Stage Manager In Training

OK So rehearsal reports are pretty standard practice (and by that I mean almost everyone does them). Format will vary widely by SM, but the most important thing is that all of the information is included, and that it is in a format that is easy to read (keep in mind that many folks will read these emails on a smartphone or tablet and may not want to open an attachment…).

What is the purpose of a rehearsal report?

The rehearsal report is the official record of the rehearsals for the production and it serves 2 general purposes- to keep a record of what happened in rehearsal, and to keep all the members of the production team apprised of what is going on and what the needs of the show are. 

You know how the SM is supposed to be the hub of communication for the whole production? That’s really key here. Most designers and theater staff aren’t in rehearsal every day. In big regional theaters you might be lucky if the designers see one run-through of the show before tech. That’s not usually the case in smaller/education theaters, but sometimes it is! The rehearsal report is their link to what is going on in rehearsal.

Who gets the rehearsal report?

With some few exceptions (a playwright who is in the cast, or some unique company policy, for example), actors DO NOT get the rehearsal report. [Actors should get a separate Daily Call email (or maybe a Weekly Call, depending on where you’re working) that has the schedule, location, fittings, announcements, etc.] EVERYONE ELSE involved in the production should get the report. All of the artistic staff (director, music director, choreographer, playwright [if it’s a new play and you’re in contact with them], all of their assistants), all of the design staff (lighting, sound, costumes, props, scenic, projections, all of their assistants), all of the production staff (SM, ASM, PA’s, TD, Costume Shop Mgr, etc), all of the theater’s in-house staff (Production Mgr, Artistic Director, Marketing Mgr, etc.), any other random folks working on the production (Fight Director, Dialect Consultant, Dramaturg, Puppet Designer, whoever). Basically everyone on the contact sheet EXCEPT the actors. Most SMs I know (myself included) include the report in the body of the email as well as attached as a pdf.

What goes in the rehearsal report?

When was the rehearsal? Date & span of day 

When were your breaks? (Meal breaks & if you’re working on an Equity-type break schedule you should include official 10′s and 5′s as well)

Where was your rehearsal? 

Who was called for rehearsal, and when? 

Was anyone late or absent? Was it excused?

Was anyone sick? Did any injuries occur?

What did you accomplish in rehearsal? 

When/Where/What is the next rehearsal?

General Notes: these are notes that everyone working on the show should know

Department-Specific Notes: usually SMs break up reports into sections by department, so the designers only need to look under “Lighting” or “Props” and not sift through everybody else’s notes, too. 

…What do you mean by “Notes”?

Notes are anything that happened in rehearsal that someone else on the production staff needs to know, or questions that came up that did not require an immediate “let me make a phone call” type response. Keep in mind that the people who are reading it probably weren’t in rehearsal- include enough detail that they know what you’re talking about, but don’t write them a novel [this is a delicate balance, I know!].

COSTUMES: We would like for Sarah to have an evening clutch-type purse for her entrance on pg3. Her hanky will be in it.

SCENIC: Sarah will slam the US door after her first entrance on pg3.

LIGHTING: Will the desk lamp be practical? Jim will be turning it on during Sc4.

DRAMATURGY: Could we get some more information about the types of vaccines children would get in the 1960s?

GENERAL: Reminder that the Designer Run is this Friday, 1/15/16. We will begin the run promptly at 3:00pm. Please let Stage Management know if you will need power at the tables. Looking forward to having you all in the room with us!

MANAGEMENT: We are out of cough-drops. Plain Ricolas are the preferred flavor. Thanks!

Often SMs will also include a “thank you” note when a department repairs something, brings in a new rehearsal prop, etc. 

COSTUMES: Thank you for the rehearsal hat and shoes for Jim.

DIALECT: Thank you for stopping by today to clarify those questions re: the Polish accent for Karen.

Notes also serve as a CYA for you- if you get to tech and Sarah slams the door for her first entrance and it promptly falls off its hinges then you’ve got a problem, but it will be the TD’s own fault for not reading the report! You can look back and say “In the report from last Wednesday, we told you she was going to slam the door. You should have reinforced it or told us it wasn’t possible.”

What does the report look like?

Every SM has a different format! Some type of table is generally the best option for keeping lots of information organized in the same way every day. Keep in mind that readability is key. I would suggest copy/pasting the report into the body of an email and sending it to yourself before you really commit to a template- make sure it looks ok when you’re reading it! 

The fabulous and generous @thankyoufive has an example of her rehearsal report here. Also SMNetwork.org has a whole library of rehearsal reports from SMs from all over the world you can take a look at here [you must be logged in to view the Uploaded Forms section, but it’s FREE and a great resource for SMs of all experience levels!]. SMNetwork also has a whole history of discussion threads re: what to put in reports and how to best phrase your notes.

I hope this is helpful! If you/any other SMblrs have more specific questions about what goes in a rehearsal report, ask in the Notes!