Asserting yourself in front of cast

[ZTucker]

So, I have a problem =)

I have a really difficult time asserting myself in front of the cast. A lot of the cast are upperclassmen (mostly seniors), and being a sophomore, there is sometimes the issue of seniority floating around in my head.  I have a hard time telling the cast to be quiet (because of that unfortunate fact, the director usually has to yell at them [which I feel terrible about]) and giving them instructions.  I've been working on that flaw by asserting myself in front of smaller groups of actors, and then progressively bigger groups.  But once I get past a certain amount of "listeners", maybe 3/4 of the cast (15 people), I just lose my nerve.

Now what is weird is that I have absolutely no problem with asserting myself to the tech crew.  I know that they are my charge and responsibility.  I think one of the issues here is I am not sure how much authority I have over the cast, whereas I know for sure how much I have with the crew.

Can anyone who has had to deal with a similar situation give any advice?

Thank you

[MatthewShiner]

This is a hard lesson to learn for any stage manager, either in High School, College or in the professional world.  (There will always be someone who has a "higher status" then you, even on Broadway, there is going to be those pesky stars).  Now is a great time to start developing your management style.  Often, young stage managers are nervous about being the "leader" or "manager" for a large group of people, but at the end of the day that's our job.  I find it interesting that you are comfortable with the tech crew, but have an issue with actors.  This may be because of the age difference or experience issue. 

I think many stage managers use just blunt force "I AM THE STAGE MANAGER, LISTEN TO ME" sort of power trip to be assertive, which is at times can be easy to fall back on, and but can be a danger down the line.  The best way to lead a group of people and thus be assertive before them, is to earn their respect and trust.  There are two ways of doing this, the easiest way to is wrestle a bear and win in front of the cast – which will require some mean bear fighting skills and of course a bear – or, the way most SMs do it – is leading by example, doing their job well, treating people fairly, be rock solid.   Trust me, the wrestling the bear is sometimes easier.

Your question is really a very complex one, and one that you will be constantly working on it for the rest of your career – because it is all about your comfort level and management style.  It’s all about the relationship you form with your cast and crew, and that starts from your first encounter.  My management style is based on mutual respect and professionalism.  I am always give the respect to the actors and their work, and in return, I expect the respect for the job I have to do.  From the get go, all me encounters are somehow based on this in the back in my head – weather it be a season actor, a acting intern, a designer, or a crew member. 

Now, to give more concrete advice – please, don’t wrestle a bear.  Try finding your comfort zone.  Do you have an easier time talking to actors when they are all gathered in a group when they are standing around, or when they are sitting in the house?  Are you better to assert yourself if you have notes on the things you need to talk about?  Does opening with a joke help your confidence?  I would recommend taking acting classes (helps with confidence) or public speaking classes.  Also, find a management book that may work with your style.  If you are more confident in your management style, then you may find it easier to be assertive.  (I recommend
The Heart of Coaching: Using Transformational Coaching to Create a High-Performance Coaching Culture (3rd Edition) by Thomas G. Crane and Lerissa Nancy Patrick (Paperback - Mar 1, 2007))

Trust me, over time and with experience this will get easier.

[PSMKay]

Well spoken, Matthew.

That being said, I wonder if we could earn some spare cash by renting out bears for first rehearsals.

We've addressed this a couple of times before, most recently in damjamkato's thread here.  Scaenicus also addressed the issue here, and Lucyinthesky had some questions about it back in 2007.

As you can see, Matthew's quite right - getting the attention and respect as a facilitator for your peers is one of the trickier things to figure out and it really is not something that can be taught, as everyone has their own style.  The only style I would caution against trying is the 'superhuman' approach, as trying to be everywhere for everyone at every time will leave you both sleepless and hairless. 

[ZTucker]

Thank you both for the excellent advice.  I have an opportunity tomorrow to talk to the entire cast, so I will trying some of Matthew's tips: talking to them when they are standing in a group and opening with a joke.