Author Topic: Stern's Stage Management List  (Read 3291 times)

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Stern's Stage Management List
« on: Sep 25, 2007, 08:59 am »
This is a wholly useful list of what a Stage Manager must accomplish on the job.  It is taken from Lawrence Stern's Stage Management, one of the central texts on the craft.  




























































































































































































































































































































































































































































A chronological approach and priorities


(Some of these would not apply to high school stage management, but would apply to professional/touring stage management)



Task


Priority


Coordinate with


BEFORE REHEARSALS BEGIN


Get things to run smoothly on stage and backstage


A



Gather equipment


B, E, F



Be aware of police, fire and municipal regulations


A


Producer, Tech Director


Inspect safety conditions


A



Get to know the theatre


B



Make a diagram of the stage


C


Tech Director


Check out the fuse boxes


C


Tech Director


Make a diagram of lighting instruments


C


Tech Director, Lighting designer


Keep a to do list


B



Make a prompt script


A, B, D


Director


Identify the problems of the script


A


Director


Write out plots


B, C, G


Director, Technicians


Make master calender


B, C


Everyone


Schedule staff meetings


C


Producer


Distribute rehearsal schedules


B, C


Producer, Director


Arrange the callboard


C


Producer


Distribute and explain company rules


C, G


Producer, Director


Keep a budget and record of your expenses


A


Producer


Obtain audition forms


B, C


Producer, Director


Prepare staff, crew, cast lists


C


Production director, Staff, Crew


Make gel patterns


D


Technicians


Make supply directory


E



Post emergency numbers


A







DURING READINGS AND REHEARSALS


Prepare audition rooms


B, C, D


Producer, Director


Post notes for readings


B, C, D, F, G


Production director


Accept resumes


E


Director


Control scripts


B


Director


Make preset diagrams


A


Director, Tech director, Scene designer


Prepare for rehearsals


B, D


Director


Post running order


B, D


Director


Supervise department heads


C


Production department heads


Control required forms


C


Producer, Director


Conduct deputy election


B


Union, Cast


Keep cast on time


A, B


Director, Cast


Distribute itneraries


C


Producer, Cast


Distribute touring agreement


C


Cast


Post duty roster


C


Everyone


Make checklists


B



Supervise props


A


Property Master, Producer, Director


Distribute scene shift diagrams


B, C, D


Scene designer


Contribute to advance letters


C


Producer


Maintain order


B, E


Director


Call rehearsal cues


A


Director


Take blocking notation


B, C, D


Director


Make French scene diagrams


E



Spike set pieces


A, C


Tech director


Prompt


C


Director, Cast


Give rehearsal, publicity, costume calls


A


Everyone


Warn cast


E


Director, Cast


Keep rehearsal log


E



Submit rehearsal reports


B, G


Producer


Time rehearsals


B, D


Director, House manager


Post photo calls


E


Publicist, Director, Costumer, Cast


Prepare lighting sheet


B, C


Lighting techs


Work on load-in; brief crew


B, C, D


Scene designer, Tech director, Crew


Make shift plot chart


C, D


Tech director


Supervise arrangement of scene dock


C, D


Tech director


Supervise technical rehearsal


A


Director, Tech director


Choreograph scene changes


B, D


Tech director


Prepare area lighting diagram


C


Lighting designer


Prepare regeling plans


C


Lighting designer


Post sign-in sheets


B, C



Place curtain call light cues on lighting sheet


B


Director, Lighting techs






DURING PRODUCTION


Conduct lighting check


A


Lighting designer, Lighting techs


Post scene shift diagrams


B, C, D


Tech director


Give calls (prior to curtain)


A


Cast


Caution audience


C


Producer


Call late actors


A


Cast


Coordinate with House manager


A


House manager


Give cues


A


Technicians


Check immediate effect of each cue


A



Supervise shifts


C, D


Tech director


Inspect shifts


B, C, D


Tech director


Time performances


B


Director


Walk the curtain


D


Tech director


Time curtain calls


A


Director


Maintain sets


C, D


Tech director


Be aware of cast morale


A


Cast


Keep the show in hand


A, C


Director, Cast


Post V.I.P. list


F


Producer


Rehearse understudies, block replacements


C


Producer, Director, Cast






POST PRODUCTION


Distribute strike plan


B, C, G


Tech director


Post changeover schedule


C, G


Producer, Tech director


Supervise moves


A, B, C


Producer


Write letter to next stage manager


F



Write critique


D



Write letters of recommendation, thank-you notes


F






IN GENERAL


Make contact file


E



Make a theatre information pack


C, F, G


Producer, tech director


Get acquainted with unions


C, E



Send out resumes


A



Read theatre news


E



Keep in contact with theatre acquaintances


F



Start a theatre library


F







A:


I have got to do this first. The quality of the production will be adversely affected if I don’t.


B:


I have got to do this because if I don’t, time and energy of staff and cast will be wasted.


C:


Someone else may do this well, but I have got to make sure it gets done.


D:


I can assign this task to a subordinate if I make sure it gets done.


E:


I will do it if I have the time, and it would help, but we will survive without it.


F:


A luxury, I will leave it for last.




G:


This might be useful for another show, but will be useless here.



 

riotous