That's what I thought...
It seems like it would be hard to do both to me. I've never worked on a show that way.
Although, now that I have been involved in the tour of A Little Princess I have seen things never done in local theater before that they do for the tours... Like the fact that even though there is a Stage Manager working with the director in rehearsals right now, once the show goes on the road, this forums on Landon Parks will be taken over as production stage manager.... Also odd that they have a director, an assistant director and a 2nd assistant director.
The last rehearsals I sat in on it seemed more like a film shoot than a theater production.
From what I got, the reason he wants to do both is that he feel's left out of the production run... He seems to be the type of guy who has security issues with himself. Keep in mind, I don't know for sure if he is doing ALL the stage management work, or just taking over during the run? I know he has an Asst Stage Manager who was taking a great deal of his notes at our meeting.