Stage Manager backstage

[Spikesgirl]

Okay, first time here, so be kind - in our theater, we have two resident stage managers, myself and another lady. It really depends upon the show whether we call from the booth or back stage. If the show is large, we tend to call from the booth, but we have two ASMs as well as a deck manager to keep things under control. All of us are on headset and in constant communication with each other.

If the show is small (or if we can't get enough deckhands), we tend to call it from backstage, especially if it's a LU/LD show.

As for recruiting, we always have a volunteer working FOH to answer any questions that folks might have about being backstage. We have an active volunteer group as well as holding an 'open house' three times a year for anyone interested in working backstage. We also recruit heavily during auditions. So far, this has worked very well for us.

Charlie

[tech2000]

In my theater our stage manager usually just calls from backstage, so the sm would usually just spend all time there. However, during our last show our director moved the sm up to the booth because the actors were bothering him too much (the sm is a little guy who everyone tends to bug)

[lieperjp]

I put backstage... even though we don't technically have a stage manager. Our SM doesn't have much to do with lights and sound... only if we need something or if they need something. And to coordinate show starting/house lights off.

[Clifford]

We have a huge booth and a wireless ClearCom system, so it makes it easy for the SM or LD to call from the booth. That and our director likes to do big cast shows, so there's not always a lot of room backstage.

[museav]

What I find interesting in all this is one of the most common complaints I hear is sound and lighting having to work from an isolated booth rather than being out in the audience hearing and seeing what the audience does. But out in the middle of the audience is often not the best place to have a SM calling a show. So I guess an ancillary factor in this might be where the light and sound board operators are located and whether you would prefer a house position for them or a booth they shared with the SM?