Some quick responses, based on the query below:, in no particular order:
Under no circumstances "out" the current PM by mentioning to anyone that they are looking for work elsewhere. What if their job search takes time? What if they change their mind? Getting yourself "on the radar" with management before notice is given, could backfire on you badly. Watch and wait. If you make a move based on something you were told in confidence, you risk losing the trust of a person who could help you in the future.
And...why is your PM leaving? Is there something about the position they did not like? Better find out. That's information you need before you apply, if you apply.
PMing could make you better SM, in the future, but that's no reason to do it if you don't really want to do the job. As Matthew says, it's very different from being in rehearsal. If you want to be an AEA Stage Manager, then Stage Manage. If you want the security of a paycheck, there are many other roads you can take, not just this one.
If you are the PM, other than in the "part-time" type position hbelden describes, don't PM and SM at the same time. PMimg should take you away from SMing, if you are doing the job properly. In most institutions, it's a full time job. Do one job well. If it does become your day job, you'll have to figure out how you handle conflict of interest, between decisions you have to make as the PM, and the requests you make as the SM on behalf of the Director and the production. If you as the PM say "No" to something that might be too costly, for example, how does that affect your relationship with the director in rehearsal?
Find out more about the job, before you decide if you are qualified or not. There are some things you can learn by doing, and some things you need to really know ahead of time. When you say "yes" to a job, you need to know which elements of the job you know how to do, which elements you can learn on the fly, and which crucial elements might actually make you unqualified for the job, unless you can learn them prior to your interviews. But you don't know until you get a job description, hopefully from the person actually doing the job, not from HR.
And finally, this strange statement about being "shunned..." I'm not even sure what it means, but I can say that if you are worried about what others say, you may not be mature enough to take a PM position. Think long and hard on that. And, if you don't get the job, it's great practice for the rest of your career, where you might hear "no" equally as often, or more, than you hear "yes."
Let us know what you decide.
Dear Abby:
My Production Manager has confided in me that they're looking for work elsewhere. They haven't told anyone else in the office yet, and do not have a new position secured. I'm considering applying for their job if/when they leave.
Here is what worries me:
1. I'm not an AEA member yet. I am building up my resume so I can move toward joining AEA, and a PM position doesn't necessarily help.
2. I'm afraid of PMing taking up all my time and not letting me SM, which doesn't help me go AEA either.
3. I don't know how qualified I am for the job. We do work together a lot, and I know my PM has no formal training in PMing either, but I still worry that my admin experience won't be enough.
4. I don't want to be turned down and have everyone in town shun me as an SM who dared apply for a PM position.
I don't want to jump the gun and "out" my PM as searching for different employment before they tell their bosses, but I also would like to get on their radar before they start asking outside the company for resumes.
My work calendar keeps having holes and a salary and a regular-ish schedule at an office sound absolutely dreamy, but I don't want that to come at the expense of my SM career. But I keep hearing of SMs with day jobs, and why not a theater day job?
Does anyone have experience as a PM-turned-SM or SM-turned-PM? What about other theater jobs - TD, Artistic Director, ME...? Am I going against my best SM interests in considering this?
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