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Author Topic: Stage Management History  (Read 3550 times)

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evileyesrv

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Stage Management History
« on: Feb 01, 2010, 07:41 pm »
Pardon my ignorance, but...

I'm currently doing a show where one of the characters is a stage manager. Thing is, it is set in 1959 and I wondering what kind of equipment (i.e. headsets) did stage managers having in the late 50s. Any advice?

Thanks,
RV
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LCSM

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Re: Stage Management History
« Reply #1 on: Feb 02, 2010, 12:21 am »
What play is this? Something tells me it's set in too late a period to be Our Town. I did a bit of poking around on the internet, but couldn't find anything for you. I would recomend watching movies set in that time period since (depending on the company) they usually know their stuff - and if it's a movie about theatre you'll likely get a lucky couple shots of SMs running around looking frantic. That's a bit of a long shot though. Good luck, I'd be interested to hear what turns up.
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KMC

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Re: Stage Management History
« Reply #2 on: Feb 02, 2010, 08:34 am »
See if you can find some old Stage Management texts, or more likely - older general theatre texts that touch on stage management.  I remember finding a few old SM books at a local bookstore while I was in school.  I bought them just for the sake of it (I think they were $2 total, so didn't really break the bank!).  Reading through them I was really able to see how SMs worked before my time and appreciate some of the modern history of the profession.  This could be a good place to start!
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missliz

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Re: Stage Management History
« Reply #3 on: Feb 02, 2010, 09:44 am »
Oooh! A favorite time period of mine. While I've never watched them specifically for stage managers, a couple movies from that time period that I can think of off the top of my head: All About Eve, Some Like It Hot (music, but lots of backstage antics), and possibly Singin In The Rain, though they're making a movie (but to me, it feels a lot like putting on a show). These are all early-mid-1950s movies, but I think that'd be your reference point. Have fun!
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nmno

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Re: Stage Management History
« Reply #4 on: Feb 02, 2010, 11:44 am »
"White Christmas" has quite of few scenes where you see backstage folks doing their business.  It's set in the more early 50's but depending on the setting of your show, it might be just fine - look at the range of technology used in different theatres today and also what it was 5 years ago...  You'll probably be fine.

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