So Much More Than, Stand By...Go!
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Authors
Moore, Jennifer Rae
Issue Date
1995
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Theater -- Design , Theater -- Tech
Alternative Title
Abstract
The show, as they say, must go on. What individual is a crucial
member of the production team in any theatrical organization? The stage
manager , of course, and she or he will be the one who ensures that the show
does go on. He or she is the hub of communication for all of the various
aspects of a given production. At any moment the stage manager must be
there with a calm, organized attitude that will provide a much needed, stable
influence in the whole affair.
The production of a play may be paralleled to the manufacture of any
complicated article. The various parts are created separately, brought together
at the appropriate time by careful planning and scheduling, and are assembled
into a complete unit. It is the stage manager's ultimate duty to organize this
merger and see that it is successful in its parts as well as its whole.
During this period before the compilation, each member of the creative
team puts their time and livelihood into fine tuning their individual talents
within the context of the particular show. The director, actors, designers, and
sometimes the playwright apply their creative specialty to the final product.
While the stage manager's responsibilities and contributions do not, on the
surface, appear to be exceptionally creative, their influence greatly enhances
the creative efforts of the team. In a successful production end there is no
satisfaction second to that felt by the stage manager, for she or he had a hand
and breathed life into every aspect of the production and it has become theirs.
There are a couple of characteristics and skills that may signal a possible
stage manager type personality, simple things such as punctuality, leadership
skills, and dependability. One must be committed to the art and ready to accept a great amount of responsibility. Good communication skills are
essential, for you will be called upon to coordinate people, time, and space.
Finally, and quite possibly most importantly, you are the rock in the rapids.
All will be depending on you to keep a calm, steadfast attitude in any
seemingly chaotic situation.
Given the few resources at Kalamazoo College to assist the stage
manager, a student interested in understanding the position must take it
upon themselves. I, personally, learn by doing. I simply jumped into ~e
water my freshman winter to stage manage Kate Warner's Senior
Individualized Project, Rites. I read some books, asked tons of questions and
made quite a few mistakes. In an attempt to take full advantage of the K plan
theatre major options I went to New York City to work Off-Broadway and
England to study specifically stage management and technical theatre. With
every show I worked on and every stage manager I worked with I learned
more and more.
I felt that an appropriate culmination of my education thus far, after
working Off-Broadway and internationally, would be to work in regional
theatre. For my Senior Individualized Project I arranged an internship as the
assistant stage manager on an original production called Vampyr. at The
Theatrical Outfit in Atlanta, Georgia. I was looking for a small but reputable,
equity theatre where my involvement would really make a difference; where
I could learn the ins and outs of regional theatre and not just be one in a
crowd. That is just exactly what I found.
In an effort to ease the stress and confusion of a beginning stage
manager I have attempted to compile what I have learned to form some
semblance of a readable beginner's handbook. It is, of course, impossible to
document every detail and every different method of stage management, but with any amount of luck this should shed some light on the specifics of the
role of stage manager within a theatrical institution.
Description
v, 203 p.
Citation
Publisher
License
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