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JOB DESCRIPTION

The assistant stage manager is responsible for logistics regarding running rehearsals and performances. The position is most easily broken into two phases: rehearsal and production.

Rehearsal Phase Duties
  • Facilitate rehearsals
  • Take notes of what goes on during rehearsals (blocking, costumes, prop, sound notes, etc.)
  • Maintain rehearsal props/costumes (i.e., bringing them to rehearsal, keeping them safe, letting props know if they run out, etc).
  • If actors are missing from a rehearsal, it is your job to hunt them down like dogs.

Overall, you act mostly as a liaison between the director and the actors.

Production Phase Duties

During the production phase, the ASMs will act as liaisons between the SM and the actors, and help out with box office as needed.

Detailed Job Description

Pre-production:

The SM will meet with ASMs to explain roles and determine scheduling for the rehearsal. Make sure to give the SM your phone number.

Read-through

Be there! You’ll get to know the actors and meet the director, and see how the rehearsal runs. If you haven’t ASMed with a theatre group at MIT before, make arrangements with the SM to observe a full rehearsal before you ASM on your own.

Rehearsal period:

  • Help run rehearsals.

  • The schedule for rehearsals is available on Callboard, on its embedded Google calendar.

  • Take down blocking in SM script copy. Always take these in pencil as everything has a tendency to change.
  • Keep track of props/set/costumes--note any new changes or director notes.
  • Be on-book for actors after off-book date (when they say "line" give them their line).
  • After rehearsal, put things away as necessary. The SM/ASM is responsible for securing all rehearsal items and the rehearsal room.
  • Write a rehearsal report. WRITE DETAILED REPORTS. Make sure any notes from the director on what needs to be rehearsed, what props are needed, costumes, etc. are taken down. An example is attached. This helps the prod staff keep updated on new items they need or constraints on items they know about. This is also available on Callboard. Make sure to take notes on the progress made, and if scenes were over or under rehearsed.
  •  ASMs are welcome to attend production meetings but are not required to (if the SM is unavailable, they may ask you to sub in).
Setting up rehearsal:
  • Make sure you have everything from the office you need. This is usually the SM binder (with the script inside), SM/First Aid kit, and the props cart. 
  • Arrive early to rehearsal. 15 minutes is usually good. If you have rehearsal on campus (not in W20), you'll need some extra time to get everything you need from the office.
  • Set up the room as needed. If it's locked, call CAC to get it unlocked. (617-253-1500: ask to speak to the CAC manager on duty. Program this into your phone NOW. Do it. Go.)
  • Tape down the set lines (once we have a set). Start doing this as soon as you have a set layout. It will help the actors a lot later. Make sure you arrive early enough to do this. Unless the director specifically doesn't want the set taped out for a rehearsal exercise, it should be taped out every time.
  • Set rehearsal props/costumes.
  • For table reads, make sure you have enough chairs and tables.
Making sure people are on time:

One of your tasks it to make sure actors arrive on time to rehearsals, and track them down if they don't. Some tips for making sure people arrive, and arrive on time:

  • Call actors who are more than 5 minutes late late. Early is on time and (one minute past) on time is late. Leave messages even if they aren't there (guilt trips).
  • Keep a spreadsheet of how often people have been late or their total amount of lateness.
  • Put actors' phone numbers in your phone. It will save time in the long run.
  • If someone is chronically late, it's okay to call or text them before rehearsal starts to make sure they're on their way.
  • If someone is really late, send someone looking for them. A good way to start with this is to call someone you know in their dorm, and have them knock on their door. Have someone check lounges, friends' dorms, boy/girlfriend's room, the student center, and anywhere else they might be. 
The Props Cart
  • Use a shopping cart to carry props to rehearsals
  • Make sure you know why each thing in the cart is there. If there's a prop in the cart and no one's using it, figure out who should be
Spaghetti Rehearsal

Spaghetti Rehearsal usually happens about a week after off-book date for a show. The basic idea: actors run a scene repeatedly until they get it fully correct. If an actor messes up a line, the entire scene is started over. This continues until the scene is done, and with all the scenes until the show is completely ran.

  • Spaghetti Rehearsal is usually required of ASMs who don't have a conflict (so multiple scenes can be ran at once and so the SM can take a break). You may have a shift or be expected to be there the entire time.

  • Before you start, make sure everyone knows your policy--will you restart after long pauses? Slight changes in single words that don't make a difference? Etc.

  • If someone is having trouble with a monologue, just restart the monologue until they can get through it without messing up. Then restart the scene. 

  • Even if you don't restart a scene after a slight mess-up, tell the person that they messed up, so they can fix it.

  • The week before Spaghetti, watch to see which scenes need the most work so that you can do those first (and talk this over with the SM for scheduling).

Line notes

Once actors are off book and after Spaghetti Rehearsal has happened, two SMs (ASM+ASM or ASM+SM) will be present at rehearsal. One will take notes as usual, and the other will take line notes.

  • Start taking line notes a week or so after the actors go off book.
  • Write down as many notes as you have time for.
  • If someone is making the same mistake over and over, tell them (in case they don't read the notes *gasp*).
  • Try underlining everything that people mess up, and showing them after the rehearsal is over, so they get instant feedback as well as detailed feedback.
  • Send out the notes as soon after rehearsal as possible.

Production week:

Generally, you will be expected to show up to one rehearsal this week, and expected to be at 2 shows. During the rehearsal, the SM will explain to you the details of what is expected of you for this particular show.

Your job this week is to, for the most part, stay backstage on headset. The SM and board ops will also be on headset with you, and the SM will tell you things to tell actors (i.e. "Ten to places").You will most likely be opening the doors at intermission and the end of the show, and closing them at the end of intermission. Depending on the show, you may have some duties before showtime or during intermission (i.e. charging glowtape or taking props offstage). 

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