The Ultimate Decision

[dallas10086]

My dad--who hates the idea of me working in theatre--first introduced me to "Phantom of the Opera" (I know, I know, but I was eight or nine). I would steal his tapes and listen to them over and over; I didn't know what the staging looked like but my imagination made up for it.
My freshman year of high school I auditioned for Midsummer with a friend because she was nervous and we both got small parts. I took Theatre Production (twice), Theatre History and Drama classes, mainly because I knew I was so shy that I HAD to force myself out of my shell. Acting was more cathartic for me than anything else, but I knew I wanted to 'run the show' so to speak. I took a year off after graduation to take an internship at NSMT, just to see stage management in the 'real world' and I was still hooked. After that I applied to CCM and was accepted.

[MileHighSM]

I had been an actor up until my freshman year in college, where I had full intention of continuing to act.  I auditioned for Taming Of The Shrew and wasn't cast.  I was assigned to be on props crew, but I wanted to do more than that.  I asked the technical director what else I might do, and he said, "Well, the show does need an ASM..."  I asked what the job entailed, and it didn't sound half bad.  I loved it!  I ASM'd another show at the beginning of the spring semester, and did my first show SM's at the end of that year.  I SM'd all 4 years in college, and have been doing it ever since.  I'm currently getting my MFA in Stage Management at UMKC as I'd never taken a class in stage management and wanted to learn more about production management, so here I am.  We are a crazy bunch, aren't we?   

[sara0521]

When I was a Freshman in High School, I wanted to join theater, but I was way too afraid to try out for a part. Instead, I joined Stage Crew for Wonderful Town . I liked it, but I wanted to try to be on the stage for once, so the next year, I actually tried out for Les Miserables, and got a decent part in the chorus. However, I was offered the chance to be Prop Manager for the show, and chose that instead. The SM at the time recommended me for the position for next year. The next year, being my junior year, I went up to the new director and told her I was interested. I got the job and was the crazy, loud, sometimes bitchy SM for my school's production of West Side Story. I love the job and all its requirements. Everything from the most grandiose job of running tech rehearsals, to sweeping the stage. Its not always glamorous, but its always worth it. I intend to be SM my senior year as well. I've been told that I should consider doing this in college, but I don't know how to go about it. I guess we'll see!

-Sara

[BWEEVEED]

It started in high school when I heard over the announcements that there would be a stage crew meeting the following week. I had no idea what it was, but it sounded like a pretty sweet deal. I went, got a tower, and I thought it seemed pretty rockin' awesome.

So my freshman year I helped with the sets but unfortunately never worked the shows due to other conflicts.

My sophmore year, virtually all of stage crew had graduated except for me, one other guy, and the light and sound crew. I was absolutely thrust into it, but never got a chance to TRULY stage manage until my junior year.

Previously I had just enjoyed working around backstage and virtually being in charge, but after being in the booth, and calling cues, and all of that stuff, it was absolutely wonderful. I can't imagine doing anything else.

[aquadrama]

I love telling this story!
In choosing my elective classes for 6th grade I had to choose between theatre and orchestra (I was in the 5th grade orchestra, how cute..). I was having trouble making the decision until my mom told me how my very first babysitter (who I adored) always said a was a very dramatic child, she also assured me that the theatre teacher was amazing, so I went for it. Now, I am not an extremely outgoing person, I tend to be the reserved observant type, so being in a theatre class where I had to act infront of people was touch. My theatre teacher picked up on that and 2nd semester she made me the AD for the class play and then asked me to SM the musical. I was hooked from that moment on. Up until that point, I had wanted to be a marine biologist.

[zayit shachor]

Like many others, I started out as an actor in high school. When I got to college, two things happened simultaneously: 1) I didn't make any of the shows I auditioned for, and 2) the stage management teacher visited my Intro to Theater class to describe the job. I actually didn't know what a stage manager did at that point (we didn't have them in high school), but it sounded like something I would enjoy, and I volunteered to ASM a show that semester. The rest is history!

[StageMgr2Stars]

I started in high school too. We had two separate campuses and the 9th / 10th grade high school was in need of a stage manager. I applied for the job with the director at the time and was told it was between me and another student. He told me that since my father has recently died he wasn't going to give me the job because of the unneeded stress.... being the hard ass I was back then I told him that I could do the job regardless of my personal life and it made me want it and want to be the best I could be. After doing that and trying my hand at other job around the theatre, I decided thats where i wanted to say. I stage managed every show in my 4 years of high school and then applied to SUNY Purchase (and only SUNY Purchase) and got it.... and the rest.... is history!


So it all started because someone told me I wouldn't be able to handle it.

[babyfunkymonkey]

I tried out for the play on a whim my freshman year and made it, and I did two other shows in high school, but I did crew for five shows and decided I liked it better backstage than onstage. I worked as an apprentice at a professional theatre here in Wichita for two years, and decided stage managing was what I wanted to do, and I've not regretted it since!

[sievep]

I started as an actor, like many, and went up on my lines once in a high school production of Arsenic and Old Lace.  That experience was so terrifying I never wanted to repeat it, and to this day I'm plagued with horrific stagefright.  One step into the wings and I'm fine.

So, I knew I wanted to work in theater, and I started reading about stage management and decided to go for it my senior year of high school, and then majored in it in college (the entire time stage managing for small theaters).  While at college I was introduced to opera, and I loved it, so I started taking voice to learn to read music.  My internship was at the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, where I am now an ASM (4 years later . . I had to get a lot of regional experience to get back).

So, I guess I sought it out . . not as a frustrated actor but as an artist searching for his niche.  Clearly, I love it.

[Wandering Ninja]

I started as an actor in high school. Then in college I had to do a series of course and a small project for humanities credit; I decided theatre would be a good choice. So audition for one show in college and did not make it. I still wanted to help out and get credit, I ended up being the house manager. However, during rehearsals the SM found out that the ASM was not doing a good, and I was ask to replace the ASM. From there I continued to work as ASM, SM, or Run crew chief. At one point I tried acting again, but I could not stand sitting around while there was work to be done. So here I am about to start SMing my second show in a couple of weeks.

[TheAlmightyAmy]

Did the acting in High School thing, went to college to be an actor, didn't get the part, worked as a grip, developed a close relationship with the SM, he got me interested in it, and I've been doing SM work ever since. Short and Sweet.

[jemason]

Kind of strange...    I was a shy little kid, but enjoyed drama in middle school and moved up to a small traveling deaf drama missionary group in high school, but was too shy to try out at my high school drama group.   I did try out for "Romeo and Juliet" in college but was rudely rejected by a director who made her entire basis of decision based on the clothes I happened to be wearing and did not watch my performance at ALL (I sign, so in order to "listen," she would have had to actually look at me, which she didn't). 

    After that I sort of gave up and just focused on school, when my friend decided she needed me as her assistant stage manager, as she had tried out for a role and didn't make it, so the director gave her a stage managing role instead, but since she was new she didn't really know what to do.  I really wasn't interested, it didn't sound that interesting, but it was for "only 3 or 4 weeks" so I decided to give it a try.
 My responsibilities were mostly centered around the props and cueing the actors backstage (boy did we have a lot of food props for the poor actors to suffer eating every night!!)   The play was "Beast on the Moon,"  and we went to Canada to perform during spring break.   

   I enjoyed it but was surprised that my hard work got me a job not as a stage manager (for school credit), but a paying job as an.... electrician???     I learned my way around a few lights and color gels (my seniors really liked to put me to work sorting all those color gels!!) but I quit after a few months since I was not learning anything and I was not happy with all the bickering and squabbling between the master electrician and the technical director (who nobody likes).
 
      Later I got an email from the same director I worked with before and he requested that I be his stage manager for "Shape of Things."   From that point on, I was hooked, and even started  asking different directors if I could stage manager their shows.  It eventually got to the point where I was being pulled out of other shows where I was one of two assistant stage managers for the big theatre to go be the stage manager for a smaller play in the lab theatre that lost their stage manager (or in one case, fired). 

       While I was stage managing (for the first time) "Shape of Things," the co-director asked me if I would go intern for him as a stage manager at Gallaudet University after I graduated.  I said yes, but I didn't graduate for 3 more years.  Every year, he would come back and ask me when I was going to graduate.     Finally, I said, I graduate this year,  can I come intern for you?     

      And that is where I am now.       

[Kary]

For as long as I can remember, I've loved acting.  I was always frustrated when I didn't get the leads in elementary school shows because they weren't audition based.  Especially when I knew I was a better actor than my comrades... But anyways, I am an SM thanks to fate.  At grade 9 orientation, even though I didn't have drama until second semester, I went to my drama room to introduce myself and ask about any drama clubs or any school plays etc.  She told me about the Improv Club she just started, so I joined right away.  Second semester rolls around, drama class is a blast.  My teacher tells me of the auditions for the school musical that were happening at the end of the year.  My heart sank.  I can't sing.  But I auditioned anyway, and she knew how upset I was that it wasn't a straight play and felt that instead of giving me a minor role that was all speaking, I would be much better suited as SM.  And here I am.  Still SMing that show, and loving it.  We open next week!  As much as I love SMing, my dream of performing comes first and foremost.  I'm going to pursue acting and possibly SM as well.

[ChristinaOsborn]

I had no idea whatsoever.  When I was in eighth grade, my dad informed me that he had filled out an application for a performing arts high school, and asked if I was interested in going.  It didn't matter to me either way, and I knew nothing about the arts or the school.  I had no idea what I was going to do with myself in high school, because I didn't have much confidence or drive.  Fate intervened, and I was chosen by lottery to attend the school, where I spent two years vaguely wishing I had something to do with the mysterious, interesting side of theater, but never taking the initiative and getting involved.

My junior year, I finally did what I had been wanting to do since my first week at school - I took a beginning tech class.  I immediately volunteered to ASM the first show that year, and I spent the next two years volunteering at the local college and the town's community theater.  I did any and every job, but I have always been happiest when ASMing.  I'm now SMing my first show, and I'm absolutely in love with it.

I knew before that I enjoyed theater, but I finally found the thing that I have passion, enthusiasm, and talent for.  It's what I want to do for the rest of my life.

[razzle-dazzled]

I became an SM completely by chance.

I started acting at age six (I showed no talent in it but loved it anyway) but stopped once I got to middle school. After running cross country and realizing I was awful at that too, I decided to try out for the drama club. I made all four shows I tried out for in seventh and eighth grade, and the fall show of my eighth grade year I was asked to be the Stage Manager. Obviously, stage management in middle school is pretty lame and nonexistent, and I finished the show having no idea what I was actually supposed to have done.

Anyway, when I got to HS I went to the first drama meeting and, after the meeting regarding auditions ended, stuck around to chat with an old friend from middle school. Coincidentally, the meeting about the crews had begun and, not wanting to be rude, I sat back down. Our SM, a senior at the time, asked during the meeting if any freshmen or sophomore had ever SMed before. I raised my hand and she asked my to stay after. So I did and she asked if I would like to be her Production Asst. and I agreed, not knowing what a PA was and what an SM actually did.

After that first show though, I was hooked. Now I'm one of the three SMs in the club and work with three other companies throughout the year. It's so weird how five minutes completely changed my life, and I am so glad it did .