#directblr

Did anybody ask for this? No. Did I make it anyway because I needed a laugh and after 3 months of quarantine I finally feel like being creative? Yes.

Hi Anon,

Below is a response I did to a similar question.

Communication, communication, communication!!!!!!

Meet with your SM BEFORE the 1st production meeting, auditions and rehearsal.

Ask them how they like Production meetings run

Inform them how you want auditions run:

(ex: I want one actor at a time for a ten minute slot)

Are walk ins welcome? Is it sign up only? Is it only open to members of your school?

How you like rehearsals run?

Do you want a time check every 30 minutes? or do you want a sharp cut off to move on to working another scene?

Tips on how not to piss off a Stage Manager:

Don’t get a power trip. Respect is a two way street.

I have seen many first time directors have the power of controlling their show go straight to their head. You can get the vision you want without being rude.

DON’T call them out in front of actors or crew if you see something they are doing you wan’t done otherwise.

(Ex: Pull them aside to tell them you would like them to wait until after notes to find actors to sign up for costume fittings. Don’t yell to the SM across the theatre: “Don’t talk to the actors right now.”)

They are not your personal assistant:

An SM is not there to bring you coffee or run to your car to grab a book. We have so much on our plate already, so unless we offer, don’t ask us to do personal errands for you.

Respect their time:

A lot of theatre’s don’t let the SM leave until EVERYONE has left. (So if you are having a talk with an actor about cupcakes, perhaps talk outside the theatre.)

If the Stage Manager sends an E-mail or text message, respond to it as soon as humanly possible.

If you want to schedule a special out of rehearsal meeting, ask the SM if they are available first before sending an E-mail out to all the actors.

Remember for about every hour you spend at rehearsal the Stage Manager spends an hour of that outside of rehearsal working on the show.

Show up to rehearsal’s on time, use breaks wisely.

We are human beings too:

We need breaks too, so don’t expect us to reset the entire stage during a break.

Understand the sacrifices we make to be at rehearsal every night.

Listen to our concerns and knowledge.

Don’t be a know it all:

If you have never worked on lights, sound, sets, costume extensively, perhaps trust your SM’s instincts and experience’s with something.

(Ex: I once had a director try to convince me that it was possible to wet down a dance floor and NOT have it be a slip hazard for actors.)

Don’t be afraid to ask a tech related question

(Ex: Do you think we could have a light reach this far back stage?)

Tech Week:

Meet with you SM before tech week to ask them how they like things run

This is where your SM gets to fully drive the bus. You get a say in what streets to turn down but let your SM do their job.

Don’t spend 10 minutes looking at a light cue, if you like it move on, if you want something adjusted, speak up.

Stay out of the way of crew.

Don’t go back stage to talk to crew and ask them to fix things, they listen to the SM. If you want something fixed tell the SM.

Only hold a dress rehearsal if something is WAY off. Not like a cue 2 seconds late, that’s what notes are for.

Run of show:

Don’t hover.

Trust your SM.

Don’t go into the booth during the show (this includes intermission).

Let the SM handle the show

I can promise you there is a 95% chance the SM knows if a cue is late or early.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be around.

The last show I worked, I had the director want to lead warm ups every night. She showed up, lead warm ups, maybe gave me a note or two, then left or sat quietly in the house to watch the show. Worked great because she stayed out of everyone’s way.

Actors:

Most of what is above that doesn’t apply straight to stage management.

Respect their nerves

Respect their trying

They are people too

There is a very fine line of being a hard ass and being too nice.

Sometimes it’s better to be a hard ass in my opinion. I am a very blunt person, the very first rehearsal I tell actors that so they don’t get offended. I am straight forward and to the point and not a lot of actors like that. I have a lot of actors who prefer to work shows with me because I can be a bit of a hard ass but I “get things done and keep things moving”. However, I am well past the age where I care what people think about me (except close family and friends of course)

Sometimes people get mad at you for petty things and there is nothing wrong with that. I once had an actor get mad at me because I wouldn’t let her leave strike because she wasn’t wearing closed toed shoes. She is still salty about that.

If things get sticky or out of hand, consult someone above you who can help sort things out or act as a mediator.

Just respect everyone and try to go into things with an open mind and you should be fine.

Best of luck!

Various promotional pictures of Hamlet’s main trio.

Sarah Mayhew as Hamlet

Lena Kirby as Ophelia 

My current theatre is hiring an executive director. The salary is really great considering the cost of living here.  

If you have the experience but think you’re too young, don’t let that stop you. Our last Artistic Director was 27 when he got the job.  

If you want to apply and have any questions about the theatre or the city, hit me up. 

It’s the first musical I’m directing. {What is happening?} [How?] {Who left me in charge?}

It’s ‘See Rock City and Other Destinations’ which is very cute and won a bunch of Drama Desks

I hate being this person, but student theatre is expensive and we don’t want to charge. So my team is starting a GoFundMe. (https://www.gofundme.com/see-rock-city-other-destinations) 

If you’d like to donate you have any tips on running a successful fundraising campaign at all (in person fundraising ideas are more than welcome) Please feel free and let me know so I can send you a personalized thank you!