100 years ago on February 16, 1920 Actors Equity Association carried a motion to include Stage Managers and Assistant Stage Managers in their contractual language. AEA has declared 2020 the year of the stage manager to commemorate the past one hundred years. In the spirit of recognizing stage managers, stage-directions.com will be generating monthly content. To kick things off, January’s theme is: What is Stage Management Jennifer Leigh Sears Scheier helps break down the definition of a stage manager. She notes that being a stage manager does not necessarily pertain only to theatre and Broadway, but it spans across all industries: From the arts with opera, dance to sports, including the Olympics and Super Bowl. Take a look at the article below to learn how she further breaks down the...
Apprenticeships Apprenticeships are full-time experiences that include a stipend and housing. Applicants should have an undergraduate degree or equivalent as well as at least one past internship in the field for which they are applying or similar applicable experiences. At the completion of the program, apprentices typically leave Asolo Rep ready for at least an entry-level job. Dates vary per position but most are September through May. Apprentices must be able to provide their own reliable transportation and possess a valid drivers’ license with a clean driving record. Available Apprenticeships – Apply Here! KNOXVILLE STAGE MANAGEMENT APPRENTICE STAGE MANAGEMENT APPRENTICES DRAMATURGY & CASTING APPRENTICE COMPANY MANAGEMENT APPRENTICE
BY HOPE ROSE KELLY via www.stagemanagers.org Reaching out to the Stage Management Association of the UK (UK SMA), I inquired if they had any observation opportunities from their members. Andy Rowley (Executive Director) kindly put a call out and Sharon Hobden, who is currently the DSM for Company, sent me an invite. This production has been noted for the gender swapping of the lead character Bobby and some other roles plus the storyline has been updated thereby bringing it into the 21stcentury with a natural ease that had I not known its origins, I would have thought it was a new musical written for today. Patti LuPone stars in the role originated by Elaine Strich. With a bit of tongue in cheek (given her history of admonishing patrons about cell phone use at the theatre), the recorded cur...
MFA training in theatre begins with URTA! At the URTAs, you can audition and interview with our 43 member universities all in one place, on a single day. Why navigate dozens of different applications, fees, appointments, and travel when you can get it all done at the URTAs? Choose your city—New York, Chicago, or San Francisco—and register to be seen by our recruiters in either acting, design, directing, stage management, or arts leadership. Our nationally ranked member schools boast professional faculty, a commitment to the highest standards in professional, graduate training, and are peer-reviewed on a continuing basis. Most also offer various forms of financial assistance. Graduates of URTA programs are working on Broadway, in top theatres across the country, in film, television, and bey...
BY RUTH KRAMER via www.stagemanagers.org The taped out rehearsal room of “Tuck Everlasting” at Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute. Photo by Elynmarie Kazle To tape a circle using this method, without string, chalk or plotting multiple points, you need two people, a roll of spike tape, and a metal tape measure (the almost square kind that locks and has a flat bottom, enabling it to stand up by itself.) The only two measurements you need are the coordinates of the center point of the circle, and the length of the circle’s radius. Locate the center point of the circle and place a good size dot or an “X” on the floor. One person sits at the center of the circle holding the “zero” end of the tape measure on the center point. That person’s job is to hold it there, and allow the tape measure t...
Where Master’s Candidates and Recruiters Connect SETC and USITT partner each fall to bring graduate theatre degree programs together with people considering options for interviews, auditions, and information exchange. Connect with more than 50 programs across theatre disciplines including Acting, Design, Technology, and Management. Explore your options for advanced education and find your dream grad program in one convenient, affordable location. 5th Annual LiNK When: Nov. 9-11, 2018 Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel Atlanta-Airport | Atlanta, GA For Candidates Register early with your resume, portfolio, and head shot for advance review by recruiters. $50 Early Registration: Aug. 1 – Sept. 12, 2018 $75 Late Registration: Sept. 13 – Oct. 24, 2018 $95 Onsite Registration: Onsite...
BY MATTHEW STERN via www.stagemanagers.org The 2017-18 Broadway season is officially in the rearview mirror and culminated in the Tony Awards a few weeks ago. Since then I’ve been reflecting on the season and about stage managers. Because stage management is what I think about. And I wondered why there isn’t a Tony Award for the stage manager? Our industry honors so many in our industry, but on its special nationally televised night. There is no stage management acknowledgement. In fact, there is no annual stage management award at any of the big ceremonies: Drama Desks, Obies, Outer Circle Critics, Lortels, etc… It would be great to be recognized, of course; but we stage managers don’t make the cut. Why? Here are my six reasons why stage managers don’t get awards #1. Awards focus on what...
BY MARC J. FRANKLIN via www.playbill.com By the time Hamilton’s Amber White takes her perch in the stage manager’s booth at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, an entire theatrical engine has been hard at work, ready to cross its final hurdle: show time. Following her through her daily workload, we see what it takes to raise the curtain on Broadway each night. Hamilton production stage manager Amber White Marc J. Franklin After a long day of preparation, the company stands in the wings. Patrons shuffle into their seats. White sits before her script. With her call, the lights on the stage fade as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical comes to life for yet another performance. Hamilton‘s stage management officeMarc J. Franklin Bringing a show to the stage nightly requires a complex ecosystem of cast a...
Creede Repertory Theatre has lost a female Assistant Stage Manager and needs an immediate replacement. Starts as early as this week (June 12th) and runs through August 26th. This is a multi-show track running in rep. Non-Equity Position replacing female in a shared female housing situation. Email devonmukosm@gmail.com with resume and cover letter for specific contract information.
via www.onstageblog.com Cristina D’Almeida What does a Stage Manager do? It’s the hardest question I’m asked and one that people ask me almost every time I tell a person that I “SM” productions. I always struggle with where to start because there is literally so many aspects of the job. It is such a complex department of the theatre world and there is no single answer to the question. This is my approach and hopefully, I can offer some useful tips to all of you stage managers out there. For me, I usually like to start with discussing the rehearsal period for a stage manager because it is the longest period and one where you really learn the show and the working elements it takes to make the production come to life. One of the first jobs you have as a stage ma...
BY LOGAN CULWELL-BLOCK via www.playbill.com If you’ve ever wondered how much your favorite Broadway artists earn for the work they do, you’re in luck. Thanks to public standard union contracts, we know what the base salary is for Broadway performers, stage managers, and musicians. These minimum rates are only for professionals on Broadway and are calculated by the week since, unlike other vocations who report annual salaries, artists will not necessarily be employed by their Broadway show for a full year. Data for actors and stage managers comes from Actors’ Equity. These figures are valid as of October 2, 2017, and are scheduled to remain through September 29, 2018, after which most of these rates will increase slightly. Musician pay rates comes from Local 802. Their rates are valid as of...
via www.stage-directions.com Eleven young technical theatre artists will receive Young Designers, Managers & Technicians (YDMT) Awards at USITT’s 58th Annual Conference & Stage Expo, March 15, 2018, at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The YDMT Awards bring recognition and support to early career designers, managers, and technicians, through generous funding from industry sponsors. YDMT winners receive free Conference registration to the four-day USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo, March 14-17, plus cash prizes and an impressive addition to their resumes. Listed below are the winners. Zelma H. Weisfeld Costume Design & Technology Award Courtney Foxworthy – Indiana University The Barbara Matera Award in Costume Making, sponsored by Judy Ada...