Setting the Stage: Cast vs. Crew

Cast vs. Crew #1

by Lindsay Champion

The full story of a junior high musical production, told exclusively from the POV of the kids backstage. It’s High School Musical, from behind the scenes…without the high school.

Eighth grader Ella Amani has waited her whole life to be stage manager, and this is her year! She has a clipboard, a headset, and a clear vision for the grand finale of Marie Curie, The Musical.

Ella’s stage crew comes from all over Juniper Valley Middle School. There’s a girl who’s doing stage crew instead of detention, a sixth grader whose sister is the star of this show, a kid who’s been homeschooled on a boat… plus Ella’s best friend and sidekick, Levi, who used to tell her everything.

Even if they’re invisible to the audience, the crew is key to the whole show.

But what happens if the cast is out to get them?

Setting the Stage, well, sets the stage for a brand-new trilogy that exposes all the secrets behind the curtain and follows one epic battle between cast and crew!

Genres: Middle Grade, Theatre, Contemporary, Teen, LGBT, Childrens

1 pages, Audio CD

Published November 11, 2025

About the author

Lifelong theater geek Lindsay Champion made her stage debut as a tiger in her second-grade musical. Since then, she's built sets, run the light board, operated the spotlight and (her favorite) stage managed. She is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and was the Features Editor at Broadway.com. She writes books about kids discovering and falling in love with the arts. She is the author of the YA novel SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE and the middle-grade drama club series CAST VS. CREW.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an unexpected, enjoyable read! It's been a while since I've read a middle grade book about theater and Champion now has me hooked on this series. Told from multiple perspectives, Setting the Stage not only captures the experiences of what it's like to serve on the crew of a middle grade musical theater number, but it also beautifully captures the middle grade experience and its impact on home life. I was not expecting to enjoy and become so invested in the back story of every character. After finishing this first installment in the series, I was itching to pick up the second (that's a good sign). If you're interested in a realistic middle grade fiction series with a touch of theater involved, I recommend checking this one out.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

▫️The Vibe: High-stakes backstage drama meets a classic underdog story.
▫️The Review: As a recovering theater kid, this spoke to my soul! We follow eighth-grader Ella, whose dream stage management crew is a beautiful disaster of misfits. Since it's book one of a trilogy, it spends a lot of time establishing the massive cast, and some pranks get a bit petty. But Ella’s passion is infectious it's a beautiful story about found families.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026 reads: 142/300

i received a complimentary hardcover from the publisher. i am leaving this review voluntarily.

this book follows the crew of a junior high musical production. everyone knows that every cast depends on its stage crew, but this production’s cast didn’t seem to get that memo. they treat the crew like they’re servants and begin playing pranks when the stage manager pushes back. can the show go on despite all the tension?

as a former theatre kid, books involving the art will always hold a special place in my heart. most books involving theatre focus on the cast, so i appreciated how this one focused on the crew! there were characters ranging from people who always dreamed of being there, to those who were forced to be there. overall, i thought this was a fun book, and i hope to read the second book soon!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really cute, but, as a middle school teacher who works on the school musicals, I have a hard time imagining a community that would be okay with 6-8th graders starring in a musical that needs a bed set for the lead character’s “multiple romantic trysts.”

[Russell Sanders · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I was a kid, I would have loved a novel like this one, which is exactly why I read Cast vs Crew, Setting the Stage, even though it is obviously for a middle-school-aged crowd. And after reading it, I’m glad it wasn’t around during my middle school years, for I disliked this book very much. In fact, in many ways, I feel author Lindsay Champion’s narrative is detrimental to young theater nerds, something I definitely was back in the day. First of all, I disliked her main character Ella from the moment I met her. Her dream was to stage manage a show, but she didn’t show an ounce of the maturity necessary to do so, especially since the stage manager of the show in this novel is a person who has huge responsibilities. Which brings me to my second objection, there is no realism even remotely attached to the school and its theater endeavors portrayed in the book. This appears to be an ordinary middle school in a small suburban community. I realize that kids have matured since I was in middle school and, I might add, since I taught middle schoolers. But at this school—which on a shoestring budget has a professional-class theater program—the students have done such incredibly mature shows as Les Miserables, Sunday in the Park with George, and 42nd Street (does any middle school have a troupe of skilled tap dancers?) Furthermore, when straight plays are mentioned, they have done Christoper Durang, a playwright that high schoolers might have difficulty understanding and interpreting. So, in my mind, it is a disservice to middle school readers to present this inexplicable theater troupe to them. And, if we are to believe the book wants to teach about theater, then why is their director rearranging scenes in a supposed Broadway hit musical? That, my friends, would be against the terms of the licensing contract. And how does the leading lady get a free script for this show online? I have rarely found full acting scripts online for any show, and when I have, they have mostly been older plays, not the current musical this group is performing. The book is so inaccurate that it made me, as a former school theater director, angry. And there is the plot point that involves students working alone in a school theater. A teacher would be fired summarily for not supervising students, especially middle school students, so that entire scene is totally bogus. And—the thing that was the crowning glory of my dislike, the cherry on this distasteful sundae—the book ends, not with a suggestion that would make us want to read the second volume in the story, but with a major cliffhanger, almost as if it stops in the middle of a sentence, to get us to buy a second book. No. Never. Won’t happen. (As I read, my thought was to give the book three stars because I applaud the author’s effort, then it bugged me so musch that I reduced my assessment to two stars. But after writing this and realizing how much I dislike the book and have evaluated its many faults, I can only give it one star.)

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella's middle school is staging: "Curie: The Musical!" and it's FINALLY Ella's chance to do her dream job--stage managing. She's uber organized and has all kinds of ideas about set pieces, sound, lighting, and more. However, her job is more wrangling the crew and keeping things from falling apart, and it's harder than she thought it would be. First, there's her best friend, Levi, who lives next door. They've always told each other everything--until now. As for Levi, he's struggling with being a foster kid, always wanting his own family and worrying when his mom contacts him--will it be different this time? Willow is from NYC and is SO over this small-town crap. When she gets detention for vaping, it turns into working on stage crew, most unwillingly, for the whole prep and run of the show. Sebastian, a 6th grader, joins because his sister Rosa is cast in the lead, and Sebastian feels drawn to Levi. Is there something there? He doesn't know Levi has a crush on Rosa, but he does know that Rosa is secretly dyslexic and needs Sebastian's help to learn her lines. Plus, there are the obnoxious cast kids who torment Ella about an incident the previous year, to the point at which a prank war ensues--and it's not pretty. Will this show ever get on the road?

I love theater stories, so this one was a no-brainer for me. And so nice to see something from the backstage crew's point of view; I know they don't get a lot of credit, but the show could not run without them! Our school's crew kid are fantastic, and they might have even more fun than the cast. This story was a little diffuse because it covered so many viewpoints and had so many characters--I couldn't keep the non-narrators straight until I was reminded of what made them unique (growing up on a boat, involved in 101 activities, etc.). All the storylines were good, though, and you root for each kid to have success. The world-building is good, though I got confused about where the stage actually was--in the cafeteria, or in an auditorium. What annoyed me most was that this ended on a cliffhanger, with no one's story resolved except maybe Sebastian. I wasn't expecting that. It ends before the musical is even onstage. Maybe the next book will be about the cast? Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the social ranking of middle school drama club, the crew is the lowest echelon, under the lead actors and the ensemble. But Ella, excited to finally get the role of stage manager, knows how important the crew is to making everything work out on stage. Ella is the musical theatre groupie that this entertaining novel revolves around, along with Levi, her best friend and tech team leader, Sebastian, a sixth grader who’s new to drama club, and Willow, at first an unwilling participant in the crew, and the most hilariously misanthropic character in the book. The book’s cover art is a good portrait of all the main characters.

Each kid is so thoughtfully and thoroughly portrayed that readers will root for all of them. Chapters alternate perspective between the four so we get to know all of them equally and to learn their foibles, strengths and personal challenges. Ella seems to be in charge of her littler siblings, while managing the entire crew. Levi has a big crush on the female lead, and deals with the precarious role of a foster child with an addict mother. Sebastian has a big crush on Levi, and Willow just wants to be alone to listen to one of her favorite bands, The Glistening Maggots. The author has seamlessly incorporated the components of staging a musical, with detailed descriptions of all of the crew members’ jobs, so this is a fun read for those who love the excitement of show production, or who are curious to learn how it all works. The characters mainly cue as white, with Ella as Iranian American and Sebastian as Latine. There’s a big splashy ending, which is before the final production and then the story ends. It’s part of a projected trilogy. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and laughed often.

[Ashlyn]

In Setting the Stage, there are multiple character POV’s with their own stories. This book is set in middle school and revolves around the stage crew of a play. There are new friendships that are formed, there are old friendships that are tested, and of course there is the Cast vs Crew rivalry. The crew is upset because the cast doesn’t realize how much work they do to put into a play, and that they don’t understand that without them, the play would not be good. On the other hand, the cast just thinks that the crew are people who weren’t good enough to act, when in fact, the crew loves the work they do. This is definitely a middle school drama with all the things that middle schoolers might go through. I love how each character was unique with their own problems and insecurities. One thing that I will note is that this is book one in the series, and the plot does not resolve in this book, so it’ll be a continuation to the next book. This is perfect for middle-school readers who like contemporary books with drama or those who like watching/acting in plays.

I received this book for free from the publisher, which does not affect my review.>

[Christine Letizia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming, fast-paced and fun look at theatre in middle school! SETTING THE STAGE is a first in the Cast vs. Crew series by Lindsay Champion. With multiple POVs from the overworked, and overlooked, tech crew, this is a delightful read that teaches the reader all about those elusive aspects of theatre while providing all the drama of middle school.

Lindsay Champion understands the middle grade POV and gives us several wonderful MG students with unique voices, dealing with unique situations. From the stage manager who must also manage her family needs to the new 6th grade props master and the reluctant sound board operator, we get credible insights into both the behind-the-scenes work of the tech crew and MG kids facing different struggles.

What I love about this series is we get more from the tech point-of-view because most theatre books focus on the cast experiences and dramas. Champion literally champions the tech crew, who deserve some recognition for their hard work and dedication.

Definitely a must-read for all theatre lovers but also perfect for those who enjoy MG at its best with humor and heart.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella and Sam have been best friends since Sam moved in next door with his kinship-foster parents. Sam loves Ella's chaotic family and sometimes wishes he could talk to Ella about his hopes and fears about reunification with his mom. Ella wishes she had some peace and quiet. They both love the theater and when Ella is chosen to be stage manager of the middle school musical, Sam is sincerely happy for her. Ella has over-the-top ideas, though, which mostly can't happen. Still, she makes it work, managing the stage crew and her chaotic, never--punctual parents and sister...until she doesn't. This story is told from multiple points of view. Each character has his or her own strengths and fears, and all must work together if the show is going to be a success.

[Kate McDonald · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean…. It’s cute because of the absolute silliness and the characters’ personal lives. But come on. A middle school kid being given a set of master keys to the school? As a high school musical director, there were just too many things that were WAY wrong. The theater teacher is a total B. The CHILDREN aren’t in charge. There is no random spirit gum just sitting around in the booth. There’s no way parents weren’t calling in to complain about her. And the show being completely inappropriate for a middle school, to boot. Multiple romantic endeavors in the bed? My gosh. Fire this entire school staff right now. And the idea that these kids are legit running the show? Good lord I hope no aspiring middle school tech kid read this and think it’s realistic. Does the author think it’s realistic?

[SomeSillyCrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute book! I adore musical theater and the name dropping of specific musicals and songs made me so happy! The main musical of the book does not seem to exist though, which I am sad about because it seemed very fun! The queer representation was very nicely done and I loved the depiction of the foster care system. I also adore Willow most of all, but the characters are very well written and likable. I personally didn't love Sebastian's chapters, but that may be because I can't relate to his struggles as a younger sibling, due to being the oldest in my family. No specific flaws I can point out! The characters weren't the most complex I've ever read and the story wasn't the deepest, but it wasn't supposed to be. It's very fun and I would recommend it!

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella is excited to be the stage manager for the middle school musical. Her best friend Levi joins the crew while dealing with his feelings about his mom, foster parents, and Rosa, the star of the musical. Shy Sebastian, Rosa's brother, comes out of his shell backstage, wondering if Levi might have a reciprocal crush on him. These three POVs join together for a great story that theater geeks will love. The personal issues each kid has help balance the story and their personalities. The story ends abruptly, and fortunately there is a book #2.

[Justin Baker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible, just terrible. I hated every single character. I listened to this with my wife who was a stage manager in high school and still manages beauty pageants. Her & I both agreed that these kids would never be doing any of this stuff at the middle school level. Maybe high school. And as a teacher myself, I could not stand the drama teacher. I'm surprised she hasn't lost her teaching license yet. Lastly, the way this ends with a cliffhanger yet the book marketing/cover does not tell you it is 1 of 3 books is ghastly. I will never read this woman's garbage writing again.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella Amani can hardly wait to be the stage manager of her middle school musical. She thinks she can handle the crew but not sure about the cast. After the crew is treated like servants, Ella pushes back and then the pranks begin. This is the first book in a trilogy and a story from the crew's point of view from behind the scenes. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really the cliffhanger I was expecting, so I guess I’ll have to pick up the second book to see if there’s a conclusion. A good YA book for theatre nerds.
The audiobook should definitely have had full cast narration. That’s my only critique.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Actual rating: 3.5 stars)
Unfortunately, far too much time and far too many books have passed to make a detailed or even less than detailed review possible. Rather than endlessly trying to catch up, this review plus the rating will take the place of a review.

[Amy]

Too much of a cliffhanger, or more so a lack of resolution. Yes, I’m sure it will all come together in the next two books, but this didn’t feel like it hung together as a stand alone. Wouldn’t give to a kid unless I knew the others were on the shelf!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

https://yabookscentral.com/setting-th...

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Desi · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book

[Ms. Nigeria Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was able to listen to this book on Libby.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Ray boycott Reading Challenges until they fix app · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good job for Ella for willing to quit a toxic envirnoment also not yet published then how does my library already have multiple copues avaiable? Fail, Goodreads!

[Roberta]

Middle school book about putting on a play, some nice moments but the stakes don’t feel high enough for this to end on a cliffhanger and turn into a trilogy

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistically more of a 3.5 or 3.75/5, but as a theatre kid, I loved it.

[Tweller83 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, but honestly I really didn't. I wish I had read the synopsis and understood it before I downloaded this to read..."what happens when they hate each other? Setting the Stage is the first act in a trilogy that tells the whole story!" This ends so abruptly and is a huge cliff-hanger, which I really don't like. I'm not sure where I would get the other two installments, and I'm not sure I liked these middle schoolers enough to continue. There are many POVs and I think I only like maybe one or two. Most of these students are mean to each other and don't seem to understand any other point of view other than there own. While that is typical with middle schoolers, it doesn't really make for a good reading experience. Also, there were some things like a teacher giving keys to the school to an 8th grader (NEVER!), there was a bed that some of the students were using for "canoodling" (what?), teachers that make a student serve many months of "detention" (no parent would allow this). This one could be for lots of people, it just wasn't for me.

I received a free copy from libro.fm as part of the educator advanced listening copies. All opinions are my own. #librofm #dreamscape

[Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting The Stage by Lindsay Champion is part 1 in the new middle grade series Cast vs Crew. This book covers the creation of a school musical from casting through tech week and follows members of the stage crew including stage manager Ella, whose parents expect her to manage their house too, Willow, who is on crew because she got in trouble but finds she actually likes being in charge of sound, Levi, who lives with foster parents but whose mom wants to see him, and Sebastian, the brother of the star of the show who has a crush on Levi. I enjoyed each of these characters and following their attempts to help a cast who don’t appreciate them and who starts a prank war with them. I definitely want to continue this series!

[Lindsay]

The first book in my middle-grade drama club trilogy, CAST VS. CREW, officially has a cover! We're whipping out the fog machine, the glow tape, the spirit gum and ~*the drama*~ on October 21, 2025. Theater nerds, I have written this series especially for you: It's packed with Broadway easter eggs, musical theater references and inside jokes, with lots of BEE (Big Elphaba Energy).

Preorder links are now live on every retailer! Click here to get a copy on its release date: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...

Adding this book to your Goodreads "to read" list will spread the news to fellow theater fans. Stay tuned for more updates!