Who makes the best SM's?

[philimbesi]

I think this post wins the award for farthest stray only to return to topic possibly later... maybe

Being a straight man and a stage manager I think we're pretty good... I have to clear that with the floor lamp though.

[Laurs]

*raises hand* um...straight woman here. *waves*

AND I'm working with a straight woman director. BAM.

Most of the stage managers who come out of my school are women. We have had 3 male SMs in the entire 3.5 years I've been here and one has graduated, one has become a religious studies major, and the other one...is also a set designer. *Shrug*

[stegsx7]

Gay Women make the best stage managers.
Followed by Gay Men.
Followed by Straight Women.
Followed by a floor lamp.
Then straight men.

(This is a joke I usually share with my staff)

that's so funny - i was just telling my sister this same thing.  of course, i know people that don't fit that mold, but from my experience, your joke holds true.

[centaura]

I'd be more interested in a list of characteristics that folks think make good stage management qualities.  I don't think that there is a way to qualify a gender as being better at one thing or another - to me its personality traits that I think define a good stage manager.  Detail oriented, patient - what are other qualities that folks can come up with?

-Centaura

[philimbesi]

what are other qualities that folks can come up with

ESP
Calm under fire
Problem solver
Compassionate
Disciplined
Thoughtful
Thorough
Discrete
Professional
Polite
Steadfast

that's all I got right now.

[stagemonkey]

The TD at the college I went through always compared a good stage manager to Radar from the show MASH.  He was always there with whatever Col. Blake needed before (or at the same moment) Col. Blake would ask for it.  (just think of Blake as the director and Radar as the SM).  Radar also always heard the choppers (think problems) coming well before anyone else did, he saw the problem coming and was ready for it well before anyone else.  Its actually a pretty good comparison if you think about it, and are familiar with the show MASH that is.

Also the last director I worked with made the coment that "the best stage managers (that he has worked with) are good not because they have a desire to be organized, they that was the case they would have been accounts, but rather a desire to know everything."

[j-la]

An anecdote. After a recent performance of "The Full Monty"- which I was stage managing - I was introduced to a young man who very proudly proclaimed he was a Stage Manager as well - he even had a hat he wore- emblazoned with the label "GOD". I told him I didn't need a hat... Enough said.

[loebtmc]

I loved Mr Shiner's list - cracked me up

I think reasons include not just attention to detail and anticipating problems and their solutions, but an attitude. Women are generally more able to say "sorry, my mistake, won't happen again" (esp when it's NOT my fault) and take responsibilty in that way, understanding that during reh/tech there sometimes needs to be a scapegoat as much as a pin, and we just let stuff roll and keep moving.

I've always been taught a great attitude for SMs is a cross between benevolent dictator and mom. Makes sense to me...(and Radar is a great analogy - we have to know everything before it happens, anticipate the problems, and take the flack when someone else drops the ball.)

[MatthewShiner]

Early in my career, I had a job as a resident stage manager.  My wife was pregnant at the time, and my son was born mid-season, in April.  As I was negotiating my next season’s contract, he mentioned that somewhere around April/May he notice as remarkable jump up in my skills.  Why?  Because I became a parent.

The skill sets listed below are all skills a good stage manager needs to have  . . . this is a good list to start with

Calm under fire
Problem solver
Compassionate
Disciplined
Thoughtful
Thorough
Discrete
Professional
Polite
Steadfast

I would add

Selfless
The ability to empathize
Eye for the detail
Eye for the big picture
Good sense of humor


And the list can go on.

But there is a special set of skills that come with being a parent that I think help you not only be a good stage manager, but also deal with being a stage manager. There is a lot to learn when you become a parent about being responsible for something, without be in control.