Is MA in stage management helpful?

[I<3post-its]

I just graduated with a BA in Theatre & Drama (sound design) and in Stage Management (through an individualized major program).  The university I went to has a great opportunity for undergraduate stage managers: all mainstage departmental shows are stage managed by undergraduates.  Basically the undergrads were treated and respected like the graduate students, who were designing the shows.

Eventually, I would like to get my MA so that I can teach.  However, I'm not sure that graduate school in stage management would be beneficial to me.  How can you tell if grad school for SMs is the right path?  Or would a different concentration be a better alternative.

Thanks

[hbelden]

Did you have stage manager mentors as you worked on your shows, or was it sink-or-swim for you?  I would compare the faculty at whatever grad school you were interested in vs. the faculty you worked with at undergrad, as that could weigh heavily in your decision.

A master's degree is not necessarily required for teaching - years of professional experience are comparable.  My two cents would be for you to do a couple of seasons of non-union theatre before applying to grad schools.  Give yourself a chance to see if you still love stage managing in the real world, where you don't have half the support you do in an educational setting.

Grad school elevated my work by an order of magnitude, because I was surrounded with quality peer artists and Broadway-caliber faculty; but I started stage managing after undergrad (used to be an actor) and I was basically self-taught.  Grad school knocked out my bad habits and gave me a lot of practice in communication.  Also, when I applied, I knew that I'd be stage managing for the rest of my life, so it was okay to go into debt to learn how.  For me, it was the right thing to do.  From what you write, it might not be the right thing for you to do right now (but it might be, in a couple of years).

[zayit shachor]

Here's my two cents, although this is definitely something that's often debated:

I think that an MFA in stage management is designed for people who didn't necessarily get a complete SM education in undergrad.  If you feel that your experience as an SM prepared you to be a professional stage manager, then grad school will probably be a little redundant for you.  If undergrad only gave you a taste of what it's like to be an SM, but you know you want to do it professionally, then grad school is probably the right choice.

I agree that you should work for a year or two to see if you need the additional training.  Once you've been working professionally, you may not want to return to school, or you may feel that you need more training.  Either way, you'll feel much more confident in your decision.

For what it's worth, I know a few professional SMs who also teach at a university level, and none of them have MFAs in stage management.  One has an education degree, one has an MFA in directing, one in lighting design.

[MatthewShiner]

I disagree that those who go get a MFA are for those who only got a taste of it in undergrad.  I actually returned to grad school after working professionally for about three years, and a full course of it as undergrad.

I went to grad school to sharpen my skills, make connections, and become the best damn stage manager I could be.  Could I have worked professionally with out my MFA?  Damn straight.  I was, and making a fairly good living at it.  But, this is a business, and I knew enough that I didn't know enough to get from where I was to where I wanted to be, and I knew I didn't have the wicked skills and connections you need to make it in this business.  In three years, I could have gone and PA'ed for two seasons, and maybe got an ASM gig at some regional theatre.  At the end of my time at grad school, I was stage managing at a MAJOR REGIONAL THEATRE, working on shows and productions with top tier teams.  Those three years were spent as an investment in my career.

As I have said many times to go, only you or someone who is very familiar with your skill-set can help you make this decision.  Grad school is not for everyone - and someone people who grad school is a nice fit, it may not help them in their career.  It's a challenge. 

I can say that I did get to open up teaching opportunities - yes, you can teach with out an advance degree, but it is much harder to get hired full time without the degree (many more hoops to jump thru.)

I do agree about getting out of school and working for a couple of years.  You won't know what you need out of a grad school until you have gone out and worked.  You are going to want a very detailed list of things you want out of grad school before you go shopping around - having a strong idea of what work you want to do.  If you want to do musicals, then there are schools that are better suited for that.  Love doing new work, there are programs geared towards that.  Like dance? Opera? classics?  You should know these things.  Also, knowing what style you have will help a lot - some schools teach an entirely different style then others.

You don't need a MFA to be a good stage manager, but a MFA can help you be a better stage manager.  And in a competitive world, where you are running the business of yourself, you are going to want any and every advantage you can get.  (remember, in some ways, we are all competing for the same jobs . . . )

So, to answer you question – is the right path for you?  Only you really know that.  Are you getting the level of jobs you think you should be getting?  Are you working at the level you think you should be working at?  Are you satisfied with your work on projects you are hired with?  Are you frustrated you career is not moving ahead at the pace you want to?  Do you find yourself wishing you were better at a certain aspect of you job?  Are there types of shows you are not getting hired for that you want to be hired for?  Are you frustrated about you not being union yet? 

[BLee]

I want to reopen this discussion and delve in a little further.

In my situation, I am in a great undergrad program where I am getting a well rounded education in technical theatre and have had lots of opportunities to work in stage management positions. When I graduated my resume will be long with my educational theatre experience. I have also managed an internship already.

I never really considered grad school as an option financially nor did I think it necessary. Now I am starting to run across good SM MA programs that fully pay for the education and keep you living for your time there. That is a great opportunity and now I'm reconsidering my stance on grad school.

Where I am debating is if grad school right now would be more beneficial or hinder my professional career. It is all a matter of opinion of course, but I can find the two sides of the coin. Since I would graduate in December '09 I would have around 8 months to work on small festivals or one show gigs in small theatres, then go off to grad school if I was accepted. Then again I have heard the opinion that grad school is more useful to those who have a few years under their belt.

I guess I feel I am in between. I feel that I have a lot of experience and could survive in theatre working my way from the bottom up, but I also feel like three years in grad school may specialize my skills and push up my value as an SM. I also feel that this particular step might prepare me better for the type of schedule an SM keeps rather than throw me in cold from undergrad theatre.

Any opinions on this type of situation?

[sievep]

Coming from someone who went right out into the real world, got a job, and has been working ever since, I don't really see the need for a Master's in Stage Management.  It's funny, we were just talking about this in chat a few weeks ago . . .nothing can replace real world experience. My opinion is go out there and start working.

[KMC]

Helpful?  Absolutely.  I think you'll be hard-pressed to argue more education is not helpful.

Necessary, required, mandatory??  No way.  Get out there and start doing it.

[BalletPSM]

I've just completed my first quarter of grad school (earning an MFA in stage management).  I was working professionally (as the PSM of a professional ballet company) for three years after undergrad. Like Matthew, I was making pretty good money and had a really good career going for me at the ballet.  Or so I and other people thought.

I've had such a great time so far, and have not yet regretted leaving "the real world" for school.

I think a lot of it depends on the kind of work you want to do.  For myself, I knew I didn't want to be in the ballet world for the rest of my life. I felt stuck.  I knew I wanted to do different kinds of work, but I wasn't exactly sure what, nor was I sure how to get to that kind of work from where I was.  So I figured, school is as safe a place as any to do it.  I'll apply, and see what happens.  When I visited the school I'm at now, I instantly fell in love with it - felt like it could be a place where I would grow and thrive and make connections and really discover my voice and style as a stage manager, and help me figure out where I wanted to get to.

For me, the financial risk has been absolutely worth it.  First of all, I am living in what I now think is one of the most beautiful places in the country.  Secondly, I've already made great friends and have fallen in love with my life here.  Thirdly, I love learning - I love going to classes and being forced to think on a more theoretical level about WHY I do what I do as a stage manager.  I've really enjoyed having to write papers about my work as an SM - maybe that seems silly, but its really helped me to start thinking about my craft on a much deeper level than I ever have before. 

Ultimately, you have to do what you feel is best for you at the time.  If school feels right - then at least go for it and see what happens.  Interview at USITT so you're not out too much money if you decide it's not something that's right for you at this time.  Or just visit the schools you're thinking about before even applying so you can get a feel for the program and the students and the area. 

I still don't know what I want to do when I'm done in a couple years.  I probably won't until something opens up for me in that last year of school.  Even if I finish school and immediately get married and have babies and forgo stage management forever (okay...probably not that...) I will be happy that I went.

[crazylady]

Personally, I am not going to go to get my MA for Stage Management. All through undergrad I said, I want to go to grad school - but I didn't know for what. Then I started SMing so I started looking at that. And then I graduated and started working that summer. I started applying for grad schools in the fall for the next year - I basically was gonna jump right in. And then i realized - I do NOT miss school. I might eventually - but for now, I have no desire to go back to school.

Here is the thing, SCHOOL WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. If you decide 2 years from now or even 10 years, you want to go back to school, you can. As for assistantships and such, you are more likely to get those with real world experience. And yes, another job will always be around the corner - but I guess my point is, don't feel like you have to go into school immediately or things won't happen for you.

Both will help you in their own ways - you have to know where you are at and what you want out of either experience.

[Cedes]

I want to reopen this discussion and delve in a little further.

In my situation, I am in a great undergrad program where I am getting a well rounded education in technical theatre and have had lots of opportunities to work in stage management positions. When I graduated my resume will be long with my educational theatre experience. I have also managed an internship already.

I never really considered grad school as an option financially nor did I think it necessary. Now I am starting to run across good SM MA programs that fully pay for the education and keep you living for your time there. That is a great opportunity and now I'm reconsidering my stance on grad school.

Where I am debating is if grad school right now would be more beneficial or hinder my professional career. It is all a matter of opinion of course, but I can find the two sides of the coin. Since I would graduate in December '09 I would have around 8 months to work on small festivals or one show gigs in small theatres, then go off to grad school if I was accepted. Then again I have heard the opinion that grad school is more useful to those who have a few years under their belt.

I guess I feel I am in between. I feel that I have a lot of experience and could survive in theatre working my way from the bottom up, but I also feel like three years in grad school may specialize my skills and push up my value as an SM. I also feel that this particular step might prepare me better for the type of schedule an SM keeps rather than throw me in cold from undergrad theatre.

Any opinions on this type of situation?

Our school has something similar. The Hilberry is a great place to come for a MFA in Stage Management. they pay for your schooling and give you a living stipend with benefits. Unfortunately, I won't be elligible to go there, since I came here for undergrad. However, it is a great experience for repetory theatre and classic theatre. I am looking into Grad schools in a few years, after my fiance is restationed somewhere else(He's NAVY.)

To answer the OP, I have to agree with a lot of people. I do want to go to Grad School, but would like to "get my feet wet" first, so to speak.  But it is a good idea, it helps you network and fine tune the art of SM'ing.  Give it a few years/seasons of work, and see where your at.  JMHO.