Recent Posts

1

Introductions / Re: Welcome to SMNetwork! / How to post an intro

« Last post by kaspertheenbyghost on Dec 20, 2025, 05:56 pm »

Greetings all! Longtime lurker, first time poster. My name in Kasper and I'm a union stage manager (and dramaturg) based in Los Angeles. Happy to be in community with all of you.

While I'm here - I seem to be having trouble with the search function - keeps returning zero matches even when I enter simple words. Will keep poking around topics in case I'm doing something wrong, but someone feel free to DM me if you have any insight.

Happy holidays, all! 

2

Introductions / Re: Ancient former SM back in the saddle again!

« Last post by Maribeth on Jul 21, 2025, 01:24 pm »

Welcome back!

3

Introductions / Re: Hello from the Philippines!

« Last post by Maribeth on Jul 21, 2025, 01:23 pm »

Hi and welcome, Rena!

4

Introductions / Re: Brand New PSM Looking to Learn More!

« Last post by Maribeth on Jul 21, 2025, 01:23 pm »

Welcome aboard!

5

Introductions / Hello from the Philippines!

« Last post by narwhalblast on Jul 19, 2025, 11:33 pm »

Hello to the members and mods of SMNetwork.org! I am Rena Lazaro, a stage manager from the Philippines. I mostly do freelance work with events the past years but have recently came back to theatre. I am looking forward to everyone's guidance and advice here. Many cheers!

6

Introductions / Brand New PSM Looking to Learn More!

« Last post by junis24601 on Jun 10, 2025, 11:12 pm »

Hello everyone! I'm Juni (they/them) and I am taking over as my height school's PSM this fall. Prior to this, I was an actor for a while before switching to stage management this past winter. Since then I have ASM'd two shows and as I mentioned, I'll be production stage managing for the first time in a few months, so I'm jumping on here to hopefully learn a little more about what I've gotten myself into

7

The Green Room / Re: Novels About Stage Management?

« Last post by BLee on May 23, 2025, 04:53 pm »

Thank you for revitalizing this topic! I'm curious if there are other titles/series that haven't been brought up yet?

My favorite is the Nicholas Bracewell series by Edward Marston: https://www.goodreads.com/series/41640-nicholas-bracewell

Featuring a mystery-solving Stage Manager during the Tudor period in England. If you, like me, love both Shakespeare and Stage Management (and a good cozy mystery) this is the series for you!

8

Introductions / Ancient former SM back in the saddle again!

« Last post by Thes on Apr 08, 2025, 07:14 am »

Hi folks,

I started stage managing when I was 17 when I and a few other people (Some longtime pros and myself and a friend (he, a musical prodigy, me, an actor and lighting designer, they, well established musical theatre and recording artists)) got together to form a musical theatre company for young performers. I became the stage manager for the company (among many other hats, of course).

I stopped SM'ing to become a roady, actor, photographer, cameraman, director, agent, talent manager, recording studio designer and now, it looks like I may be back to SM'ing at 59 yrs old!

I'm just bouncing around to see just how different the job is and how far the tools to help with the job have come. If anyone has any advice at all, it will all be received with great appreciation!

Looking forward to being in contact to as many of you as possible,

Thes

9

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Bullying in highschool theater

« Last post by Zozozizzle on Apr 01, 2025, 02:12 pm »

Hi everyone,
For some background I am the stage manager at my small school of about 700 students ages 10-18. (Everyone knows each other.)
Our theater company is about 150 students. Recently, I've run into a really weird issue.
Both theater teachers/directors refuse to deal with bullying and harmful gossip!
Our big show last fall ended up having three people quit right before/during shows because of gossip about SA (I tried to shut it down, but people talked about it outside of theater and couldn't believe it when it turned out to be a lie), plus general bullying. I've tried going to both teachers before but one usually takes sides (intentionally or not idk) and the other stays as uninvolved as possible. This has created a really bad community for a bunch of hormonal teenagers and since a lot of people have started coming to me with relationship issues I'm at a loss. I have a high position due to me being VP of our troupe but no matter how much I try to separate people, stop rumors, or talk to the people involved it just gets worse. I know this is fixable because whenever our uninvolved directors wife comes over from her school no one has any drama. As a student myself I don't have the same presence or authority she does so as I said previously, I'm a bit at a loss right now.
Does anyone have any tips? This is getting out of hand.
Thank you for any advice you might have :-).

10

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROPS: Shaving Cream for Sweeney Todd

« Last post by admarc25 on Nov 17, 2024, 02:34 pm »

Hi - I am currently stage managing a community theatre production of Sweeney Todd School Edition, and I need a solution for a believable shave lather which will not be irritating to the eyes and will be easy to wipe off. Does anyone who has done this show or something similar have any suggestions to share? I would appreciate any help!