the article mentions all of the skills and things that a stage manager does and how all of those are transferable skills to other places, or how there are stage managers in other industries like film or TV and what the importance of these things are. That then opens up to topics like "oh my niece did that in high school" or some other comment how it comes back to an extracurricular and hobby, patronizing the profession work and industry and shows that have been helped built and maintained by stage managers. We are artists and creatives in our own right and do important and hard work not just in the theatre community but wherever we may find ourselves.
This article briefly overviews the essential -but often invisible with efficiency- role of the stage manager in theater production. Stage managers are the backbone of any performance, bridging the gap between the creative team, performers, and crew. The article says that the stage manager is responsible for a very wide range of things. In my very limited experience, I can confirm that a stage manager focuses on communication to scheduling to making sure props, lights, and sound are in sync. The stage manager is also the point person for troubleshooting, keeping a show running smoothly. The emphasis on safety for all involved in a stage manager’s role is 100% the most important, in my opinion. Not to mention, the environment in which art is made affects the art itself. Approachability, organization, and leadership adaptability are essential to this aspect, I think. What I love about the role is the way it facilitates collaboration at all stages involved, and in inherently different ways.
9 comments:
This is a great quick overview of stage management – it feels very approachable for anyone to read this very quick article and have a decent, basic understanding of what stage management is and why it’s important. It makes sense that the person who they interviewed says that she feels more comfortable as a performer since she understands stage management and knows that there are many eyes on the process keeping it on track. I think that it’s important when you have a team in really any industry that each subteam or each individual in the team is aware of what everyone else on the team is doing, even just generally or in a basic way, because it makes the whole team more cohesive and can let people know that they don’t need to worry about certain things because someone else is already dealing with it. Stage management really does tend to feel like a role that’s “holding the wheels on” during a process, more or less taking care of or overseeing a ton of moving parts while also making sure various groups are doing well and communicating well. It’s great that brief articles like this exist so that people who go see shows but aren’t otherwise involved in theater can get a basic understanding or appreciation for stage management.
What is a Stage Manager? Good question LOL! I think this article is very short and sweet, it sums up the job of a stage manager pretty well! I am glad they brought up being organized and making paperwork because I love organized paperwork and pretty spreadsheets, they are so wonderful. I also am really interested in knowing how this student is studying stage management and musical theatre. How does that work for her and does she ever sleep? Being for real I need to know how she does it. I need sleep lol. But being serious, I think that this article does a great job of explaining what a stage manager is, what they do, and why their work is so important and vital to any theatrical piece. I enjoyed reading this article, and I think that if anyone were to ask me what a stage manager is, or what they do, I would just send them this article and make them read it.
Being a Stage Manager I recognize that I am the backbone of any production. Often, the point person for many solutions, problems, questions or opinions, it’s important to remember how crucial it is to keep the team and production in mind when making decisions. I find that when I tell people outside of the theatre industry that I’m a stage manager, they often respond with a puzzled “huh”. Besides the performers and the flashy aspects of theatre, I think the general population, unless disposed to it, don’t fully grasp the amount of people, time and labor that it takes to put on a production of a certain caliber. I hope that with time, as the theatre industry grows and evolves the general public comes to realize how many people it takes to produce a show. I love being a stage manager because I love the community I help create inside and outside of the rehearsal room, to this day I continue to be grateful to work on a craft I love.
Being a stage manager is like being the unseen car part that just makes one thing run collectively. I find stage management so fun, and I always feel like I'm doing the most when I'm doing it; however, this article really made me think, What are we really doing? Yes, we were there to make sure everything’s set, from props and lighting to getting people in place on time and being there to solve problems before they even happen and keep everyone working together, but it just feels different when you're actually doing it. One of the best parts of stage managing is creating a vibe where everyone feels safe and taken care of. It’s about making sure the actors, crew, and everyone involved can focus on what they need to do without stressing about what’s going on in the wings. When someone tells me they feel supported, I know I’m doing my job right. And that's honestly one of the best feelings in the world. If you are interested in recognition, you are in the wrong industry because half of the job is being an unspoken hero.
Stage managers are a part of every theater technicians working experience a good or bad one can make or break a performance, I think this article accurately describes just how vital they are in theater(I would say they are just as vital as the director). They are the person that unifies the entire team, they are the connection point between everyone without them it would be unlikely that everything could come together. The manager ensures that everything is on track and without that the team would likely fall behind, loose things and be disorderly. I’ve been generous enough to have stage managers who have mostly been competent all through out my life and the ones I have had have been some of the kindest and most dedicated people I’ve ever met and I think that’s the person you need to be if you do want to be a stage manager
This article was very nice and concise on what stage managers do, it showed all the different aspects in non-complicated terms that were easy to understand. I like that they do give a general idea of what stage managers do while still leaving some room for differences in how stage managers operate. Many other sites and definitions that I’ve seen either have a very short and limiting list that doesn’t include everything or they are so vague it doesn’t sound like a job. This one tells about the show managing and the rehearsal managing in ways of the personality that most stage managers have and all the little things that they do in order to do their job. For instance, when they focus on creating a safe space while doing their job, it gives the message that through being on top of issues and managerial items, plus a little extra, the work environment is a better place for it and the show moves smoother. I have definitely seen this with stage managers I’ve worked with in the past in how if they create a good repertoire with everyone and are open to talk about anything, then being able to talk about other issues comes easier and they are resolved quicker.
I appreciate that this article exists to explain what a stage manager does. I feel like the term gets bounced around a lot with many different definitions and varying tasks. Having it be mansplained by a trained stage manager really redefined the idea that all they are is spreadsheets and yelling. It’s really cool to hear that they can oversee most technical aspects while also worrying about scheduling and cue calling and just the overall safety of the show. In my high school, there wasn’t much proper guidance for the stage managers (in terms of learning how to be a stage manager) and a lot of the work done by them was scheduling and other smaller stuff. Now entering the professional industry and after reading this article, I am happy to know that people appreciate stage managers way more than in high school and that they get credit for all of the hard work that they do.
Frequently I am hit with this question by my friends and family after asking "what exactly am I studying and why is that a three year degree??" Which is sometimes followed up with "so it's a hobby" which I push back on and detest. I usually then try to explain like the article mentions all of the skills and things that a stage manager does and how all of those are transferable skills to other places, or how there are stage managers in other industries like film or TV and what the importance of these things are. That then opens up to topics like "oh my niece did that in high school" or some other comment how it comes back to an extracurricular and hobby, patronizing the profession work and industry and shows that have been helped built and maintained by stage managers. We are artists and creatives in our own right and do important and hard work not just in the theatre community but wherever we may find ourselves.
This article briefly overviews the essential -but often invisible with efficiency- role of the stage manager in theater production. Stage managers are the backbone of any performance, bridging the gap between the creative team, performers, and crew. The article says that the stage manager is responsible for a very wide range of things. In my very limited experience, I can confirm that a stage manager focuses on communication to scheduling to making sure props, lights, and sound are in sync. The stage manager is also the point person for troubleshooting, keeping a show running smoothly. The emphasis on safety for all involved in a stage manager’s role is 100% the most important, in my opinion. Not to mention, the environment in which art is made affects the art itself. Approachability, organization, and leadership adaptability are essential to this aspect, I think. What I love about the role is the way it facilitates collaboration at all stages involved, and in inherently different ways.
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