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Dear Abby: What classes would you look for in a BFA stage management program?

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PSMKay:
From time to time, members who wish to remain anonymous will submit their questions for the staff to post on their behalf. We call these "Dear Abby" posts. This is one of them.


--- Quote ---Dear Abby,

I am in the process of proposing a new stage management degree program at a major performing art conservatory.  It would be an accredited BFA four year program with a diverse focus including musical theatre, opera, and dance.

My question is, what classes do you think should be included in a SM degree program?  I have a list already, but will not include it to avoid tainting anyone's ideas. 

Professionals: what class do you wish you had? 

Students: what classes have you had to take that you haven't found useful?

There would be the university's required general education credits, but I am trying to structure the actual degree classes.
I appreciate anyone's input and assistance with this!

Sincerely,
The Curriculum Concierge

--- End quote ---

BARussell:
As far as SM classes, I have found all of them useful! The two classes I found surprisingly useful were:

Business of Stage Management: Which is all about how to represent yourself, apply for jobs, and interview. how to make resumes and websites and use social media to your advantage. We did many mock interviews, phone interviews, it was an excellent trainging tool..

Music Theory: If you want it to be well rounded, training in Music theory is great because it helps you when learning to call operas and musicals, cause some people have no understanding of music so calling from a score can be difficult without this background.

Also there should be some time in classes, or a separate time (like an SM breakfast or lunch)  for discussion, most of the time as a beginning stage manager I just need an ear or fourm to discuss how things are going or ask questions, it's very helpful. 

Then of course classes in all the other technical areas cause you have to understand them to work with them. Costuming, Makeup and Hair, Scene design, Lighting.

The classes I found least useful were drawing and painting, while I see how these classes could be very useful for other design majors for me it has never come in handy, I learned a lot and it's a good skill, but as a requirement in the degree I found it arbitrary I could have taken any class.

LCSM:
I completely second the music theory course. I'm (re)teaching myself to read music now, and it's painfully slow progress without some structured help.
 
I believe it was someone on this forum who once suggested taking a Project Management course, which I also think is a useful idea. In addition, a class on inter-personal relations might be useful - role-playing difficult scenarios that come up during a regular rehearsal process, and teaching the students how to diffuse them while staying professional. And, though I hated it at the time, I'm grateful for the class that taught me all about drafting and groundplans.
 
Beyond that - and this may be stating the obvious - make sure there's lots of practical work to go around, and that there's always some form of accessible mentor character for the students to go to when they're working on shows. That one-on-one time is what's been the most beneficial to my stage management, above and beyond any class.

kiwitechgirl:
I third the music theory.  I learnt to read music at a very young age (my mother is a music teacher) and it has been invaluable to me.  I also think that if it can be fitted in, a basic psychology course is a very good idea.  I did a degree majoring in psych before moving into stage management, and understanding how and why people behave in the way they do can be very, very useful indeed.

JECSM:
I think a Directing class would be really helpful as well. Improve communication with directors as well as give stage managers the tools to maintain their shows and direct understudies in the long term.

I also think some sort of performance class would be helpful for perspective and working with actors. Maybe not just Acting, but even some sort of Voice & Speech or Movement class. As a Stage Management student, I would be concerned about being graded on my acting ability, but having taken such classes with actors before college I do value the experience and even the skills I learned personally. And though we are not out on stage, stage manager's voices are an essential tool of the job, and being able to care for it is extremely valuable.

I second the suggestions of Music Theory, Communications/Psychology, and some sort of seminar/gathering. I have to agree with BARussell that drawing classes are really not as useful for stage managers--basic drafting is great to be able to understand and manipulate groundplans and plots, but otherwise it seems to take away from more applicable pursuits.

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