Stage Management 101

[GavMJM]

Hi all,

Long time, no post!

We have our annual school production coming up. A lot of the schools staffing has changed since last year, so peoples roles in this production are going to be different.

We have two overall directors who cooperate (to a workable extent). We have someone (new) who will be designing and building the set. We have a musical director, who to some extent is concerned with the sound set-up, and to an even lesser extent, with the lighting.

In previous years, the person who designed and built the set was also, to some extent in charge of stage management, although he never really took an active hardline 'management' approach, which sort of worked. We also had one person stood on either side of the stage next to the comms, who were loosely organising people going on and off stage.

The last production wasn't great to be honest (the acting, and the set on the other hand, were pretty fantastic). The tech just didn't work properly, and in the end, the first run through of the whole show from start to finish was on the first night. The plan last year was for me to run the microphones, for the person with me to run the band, and for the four people doing lighting in the lighting booth (one in charge with the script, one on the board, and two on spotlights) to be autonomous. However, the person doing the band and the person doing the lighting board swapped, halfway through the first show, much to my utter amazement, meaning I pretty much ended up running both the microphones and the band, as well as barking orders over the comms to the lighting.

Enough is enough, this is what I'd like to see happen this year:

• Stage Manager (Me)
• Stage Left
• Stage Right
• Changing Rooms --> Stage 'Runner'
• Sound Desk (Primary)
• Sound Desk (Secondary)
• Lighting Board
• Spotlight #1
• Spotlight #2

I also want to make sure that the light board is fully programmed, so that the show can be ran through from start to finish with me simply giving cues and the person on the board clicking 'Go'. Of course, the person on the board should be competent enough to be able to take over manually if necessary.

I'm fairly positive about what I'm doing, I just want to run my ideas by you to make sure I'm heading in the right direction.

I am wondering about where to locate myself though?

• Stage Left. Main passage from changing rooms to the stage, sees the most 'action'.
• Stage Right. More room for me to stand, clear view of the stage and near the dimmer racks should anything blow.
• Sound Desk. Back of the hall, downstairs, behind the audience. I wouldn't be able to give cues here, so not a great idea I don't think.
• Lighting Gallery. Above the audience. Excellent view, but sound doesn't travel up there very well, so couldn't judge the levels.

Any input/advice is appreciated.

Of course, all this advanced thinking could be in vain, as I haven't discussed this with the directors-in-chief yet

- Gav

[Clifford]

I'm sure others will add more verbose comments. I just wanted to say that what you're proposing is a common hierarchy in schools. It's more or less what I was part of for three years. Also, the two people stage left and right are usually refered to as ASMs (Assistant Stage Managers).

As to your position, catwalks are never great places to call shows from. From what you've said about your setup, I'd be on deck. If you have someone you trust with the dimmers, make them your SR ASM and stand SL. If there's someone you think can herd the talent well, make them SL ASM and stand SR. Why can't you call cues from the house?

[cprted]

An SM should call the show from wherever they need to be to most effectively execute their job. How's that for a non-answer answer?

In theatre, there is no hard and fast convention as to where the SM calls from (unlike dance and opera). If you have a competent and capable ASM (or two) on the deck to coordinate things there, then typically the SM would call from the booth. On a smaller show where there isn't an ASM, then it would normal to call from the wings.

[mstaylor]

I agree with Clifford. SR seems the best place to see everything but you can forget any sound levels. The sound board sounds like the best place so you can monitor sound levels but you said you couldn't call from there. Not sure why.

[GavMJM]

Originally Posted by mstaylor

I agree with Clifford. SR seems the best place to see everything but you can forget any sound levels. The sound board sounds like the best place so you can monitor sound levels but you said you couldn't call from there. Not sure why.

Due to a number of reasons, the sound board is very close to the audience.

[mstaylor]

I have worked many shows where the SM sits at FOH and calls the show. If that is your limiting factor then I would pick FOH.

[bull]

Well, at our school the set-up goes as follows,

We have 2 ASM's so there is a SL ASM and a SR ASM

We have 1 Person on the Lightng Console, the Board Operator

Then we have 2 Spotlights in the Lighting Gallery

One Runner in the Dressing Hall, usually standing in the SR stage entrance, there is a Comm jack there.

We have a PA that sits front row with the Director.

The SM stands in the booth.

All of the above people have comms.

The rigging is on SR so that ASM calls Rigging cues, but quick-changes are alwasy SR too, so they have costume cues, and they have the main stage entrance. So that ASM usually has more to deal with. Personally though, I would suggest calling from the booth, you can see almost everything that is happening, with exception to the Lighting Gallery.

[mstaylor]

The SM should call everything. That doesn't mean the SR ASM doesn't verify that changes are done or flys aren't ready. If the SM is giving proper standbys then any problem can be dealt with.
What is the purpose of the PA and director sitting in the front row. They should be in the back of the house with no headsets, period. Nothing will screw up a production faster than having the director yakking on the headset when you are trying to run cues.

[theatremowat]

I agree, you NEVER want your Director on headset, bad idea. And theirs nothing wrong with calling from in the audience. In my school our sound guy and SM sit together, in literally the middle of the audience, just be quiet, all your ASMs and OPs should be listening just to you so that shouldn't be hard. Plus you don't need to be able to hear the proper sound levels if thats your concern, you need to trust your sound guy, and as the SM its not your job to fix levels. Speaking from someone whos done both sound and SM the sound guy never likes getting told what he's doing wrong.

basically tho, your the one who's gotta make the show run, do whats best for you.

[bull]

Originally Posted by mstaylor

The SM should call everything. That doesn't mean the SR ASM doesn't verify that changes are done or flys aren't ready. If the SM is giving proper standbys then any problem can be dealt with.
What is the purpose of the PA and director sitting in the front row. They should be in the back of the house with no headsets, period. Nothing will screw up a production faster than having the director yakking on the headset when you are trying to run cues.

The PA is only with the director for the rehearsals, forgot to mention that. Our director is the least desicive person I have ever met, so we have to have a telex near her so we know what is happening. She changes set changes and things all the time. She almost never talks, just when she notices discrepencies though she lets the PA know, she would never have her own headset. We just need it there mostly for the PA to let us know how things are looking, with some of the complicated changes the way they are.