#broadway stage manager

[thestarlightsapphic]

Things I’ve learned as a stage manager that I would pass to future stage managers!

1. You will make mistakes!! Mistakes happen, all the time, we are quite literally human. No one is perfect. What’s really going to count when mistakes happen is how you decide to handle to problem! How you react, your problem solving, and your communication!

2. Not everyone is going to agree with you! Leadership is really tough because most of the time, the majority is going to respect you and follow your decisions! However, there’s always going to be those times when someone might not agree with you. They did things a different way with a different theatre, something doesn’t work for them, the schedule doesn’t make sense to them. Whatever it is, at the end of the day, it’s between you and the director to decide. Stay confident in your decisions honestly though. If you seriously think there is an issue, talk with your director or your team!

3. TRUST YOUR TEAM. Cannot emphasize this enough. Your ASM’s especially are your BACKBONE. Please do not take on more than you are capable!!! I really struggled with this one and wanted to handle every little thing and problem but I was getting burnt out! I was so worried during tech week about a million little things that I honestly couldn’t focus on my cues. I started eventually though, arriving to tech week and show days and taking 20 minutes to myself to meditate and focus. My team was able to handle conflict for me, set-up, and so much more. I had an awesome team that had my back and that I trusted to handle backstage while I called cues! There is so much that comes with stage management, and you’ll have your hand in every part, but share the load wherever you can!!

4. Have Fun! I feel like everyone always says this one, but seriously, have fun! I get very serious and in my head sometimes when I’m stage managing, but there’s so many times I wished I had relaxed a little more! Laugh with your team, make friends, strengthen the friendships you already had! Theatre can be a truly wonderful experience if you let go of unneeded stress (which can be EXTREMELY difficult, I absolutely understand)

Stage management is a tough position that doesn’t get a lot of recognition, but it’s always so thrilling to see those lights come up the first show! I always feel like I’m doing magic. I’m by no means a perfect stage manager, but I look forward to every opportunity I get to learn more!

[bussyandbingus4life]

Because no one asked, here's a list of theatre men I want to play, but can't because I'm a female stagie who can't sing

- Christian (Moulin Rouge)

- Jack Kelly (Newsies)

- Crutchy (Newsies)

- That one guy that does the fouettes on the newspaper (Newsies)

- George Washington (Hamilton)

- King George (Hamilton)

- Dimitri (Anastasia)

- Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)

- Flounder (The Little Mermaid, but specifically during She's in Love)

- Billy Flynn (Chicago)

- Sky (Mamma Mia)

- THE FLIPPER BOYS tm (Mamma Mia, yes all of them)

Thank you.

[xpastelsweetsx]

OUTSIDERS GIRLYS?!? DO ANY OF YOU HAVE THE STAGE MANAGEMENT TAKEOVER THAT HAPPENED ON INSTA ON OCTOBER 24TH?!?!?!? I MISSED OT AMD HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE UPSET ABT ANYTHING EVER

[leisplayhouse]

tell me why i find stage managers calling the show so satisfying

[sondheim-girly]

yesterday I called a show for the first time! It was just a run thru, they didn’t even have costumes or anything and they paused a lot but like I am not trained for this, yet I survived!!! I’m so proud of myself!!

[personinthepalace]

Day 8 in NY: The Play That Goes Wrong!!! aka our last show

[inatyzzy]

i sent my stage manager a fucking homestuck gif when talking about whether or not this crew member is allowed onstage tonight

it was horrid and hilarious

[krookodyke]

van gives me strong “unrealized theatre kid” vibes, i know she has a soft spot for musicals and strikes me as a huge sondheim guy. but as she canonically hates cats i know she fucking LOATHES andrew lloyd-webber with a deep passion that every time crusty breaks out into song from an ALW musical (95% of the time) tai has to physically hold her back

[theatrical-penguin]

“Standby RumTumTugger…and GO!”

[areslikestodraw]

it's hard being on this people pleaser grindset

decorated 33 'burn books' by hand and now I need to write notes 💪💪 we gonna get carpal tunnel or bust

[icedteaandoldlace]

Tom: *tries to bully Carlos into singing something for the fans*

Carlos: *suggests Danielle sing something instead to draw attention away from himself*

Danielle: No one wants me to sing LESS than you do, Los!

Carlos: *dies laughing*

(from 17:55 of this video)

[thestarlightsapphic]

Here we go!! Absolute dream show, so excited for this journey!!! Going to be such a huge challenge and adventure, but I’m ready for every single step.

[your-local-granny]

Being critical of art is all fun and games until you are the art that is being critiqued :(

[stagey-bex]

Hellooooooo

I’m Bex

Long story short (great Taylor Swift song!):

I’m a British theatre kid…

I’m 18…

I made the decision to work in technical theatre at 12…

I chose stage management at 14…

I have been working in a regional theatre for the past year, as a casual technician…

I am now at the point of starting drama school to study stage management…

I want to share my experiences and my journey in this industry, and I usually have a lot to say so this is going to be a bit chaotic and long winded

I’m afraid this won’t just be my career rambles, I also like rambling about shows I see, and I see quite a few

I hope you enjoy :)

Ooooooh so you stuck around

Thank you 🥹

The long story:

I’m 18 (for a couple more days)

I’ve grown up just north of London, giving me perfect access to the west end whilst also being near receiving regional theatres and seeing most shows possible.

I have always been involved with the performing arts in some way, but went from performing to crew after a massive confidence break when I was 12.

I was crew for many school productions and accidentally fell into the role of stage manager as my school did not have one…someone pointed out to me that’s what I was kind of doing so I looked into it and tried to learn best I could online.

At 14 I made the decision I was going to be a stage manager, and begun researching drama schools and how to get in and get the training

At 15, a month after I had stage managed an amateur panto for the first time, the country went into lockdown and I thought I had lost my dream and the industry would not survive or that there would not be an opportunity for me (oh how wrong I was!!)

At 16 I was researching drama schools, having my eye on a particular one, and working towards hopefully getting in, building up my experience and learning through school shows, using what I had learnt in a practical setting. I reached out to a stage manager who came from my town and had a similar route in to me, who was at my dream drama school, and she begun giving me advice.

At 17, I visited the backstage of a professional theatre for the first time. And I found out about the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), applying to ASM with them over my summer holiday…and so I did, having a great time and working a show where I was able to learn and use skills I already knew. That experience gave me the confidence to apply for a job at my local theatre, which I got, and have been working at for the past year.

18 has been a fun one…

18 has given me west end experience, working professionally, getting into drama school, doing NYMT again, and it’s given me the harder side of the industry, which have assured me I’m good here and I don’t want to leave even through the rude crew and unsociable (LONG) hours.

I’m so close to doing exactly what my dream has been…so close I’ve already had a taster

I want to share my journey and tell my story, to people who might be interested, and to people who might relate or be able to offer advice.

Thank you for reading all this!!

Bex off comms

:)

[corvidcall]

just remembered i get to see les mis in november and im sooooo excited i love les mis. and i get to see it with my mom who loves les mis probably even more than i do

tbh im always really excited when i get to invite my mom to stuff, because she doesnt really go and do stuff on her own. and i especially love to take her to theatre stuff, because thats been one of her great loves her whole life

[bussyandbingus4life]

Born to play Christian in Moulin Rouge, forced to be a Female Stage Manager who's only behind the stage because she can't sing

Shoutout to my tragic theatre kids. My girls born to play Elle Woods who have dark hair. My people destined to be Misha Bachinski who are 5'2". My people who should be analyzing newsies choreo who have face blindness. My Cats fanatics with no flexibility. My girls made to be a Veronica but are forced to be a Martha. Female Audrey II s. Male Janet Weiss's. The wrong range for the right role. You are meant for this character but they weren't designed for you and there's nothing you can do