BACKSTAGE BOSS. First hand accounts of a stage manager.
Putting on a show takes more than actors and actresses. Some of the most crucial people in a stage production are working behind the curtain. Everyone has an important role to fill. Being a stage manager is more than just pulling a few curtains, I oversee everything that happens backstage.
My organization and time management skills are crucial to the production put on stage. I’m constantly thinking ahead of projects that need to be finished. There is never a moment of rest and oftentimes I run around like a mad woman. As a stage manager, I fill empty roles. Such as; filling in when an actor is gone, helping with hair and makeup before the production, and I help the shifting crew take props on and off the stage.
Making sure everyone backstage is on task is the hardest part of my job. Keeping everyone quiet and getting actors and actresses prepared to go on stage is a difficult task. Helping the light crew know when to blackout the lights for a curtain, and when to turn them back on. Though being a stage manager is a tough role, I am grateful for the lifelong skills it has taught me.
Article by Khloe Gunn