When you receive a book do you take in the cover front and back? Perhaps you open the cover and scan the informational pages? Chances are you do not turn to chapter one and dig right in with no context.
Okay, quick reset, maybe you are not a book reader, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the world of stories and imagination. There are countless ways to engage with narratives that don’t require you to pick up a traditional book. Whether it’s through audiobooks, podcasts, or even films and TV series, you can dive into captivating plots and delightful characters. In fact, many people find that visual storytelling through cinema or engaging discussions on topics via podcasts can offer a similar thrill and depth that reading does, making it accessible for everyone, including those who may not be inclined to read.
When we launch into a new show as Stage Managers, you likely have a comprehensive check list:
Supplies to buy
Script work to do
Rehearsal hall set up
Ground plans & scene shifts
Costume plots …
Contact: Director, Designers, cast …
Lists, oh so many fuckin’ lists. I know, I have these lists too. These are the tools every Stage Manager needs to have to make a new production happen. Answering all these lists make us feel like we are going to be able to guide the show successfully into the future production period. As things arrive on our desks, there is a pretty good chance we have the answer on some list or at least the most effective route to find answers.
Now I want to take you on a different journey a journey Oscar Hammerstein called, “getting to know you, getting to know all about you.” You don’t have to start at the top, but I find, “it’s a very good place to start.” Geez, is there nothing this guy didn’t write?
I like to know the heartbeat of the people in the room and the people who create the room. No social media please, that is a façade that will lead you off track.
Who is the producer? Not the many dedicated people who want to be involved in a new production, who is the individual calling the shots? How does their career tell a story?
A career tells a story, but all the pages must be read.
There are details in the margins and clues at every bend
Are they waking senses or gaining cents off woke?
No judgement should we make, but reality must be known.
Is there history being written in union halls & books?
They are not going to tell you, these facts you’ll need to cull.
Are directors being supported or supporting the design?
“I’m just a girl who can’t say no” … but I know who I am saying yes to.
The managers. The heavy weights. Those General Managers & Company Managers who hold up the mantel for the producer. God bless them and keep them for theirs is an art in keeping everything on track with creativity, diplomacy & a keen eye for the art of it all.
The constant push pull engines, the fact gatherers
What is word on the street, in the halls, among your peers?
Are they the group that celebrates the bottom line first?
Are they sitting on a hit with their first-string players so your show will see the B team?
Do they work directly for the producer so there may be a fuzzy line?
Does your company manager work for them all the time?
Are they “old school” … or have they taken a new path.
The creative Team. The heart of the production as lead by the director. Oh, Captain, My Captain. Each other creative is guided by this individual, weather it is a musical and they are in complete cahoots with the music supervisor & the choreographer, or a play and they are more autonomous.
Is direction an edict or
a path that souls follow to creation?
Is the process handed to you in a playbook or
is it locked away in a beautiful mind that you need to ally?
Are you being hired because your plan is in place or
are you holding up and supporting a plan that finds it’s way magically?
Is all of your organization and work for your benefit or
is it necessary for them to feel free knowing it’s in place?
Once you know these leaders the fabric of the show will unfold. The journey of discovery does not end there. As you get to know the cast, scratch below the surface and start noticing what brings joy and allows them to feel safe so each person can soar.
Spend as much time as you can getting to know each person on the crew, you will find no end to the stories that come with a life in the theatre. Show respect to the theatre staff who have seen everything that happens in the building.
A victorious life in the theatre is to know the people you are creating art with and to be with them in harmony.
The Tao of Stage Managing 