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The stage manager is responsible for all logistics regarding running rehearsals and performances. The position is most easily broken into two phases: rehearsal and production.
Rehearsal Phase Duties
Facilitate rehearsalsFacilitate rehearsals. This means:
- Scheduling rehearsals. This includes when rehearsals will be, and what will happen during each individual rehearsal.
- Take notes of what goes on during rehearsals (blocking, costume, prop, sound notes, etc.). See Callboard.
- Maintain rehearsal props/costumes (i.e., bringing them to rehearsal, keeping them safe, letting props know if they run out, etc).
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- If actors are missing from a rehearsal, it is your job to hunt them down like dogs (ie call/text them to see where they are)
- You need not be at every rehearsal, but it is your responsibility to make sure that an ASM is at a rehearsal if you're not.
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- Recommendation: if you are also the Production SM (you probably are), be at big rehearsals like Read Through, Designer Run, and as many Full Runs as possible to get a good sense of the show, blocking, etc.
Overall, you act mostly as a liaison between the director/designers/producer(s) and the actors. It's your job to help provide communication between the actors and everyone else to ensure that everything will be ready for prod week.
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During the production phase, the SM is in charge of all logistics, including stops, starts, breaks, etc. The SM "calls" the show, meaning they give commands to the board operators and backstage hands, and give cues to the actors. The SM is the non-artistic authority starting with production week.
Detailed Job Description
Pre-production:
Check SM kit (see child page)
Meet with producer - go over checklist & calendar. Meet with director - discuss scheduling preferences, rehearsal preferences. These may include: Meet with producer - go over checklist & calendar.
Meet with director - discuss scheduling preferences and rehearsal preferences. These may include:
- When will rehearsals be, and how long will they be?
- Typical Fall Rehearsals: Sunday 1-5, Monday-Thursday 7-10
- Typical Spring Rehearsals: Sunday 1-5, Monday-Thursday 6-10
- How many breaks in a rehearsal, for how long?
- How would the director like to be reminded of time constraints?
- How should actors be corrected (lines, blocking) if they mess up?
- How should warm-ups be done? By director (or actor) at beginning of rehearsal? By each actor individually before rehearsal?
- Work with the Director to create a rehearsal etiquette policy to be handed out to all actors at the first rehearsal.
- Longer or more complicated scenes need more time. Ask about length/complexity of the scenes.
- When will rehearsals be, and how long will they be?
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Assist director with running auditions. (the producer will also help with this)
Useful tips: -
- Take pictures of auditioners; it's easier for the director to remember faces
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- Have people (ASMs, etc.) inside and outside the audition room communicating about which auditioners have arrived and whether they are ready to audition.
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- Get the casting done as quickly as possible. If possible, schedule the last day of auditions to end early to give you time to call people. (this should be the last day before callbacks and the day of callbacks if possible)
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- Help with casting. Keep a list of people, parts, and how they match up.
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- If possible, make a characters list before-hand and have an idea of how large each part is (search the play name on wolfram alpha- it's super useful!) and which parts can be combined if needed. List which characters are in which scenes. This is also a good time to decide which characters are important for the rehearsals of each scene, which will help with scheduling
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- Note: the director will often do this, because they know the show better than you. Check with them.
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- Encourage the director to take scheduling into account during auditions. Try to prevent giving main roles to people who don't have the time for them.
Read-through
Take a look at the child page (below) for things you should make sure to tell people at read through. This is an especially good time to outline your lateness policies and so on.
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