Stage Management

Revered as the authoritative resource for stage management, this text offers students a practical manual on how to stage manage in all theater environments. Rich with practical resources — checklists, diagrams, examples, forms and step-by-step directions — Stage Management eschews excessive discussion of philosophy and gets right to the essential materials and processes of putting on a production. In addition to sharing his own expertise, Stern has gathered practical advice from working stage managers of Broadway, off-Broadway, touring companies, regional, community, and 99-seat Equity waiver theaters.

Backstage with one of Canada’s greatest stage managers Whenever You’re Ready is an intimate account of the career of Nora Polley, who — in her 52 years at the Stratford Festival — has learned from, worked with, and cared for some of the greatest directors, actors, stage managers, and productions in Canadian theatrical history. In so doing, Nora became one of the greatest stage managers this country has ever seen. Here is an account of the Stratford Festival’s history like no other. From her childhood forays into a theater her father, Victor, worked tirelessly to help maintain, to her unexpected apprenticeship and the equally unexpected 40 years of stage management it ushered in, this is the Stratford Festival seen exclusively through Nora’s eyes. Here is an immersive account of a life spent in service of the theater, told from the ground floor: where actors struggle with lines and anxieties, where directors lose themselves in the work, where the next season is always uncertain, and where Nora — a stage manager, a custodian, a confidante, a pillar, a rock — finds her rhythm, her patience, her perseverance, her love, her consistency, and her invisibility. These are the qualities that make a stage manager great and, whenever you’re ready, this book will show you why.

The Stage Manager’s Toolkit provides a comprehensive account of the role of the stage manager for live theatre with a focus on both written and verbal communication best practices. The book outlines the duties of the stage manager and assistant stage manager throughout a production, discussing not only what to do but why. The book identifies communication objectives for each phase of production, paperwork to be created, and the necessary questions to be answered in order to ensure success. This book was written for Stage Management courses in Theatre programs and for the working professional.

Stage Management Basics touches on basic principles for stage management for theatre, dance, and opera productions. Without assuming any intrinsic prior knowledge of the theatrical field and its associated, specialized terminology, this book covers every aspect of the stage management, from reading a script, meeting with a director and theatre staff, and auditioning, to constructing green digital scripts, communication best practices, and opening night protocol. Additionally, this book features multiple appendices containing stage management form templates, blank version of which are available on its companion website. This book is for the beginning Stage Management student.

This popular book describes in detail a stage manager's job. It provides those just starting out in the profession with a solid grounding in theatre stage management practices and procedures. The disciplines of lighting, set design and sound are discussed but the main focus is the management of these elements and the processes and scheduling that go together to provide effective results. Chronologically following the production of a play, the book starts with pre-production planning and progresses to opening night. With easy reference checklists and a full glossary, it is the essential guide to stage management.

This popular book describes in detail a stage manager's job. It provides those just starting out in the profession with a solid grounding in theatre stage management practices and procedures. The disciplines of lighting, set design and sound are discussed but the main focus is the management of these elements and the processes and scheduling that go together to provide effective results. Chronologically following the production of a play, the book starts with pre-production planning and progresses to opening night. With easy reference checklists and a full glossary, it is the essential guide to stage management.

This essential handbook is aimed at students, graduates, and all aspirants to stage managership, whether amateur or professional, whether the production is on a large or small scale. "The clearest and most practical comprehensive work on the subject that I have seen."--The Stage

Off Headset is a collection of chapters containing essays by a richly diverse group of stage management professionals and educators covering the challenges stage managers face on the job, in their lives, and in their careers. The book starts with the intersectional history of stage managers and the actors' union. In "Part 1: Work," the contributors share a wide range of experiences, from regional theatre and Broadway to operas and cruises—and even running with the circus. The essays in "Part 2: Life" explore the relevance of stage managers claiming their identity, their resilience, and practicing self-care. Finally, in "Part 3: Career," readers receive aspirational and business advice for life in the real world: leadership, networking, unemployment, managing demanding calendars, and career planning. The book ends with a moment of pause during tech—a direct response to the absence we have been enduring throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and a tribute to a world we used to take for granted. Intertwining practical advice with personal anecdotes, Off Headset: Essays on Stage Management Work, Life, and Career is the perfect accompaniment to students studying stage management in a university setting and professionals working in the field.