I see no one has posted to this - since you have been
clear that this is a class, I will be happy to do my best. I'm not a SM - but I do a lot of lighting design and have worked with a number of
Stage Managers.
I am assuming by production meeting you mean planning meetings between the artistic and technical staff,
stage manager,
etc - not any later formal meetings between the SM and
running crew.
In my experience, the first ( and usually subsequent ) production meetings are not called or organized by the SM - but by the
producer. So from the
point of the SM:
Who should be there - whoever the
producer invites.
What should the format be - whatever the
producer wants.
That said - at the first meeting the purpose is usually to.
- Introduce everyone to everyone else if they do not know each other.
- Handle any outstanding bureaucratic paperwork. Release forms, tax information, purchasing procedures, etc.
- Clear up all of the mechanics of the production that you can. Contact lists, run dates, load in period, rough schedules, date of first read thru, etc.
- Give out copies of the script (if there is one, and if they are not already distributed).
- If appropriate get the directors vision of the show. ( Starting to move into a design meeting here - but sometimes it is useful to fold some aspects of that into the production meeting). If there have already been some design meetings - this may is a good time to share them with the group.
- Give everyone a chance to discuss concerns, questions, etc.
- Set a format that will usually be followed in future meetings. IE do you go around the table and each group talks about questions and concerns or use some other way of getting info on the table.
As to how many - again it depends on the
venue,
producer, and group. Some venues like meetings and have a production meeting every couple of weeks. One place I work has almost no production meetings. The frequency also varies as you get close to a show. IE if the show is six months away, you might see an initial meeting. A second meeting in 6 to 8 weeks, one in 4 weeks, then one every 2 to 4 weeks until you get close to tech rehearsals.
Good luck with your course.
John