Stage Manager: The Professional Experience

by Larry Fazio

In every theatrical production, a single indispensable person is responsible for ensuring that scenery, lighting, actors, directors, sound artists are in sync. Stage the Professional Experience takes the reader through all aspects of the craft of stage management, from prompt books and laptops to relationships and people management. It offers an extensive discussion of what makes a good stage manager, and takes the reader through each phase of a production from getting hired, to auditions and rehearsals, to the run and closing of the show.





Using interviews with other professional stage managers, the author provides a practical, experience-based guide for students and aspiring professionals alike. The stage manager's role in each phase of the production is covered in detail. Working relationships, organizational tools, plans, charts, lists and forms, running auditions, cueing, touring, and the stages of rehearsal are just some of the many topics covered. An overview of the stage manager's working week provides a clear view of the many details involved in the smooth running of a production. A comprehensive working vocabulary offers an excellent reference for anyone working or hoping to work in this field.

Genres: Theatre

364 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Carolyn Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written book with lots of practical advice that covers more areas and responsibilities than I will likely encounter in my forays into community theater. I like the emphasis placed on interpersonal relationships and professional standards, even though the dramatic personal stories included were...dramatic.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the greatest SM book for any starting SM. So much information—it covers every single base of the job. It's getting a little old, however, as it references laptops and other technology that is normal in the industry as faraway things.