The Ultimate Decision

[fuzzy_7]

For me, I was a child actor who worked for professional theatres. I first SMed in High School and went to college to be a political science, history, pre-law major, but I just wasn't happy. While doing all of this in college I began sming for the music department and then decided that this is definitely what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Now I'm working in a road house while attending undergrad and looking forward to grad school.

[kokobear]

While I hold a BA in Acting, an MA (Dramaturgy?), and an MFA (Directing), I've always been a generalist of sorts, developing as many skills as I could.  When not acting, I built shows professionally.

I've always had good role models as SM's, even when I wasn't interested in the profession.  When I was on a cusp of a professional decision, the words of Billy/Shawn McDonald/Whatever came back into my head.  As an actor in a show that he SM'ed, I asked him what he got out of doing that.  He answered me "When the audience applauds, that's still my work out there."  I didn't understand him at the time, but as I started my MFA, the head of our department asked me to SM his Assassins.  It was a big and challenging show, and I came to realize that my own sense of timing in calling cues was as much a part of the artistic integrity of the show as any of my acting performances had been.  The words of Billy/Shawn came back to me, and a light went off in my head!  I understood what he meant!

As a SM, I'm not the most hyper-organized guy around.  But I can tech a show more efficiently than most, and I LOVE to call shows.  My favorite place on earth is in my captains chair on "the bridge".  My last project of the Spring was Tommy.  500 light, sound, projections, and deck cues in a 2 hour rock opera.  Wow! Who else gets paid to rock out to WHO jams!

My biggest draw to SM was that it holds more stability than acting.  There are more opportunities to work for full seasons at a time, rather than living show-to-show.  I know that many SM's on this board do mostly individual contracts with separate theaters.  That's just not my bag.  I acted in Coriolanus @ the Next in Chicago, and before we were even in tech, actors were running around talking about reading for other people because they had already heard good things about the show.  That opened my eyes to what that career path lead to!

Anyway, I ramble, but here I am, basically running a theater in my hometown that I helped to build.  Each new months brings a new project with different challenges.  What could be better!

[Director2005]

I have been interested in technical theatre ever since I went to a professional production of The Nutcracker, and was more curious and interested about what was going on backstage then being intrigued with the performers.  Of course, then, I was 5 yeares old, and didn't yet know what a stage manager was, but that experience "set the stage" for what I was going to choose as my life's passion. 

I did not participate in theatre in high school, however, because I was involved with the orchestra, and didn't have time for theatre.

When I was performing in my first play, in my third semester of college, I casually mentioned to the ASM that I wanted to be a stage manager.  She laughed and said, "No, you don't."  I didn't let that stop me, however; I researched the job of a stage manager, and in my first semester at the school I transferred to the next year, I mentioned to the theatre department director that I was interested in stage managing.  He said that I couldn't stage manage until I took the technical theatre class, but he let me be an ASM for the summer production.  For the very next show after that, I was asked to be a SM.  I found that I love leading, guiding, "directing", and running the show, and I knew, after the first show, that it was my passion in theatre.

[stagemonkey]

He answered me "When the audience applauds, that's still my work out there."  I didn't understand him at the time, but as I started my MFA, the head of our department asked me to SM his Assassins.  It was a big and challenging show, and I came to realize that my own sense of timing in calling cues was as much a part of the artistic integrity of the show as any of my acting performances had been.  The words of Billy/Shawn came back to me, and a light went off in my head!  I understood what he meant!

I like that.  Its a nice way of putting it.  I once had an actor come up to me in college at a cast part when i stage managed HAIR with a 21 person cast and he commented that he looked at me as more than just the stage manager but also as like the 22nd member of the cast.  He went on to explain how he felt that a show cast through working together falls into one unit with a single heart beat that they all share and that when a song would end they would hold for that applause then right when that heart beat was saying to move on I would always have the lights coming up right with that same beat.  And I remind myself of what he said to me from time to time as it lets me sit and hear that applause at the end of the show and realize as the stage manager how much i added to the show.

As a SM, I'm not the most hyper-organized guy around.  But I can tech a show more efficiently than most, and I LOVE to call shows.  My favorite place on earth is in my captains chair on "the bridge". 

The director for the last show I SMed said something that has stuck with me and I forgot who said this to him before that and you're comment about not being the most hyper-organized guy around made me think of it.

"The best stage managers I have worked with were not good because they had a desire to be organized.  They were good because they had a desire to know everything." and then he added "if they desired to be organized they woudl have become accountants." 

When he said that it instantly clicked in my head how true it was, cause I know I'm not the most organized person out there (I mean my prompt books are pretty good and with each show i see them getting better but if you looked in my apartment well thats a whole other story.)  I had to comment to the director then how i agree and that the organizing part just helps you quickly find the answers to everything. 

[mkm13]

The best stage managers I have worked with were not good because they had a desire to be organized.  They were good because they had a desire to know everything.

Thanks for that diagnosis.  No matter what I'm working on I 'have to know everything/the whole picture'. Good to know others are like that too. Although, I'm also of the organized variety. Hmmmm.

I've read this whole post and most of you began in theatre/SM'ng either in HS or college. Well, I FELL into it. I have no 'schooling' in SM, just learned it all from being on the job, innate ability and checking out sites like this one.
 
My background is architectural drafting. I work with AutoCAD all day long, in various fields (civil/architectural/cabinet company/facilities renovation). I've been doing this for 11 years and am looking to change careers (knowing full well it's not going to happen overnight). So I started to take acting classes at a local community theatre. I auditioned for a show (The Man Who Came To Dinner, community theatre) and was "cast" as the ASM. That turned into the SM/prop master/light & sound op due to the SM being in the show and not doing a darn thing pertaining to the SM'ng. Mind you this was my FIRST ever foray into theatre, and had no clue what I was doing. Not one cast memeber knew this and by the end of the run they were all impressed with my organization and take charge attitude that a few told me I should stick with it. And boy did I! In a my first year and a half I SM'd 6 out of the 12 shows I worked on (3- I acted in). I took a little time off after that for a trip and to re-asses what I was going to do with my life. I wasn't sure WHAT I had gotten myself into.  Then The Lion King came to town and after working (ushering) 38 shows I knew I wanted to get back into theatre.

A few of the directors that I've worked with were enthusiastic about being references for me -that gave me a little boost that my decision to persue SM was the right one.

So, here I am getting that resume out there and if all goes well my next show will be at the beginning of next year. Have to meet with the director first that's later today (wed). I'll post back with the results. Keep your fingers crossed for me!! 

[Laurs]

I was never sure what I wanted to do with my life. Up until the 8th grade I still wanted to be a cinematographer and so I wanted to apply to the TV production department of the magnet program at the High School I was going to be attending. My mother, while I was picking up that paperwork, picked up forms for the Theatre program and insisted that I audition. I got so into my audition prep that I didn't even both to apply to the tv production magnet and i got into the theatre one. 2.5 years later I was still trying to prove my worth as an actor and it didn't work. when I wasn't cast in that year's musical (pippin) I approached the director/head of the program and asked her what i could do for the production since I wasn't in it. She asked me to stage manage. Now, the stage managing I did for that production is baby work compared to real stage management. I had no guidance, no idea what i was doing. the most i really did was set up the schedule. the shows up til my senior year were not called by the stage manager because the sound and light boards were run by crews that figured it out for themselves. So I really did nothing.
My senior year I focused on dramaturgy and doing whatever I could for the productions technically so I could fill up my resume for college applications. Most of the colleges I applied to were for general theatre and 2 or 3 were for Stage Management. I initially got into 7 of the 9 colleges I applied to--eventually I was moved up from the waiting list at DePaul...I think the fact that I had an argument on the phone with the head of the SM program had something to do with it. But I got into Fordham and they were giving me a lot of money to go and it was in NYC so I was set.
Day 2 of orientation I'm in a room with my advisor (Chad, who's the head of the production concentration) and a bunch of other freshmen and transfers. He goes thru everyone one-by-one, introducing them to everyone...when he got to me (mind you, I had come to Fordham just as a "production  major" not a stage manager) he turns to everyone and says "This is Lauren. She's a stage manager."
That was it. From then on I was kind of gleefully stuck. I ASMd a studio show and a week after it closed PSMd my first studio show. I ASMd the mainstage in the spring and PSMd another studio show on my own. I managed to separate myself from my ambiguous identity as a production major and set myself on the stage manager course. Which was a good thing because the following year I worked on a really horrible production but was also TAKING a stage management class taught by a Bway stage manager and that got me thru it...and continues to get me thru it.

[reds]

I started as an actor in middle and high school(you may boo here...lol)  I went to college to major in theatre, and my well meaning father told me to study something else to get a "real" job.  He never went to college (never finished high school actually) so he did the best with what he knew.  I changed my major to education, but never gave up my theatre passion. Then, one of the teachers where I worked wanted some help running the crew, so since I had some background asked me to help.   (I teach theatre arts) I trained watching him, and basically taught myself the rest by watching, listening, reading books, and learning from my mistakes. 

Then 6 years ago, the whole drama program was dropped in my lap at my school and I started directing (go ahead....more boo-ing)  I found that I love being a director and I love to SM.  I enjoy the whole backstage process more than I ever liked performing out front.  I have done directiing, SM, costumes, choreography, LD, and props.  The only thing I havent's done (and don't want to do) is SD.  I am often teased that the only thing that is orgainzed in my life is my production binder! I am still learning and still loving the dark side. 

[thehayworth]

ME:  "I want a job washing fake blood off glass beads."

THEM:  "Ok we have one, but you also have to stage-manage."

ME:  "Sure.  How hard could that be?"

[reds]

This made me smile....

[wilsom6317]

How did I get into Stage Managing. I go to a two year school. I got interested when I was running fly for a show, that my school was putting on. It also happened when I was in lighting class. My TD and teacher asked  you want to read the cues and I was like yeah I would. It kind of happened naturally. The following I ASMed and with a few mistakes, I was hooked. I like the stress, I like being in the centered of communitcating. I love calling cues. I want to get better. After my first show I was hooked. After that I have been ASMing and SMing since I have been at a two year school. Its the one thing that I feel good about at times. Last year, we did a Brecht piece called the Threepenny Opera, me  and my friend whom I have worked under before, we took it under control everything, from running the show to making the prop list. I have learned from people who are my friends as well as mentors! I will wait until after we close, I will save it for later.

[blaha_haha]

I started out acting. The musical fell during soccer season, so I just did tech. And then I did tech for a Boys and Girls Club show over the summer. And acted again for the fall play. I planned on doing the musical, so I wanted to skip the One Acts which are in between. After missing the theater by the end of the week, I signed up for tech and the Production Manager asked me if I wanted to SM. Well, I got roped into a cast just before the show. My plans to do the musical didnt work out because of a knee injury so I asked the director if I could SM, and she created the position for me. I just like the organization and coordinating of it all.

[dwj0772]

My story is a little different... I acted in one show in high school, then ran lighting for a second.  Fast forward 12 years... the local community theatre was putting on The Sound of Music.  It's my mom's favorite musical, so we decided to audition together.  We both made the show in chorus roles, and had a great time. I skipped a few shows, then auditioned for Annie, and got another chorus role.  Decided after that I didn't like the amount of rehearsal time I was having to put in just to be in the chorus.  The theatre did "Seven Brides...", and the stage manager was a 17 year old that I knew, and I ended up helpng out a little bit with building the set, and then watching her run things.  I decided if she could do it, so could I.  I spoke to the director about SMing for the next show (he changed SM's every show 'cause people just didn't want to keep doing it - something about the time commitment) and he said the job was mine.  We are working on our 6th show together, and I love being an SM.  I'm about 7 weeks away from getting married, and have a young one on the way, so I don't know that I will ever be able to puruse this as a career, but I do love working in our little theatre, and if that's all I ever do with it, I'm happy. 

[kiwitechgirl]

It's my dad's fault.  He used to light school productions for a friend of his who was a primary school principal (we have a nine-channel dimmer and desk in the garage at home!) and I used to go and "help" him from the age of about six.  At high school I got involved with the tech side of the drama department, and worked on loads of productions there, then got heavily involved in student theatre at university - lectures and classes were almost incidental to the countless hours I spent in the on-campus theatre.  I graduated with a BA in psychology and then realised that theatre was what I really wanted to do with my life, so I went to drama school for two years and did a technical and stage management course.  Since finishing that I've ASMed for an opera company, worked in England for two years and on returning home I kinda fell into a full-time stage manager job - timing worked out perfectly for me (the guy whose job I took had a breakdown.....).  I'm not only a stage manager, I love working in lighting as well, and fortunately my boss knows this and is happy to mix it up for me when schedules allow for it.  One of our technicians enjoys stage management as well, so we swap things around sometimes - our latest show he's stage managing while I'm chief LX.  So I'm very happy in my current job!

[s.cable]

My first time calling a show, I was doing a show for the third time, and previously my role had included no calling at all, everything was self cued - so I had no clue that I was going to be calling until 3 days before, when the lighting designer sent me up to the cat, saying i might as well be up there while we plotted so I could check I could see - I then asked her, rather confused, why exactly I needed to be able to see - where upon I was informed that all the tasks I thought I was doing needed to be handed out to the interns, as I was going to be calling the show, and would basically not come down from the cat (yes that was where i was!!) for the next 3 days!
it went well, but made me ask everytime after, what my exact job tasks were!

[Daz]

Well, I'd been a performer since I was 6 and knew that I needed to have some invovlement in theatre in my life always, so in 8th grade I auditioned for a high school magnet drama program.  There, everyone was required to do some technical work aside from performing and I fell in love with building the sets and using power tools.  When one of the ASMs for the last show of the year dropped out because he got a job my best friend (the other ASM) told me to apply, so I did.
Fell in love with being on the management, SMed various one acts and other shows in high school.
Decided that there was no way I wanted to continue acting for my whole life since when I was performing in shows people either thought I was part of the management team, or I was just overly interested in it, and then starting looking for colleges with good technical theatre departments.
Lo and behold, I decided to apply to Syracuse for SM, and I'm currently loving it here as an SM major with a concentration in TDing.
And that's my story
Hope I didn't put y'all to sleep

-Daz