Perspective Please! <(^_^<)

[RBSchaf94]

Hello Ninjas!

I'm a senior in high school, and while I've been involved with technical theater since fall of freshman year, this is my first time actually "stage managing", and I'm mainly learning on the fly. I have a few concerns that I wanted to talk to ya'll about. I'm considering going to school for Stage Management, but I'm worried that there will be a very big divide from what I have been doing in my high school and what the professionals do. To tell the truth, I also think that if professional management is TOO much like what I've been doing, I may not want to go into it.
The main problem this year is that not as many experienced kids have signed on for various crews. Our Backstage Head for the last show had never done a single production before, the running crew was brand new, and in short only three experienced kids (lighting and sound) came back. The Technical Director is also new, and while she's very nice, she is just out of college and seems a little uneasy.
So far this year, here's what I've been doing:

-attending auditions and rehearsals, taking blocking notes, lighting/sound/running crew/acting notes for the director
-collecting all contact information (the last show, of the 3 adult heads we hired, including the Technical Director, I was the only one with their kid's info)
-attending all set construction meetings, teaching the newbies, and heading the build days (including taking down sixteen foot flats... TIMBER)
-for school events, setting up lights/sound/crew for concerts, recitals, and sports events in the auditorium (the Director is actually being paid to do this, but she has not contacted anyone so far to set up lights/sound for any of the concerts, and we've actually had to pull kids out of class three times now to set for concerts with a two-hour warning)
-designing the current set (the due date has changed four times, and the two adults I communicate to aren't working together well)
-calling all shows (I suppose that's a given), training all running crew kids and potential leaders (such as SPIKE TAPE DAY)
-attending production meetings with the adults
-making cue sheets for the different departments, getting scripts for the adult heads (our paid sound head didn't have one two weeks before opening)

I guess I'm wondering if this is a normal workload/whether these problems with other heads are typical. I know that as a Stage Manager it's my job to make things run as smoothly as possible, but I also don't want to "yell" or kvetch at the adults when I'm just an unpaid seventeen-year-old. I'd really appreciate your thoughts/advice; sorry this is so long!

[SMdrum]

Each high school has different duties for student stage managers.  I definitely have more responsibility as a college stage manager than I did as a high school stage manager. 

Most of the tasks that you listed are usually associated with the stage manager.  Stage managers usually do not design the set and lead the construction of the set in the professional world.

I recommend checking out some stage management books if you want to know the duties of professional stage managers. 

[PSMKay]

These items are probably going to be part of your job going forward if you want to be a stage manager:

-attending auditions and rehearsals, taking blocking notes, lighting/sound/running crew/acting notes for the director
-collecting all contact information (the last show, of the 3 adult heads we hired, including the Technical Director, I was the only one with their kid's info)
-calling shows
-attending production meetings with the adults
-making cue sheets for the different departments

Note that making cue sheets will sometimes be the designer's task, depending on how much of a control freak Type A personality they are.
There are many other tasks that fall under the domain of the stage manager as you progress, like rehearsing understudies, giving notes to actors after the director leaves, sometimes pulling rehearsal props, taping out the rehearsal diagram, playing rehearsal sound cues, coordinating scene shifts and quick changes, and ensuring compliance with union rules.

These are likely to be the others' tasks once you get into the upper echelons of pro theatre, but on the way up the job descriptions are muddier:

-attending all set construction meetings, teaching the newbies, and heading the build days - this would normally fall to a TD
-for school events, setting up lights/sound/crew for concerts, recitals, and sports events in the auditorium - normally the PM's job if they exist, otherwise TD/ME.
-designing the current set (the due date has changed four times, and the two adults I communicate to aren't working together well) - Set designer
-training all running crew kids and potential leaders (such as SPIKE TAPE DAY) - Deck chief if there is one.
-getting scripts for the adult heads - Literary dept or PM if they exist

You seem to be someone who would benefit greatly from shadowing a pro. See if you can connect with the SMs of some of the pro gigs in your area and get in to observe them.

[G.Miciak]

Hi RB,

It looks to me that others have filled in your specific questions, but I'll help you out by telling you what helps me -- and I in no way intend to imply that this is a unique view.  If I am ever in a situation which I don't know how to handle, I just remember... (and please forgive me if any of you think this is an over-simplification)

I have three jobs:
1. Facilitate
2. Communicate
3. Plan Ahead

This means that I'm always asking myself a few questions:
1. How do I help what is going on right now?
2. Who needs to know about decisions being made?
3. What will what's happening now effect me and others down the road and how do I prepare for it?

I think everything we do as SMs traces back to one of these three. That is my advice RB, for however much it will help.

All the best,
Gil

[planetmike]

-calling all shows (I suppose that's a given)

Calling the show isn't necessarily a given. A couple different theaters I've worked did NOT have the stage manager call the show. One group has the tech director call, another group has all of the operators call their own cues. Every theater group is different, with a different history and set of needs. Be flexible. Good luck with your school's projects.

[MatthewShiner]

I would recommend shadowing a professional stage manager, working at the level and in the area you want to work - see what the differences are between what you are doing now and what they do.

I am pretty sure a lot of what you are doing now are considered outside the realm of stage management in certain professional circles, but there is A LOT more that SMs do that you are probably not doing right now.

Just know that the job will constantly shift - there is no "complete" set of duties for a stage manager - it will vary from gig to gig, and will vary with one's personal style.  Some SM's go above and beyond the call of duty, some do the bare minimum - and as you work with teams, you will find you can delegate tasks to team mates.

[EFMcMullen]

Following on what Matthew said, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is there in your backyard.  If I was still there, I would invite you down to observe.  However, their SM staff is great!  It wouldn't hurt to get in touch with them if you are interested, and see if they are willing to have you shadow a rehearsal or performance. 

[RBSchaf94]

I've contacted one of the SM's at Playhouse, and she is willing to allow me to shadow her later this year..
Gil, I'm going to print out your three rules.
Thanks so much, everyone. I really appreciate the input; the different perspectives helped tremendously!
Happy Holidays!