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Aging in stage management (those late 20's)

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MatthewShiner:
I used to think Stage Management was a younger person's job - the hours, the stamina, the amount of bulls**t you have to deal with - then I got older.  Now I see the benefits of age in this position.

Recently when talking to a young stage manager who is just starting their career, I realized that there is an odd sort of built obstacle in this career - starting out young, with less experience in your back pocket, I think I had to work HARDER at being a good stage manager (I am not saying it's easier now, I just think with my experience there are things that come easier to me.). Stage Management in my 30's is easier then stage managing then my 20's (and I am working on much more complex shows).

I think that a lot of young stage managers may get burnt out in the career before they get to a point where they are making a nice living wage and where the job comes easier based on experience.

I was wondering if there was any 30+ stage managers who maybe able to throw out some advice how they made it through those years. 

For me personally, it was those years where I went to grad school . . . I had been stage managing for about 5 - 6 years professionally, but non union (You know those 150 to 500 a week jobs . . . no union protection, summer stock type jobs).  It was nice to spend three years where I didn't have to look for a job, and I was able to concentrate on improving my skills.  It also helped jump start my career and put in touch with a lot of networking - that helped me break out out of the circles I was in. Since grad school I have kept working and am now I working at a very nice level.

What was your success story to get through those late 20's.  What advice would you provide to help people out of that mid-career stall?

DeeCap:
I am 30++ (though I still get carded!) and was an active stage manager in my 20's and 30's. Although my career is on pause while I go to grad school, I plan on re-entering it as soon as I graduate.
It isn't easier, but things that would have made me explode in my 20's now just make me shrug my shoulders.

I was pretty lucky, as my parents lived commuting distance to NYC and a wide variety of theatres. They also didn't mind that I lived at home while doing it.

My advice: don't give up. Have a circle of friends that you can vent to. Every day try to make strides toward advancing your career. Don't be afraid to shift directions if you need to. It's not like there is one path to take towards working as a full-time stage manager.

adrianej:
      I'm 16. I stage manage at a local community theatre as well as my high school. It is really hard sometimes in community theatre. I always work with actors who are older and see me as a kid. They often think it is some sort of "playing dress up" deal. Usually by tech week, I have earned their respect. That is really rewarding and definitely worth all my work.
      Although the teens in community theatre are the hardest. Since they are my age, they don't EVER listen. They have no respect for me or my work.....Often they don't even have respect for the director or the venue... They blow off everything I say. It is really frustrating.

MatthewShiner:

--- Quote from: adrianej on Jun 25, 2008, 04:44 am ---They have no respect for me or my work.....Often they don't even have respect for the director or the venue... They blow off everything I say. It is really frustrating.

--- End quote ---

Although this may be a specific problem at your age in community theatre, you will find this attitude all the way up to professional theatre.  On my current project there are actors who have no respect for the director, venue, production or fellow actors.

Just because people are paid, doesn't mean they act professional.

sarahbear42:
Absolutely true. I thought in college it was just because the actors were also in college, but at my current theater I work with some actors, and even directors and designers, who have decades in the professional world and still can be SO disrespectful.

(I would say "unprofessional," but I hate throwing that word around... people always use it when what they mean is 'not doing things how I want them done.')

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