i need free books about Stage Management

[Tonsi]

I'm a composer, but I've been working at the Cairo opera house as a stage manager for the past 5 years. I feel I still don't know a lot of things and there is no place to study Stage Management in Egypt. I have been studying musical theater directing for 2 years but I need to know every thing before I start my own plays. I need to know about light and about costume every thing about theater. I know about sound really good and about music of course but i feel I'm still lost and I won't start my own project before I feel I'm ready for it. I made everything about the play, everything I know until now but I still need to know more about musical theater. The movement of the musical theater here is not like in the western world and all. What I'm thinking about right now: my play, my first real Arabic opera. I need books, anything that can help me to do best of my best. I hope any one could help me. Plz write me if you can send me any books through the mail so I can read it and get the real training that I can't get here in Egypt.

thank you

EDIT: Majorly edited for grammar and readability.  It may help you get more replies. -PSMKay (Site owner)

[c45207]

Have you tried a library? See if they have a theatre section. There should be some general books on theatre, stage management, or the history of theatre which should be useful for you.

[Tonsi]

The books we have here about theater do not contain anything about Stage Management at all. Its all about acting and some stuff about set designs, and a few things about light.  There is a whole world outside Egypt. I want know about it. That's what I'm looking for, to know more than i can have here.  Books can help me until I can get any Scholarships to do what I really believe about, not doing what just people want see here.

EDIT: Fixed for grammar and readability. - PSMK

[LCSM]

I've attached a message I ent to someone else recently on the boards. Obviously, not all the information will apply to you but check out the links at the bottom if you haven't come across them already. I found them both really helpful when I first started.

Good luck,
Lucia

I started a while ago too and I pretty much learned how to stage manage just from reading everything I possibly could.

First off, read as many of the back-logged posts in theis forum as you can, you pick up so much information they're really helpful.
There are some really good books out there too if you can get your hands on them. My favorite is The Backstage Guide to Stage Management by Thomas A. Kelly.
There are also lots of online resources that you can get to with just a basic internet search, I've listed a couple that I found helpful below.

Most importantly, talk to people at your school to find out how it works in that specific environment. As the others have mentioned, every theatre is different. The director would definately be a good place to start (what does she expect of you, etc) but TALK TO OTHERS WHO HAVE STAGE MANAGED AT YOUR SCHOOL. That is where you'll get the most valuable info for your situation.

Have fun and good luck!
Keep us posted!

SMs Do Make Coffee
http://www.geocities.com/dollariquestnet/SMhandbook.html (online)
http://lukedemoss.com/cadownload/ (downloadable--it's the 20th link down)

Stage Management Without Tears
http://www.theatreontario.org/content/publications.htm (again, it's about halfway down)

[Tonsi]

thank you i think this can tell me some stuff that i really need to know anyway its nice to meet you and thank you again Lucia

Ahmed

[bethanyb5]

Most Libraries can get books for you from other libraries. Get together a list of books (title and author) that you want and ask the librarian.
some community theaters have libraries/ books just lying around. You can try contacting other theaters to see if they have anything you can borrow.

[ChaCha]

I have come across this before with a grad student in Egypt studying literature - hard as it is for us to imagine, they actually dont have access to the world of books we take for granted. Even in the library.