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The Stage Manager is the key person in the production. He needs to be versatile and ingenious because any project will necessarily lack resources and talents. He should also be physically healthy because of the long, rigorous hours spent for rehearsals and performances. He should also be resilient making decisions almost every time. Besides being administrator of the play, he is diplomat making sure that good relationships in the project are maintained. Only the artistic decisions are left to the Artistic Director otherwise his responsibilities are vast. The Stage Manager is an organizer. He foresees problems even before these problems happen. In the theater things rarely go exactly as planned and there will always be last-minute changes. The Production Manager is the senior member of the technical-production team whose main task is to manage the resources of the production. We will now check the members of the stage management team and their general responsibilities. In our local situation, here is what we generally do: Stage Manager (SM) assisted by: Asst. Stage Manager or Deputy Stage Manager qualities: good, all-round knowledge, experience with directors and actors | oversees the overall management of rehearsals from Day 1 until post-performance evaluation takes down all notes during rehearsals including director’s instructions and logs important notes in the conduct of all rehearsals and performances, info he keeps in a production book coordinates and disseminates to the concerned sectors all information and requirements that come out of rehearsals prepares all cues and costume-set-prop-light plots; assures that everything goes correctly supervises the execution of sets, props, costumes, and controls the budget of such looks to the welfare of the cast and crew (he is the first to arrive and the last to leave) prepares the venue for rehearsals and performances making sure that all requirements (from the smallest prop detail) are checked takes over when director is absent or when a cast member is out takes charge of backstage during show (he runs the show) and ensures the correct cues for all performers and technical staff
| | Manages: CAST-CREW TECHNICAL STAFF STAGE CREW PROPS PERSONNEL | |
Production Manager (PM) qualities: experience in all aspects of technical theater, ability to negotiate and control a tight budget |
oversees the overall management of production and the supporting aspects of a performance: construction of sets-props, execution of costumes, transport of physical requirements (load-in and load-out), facilitation of technical needs
negotiates and provides such physical structures as venue (for rehearsals and performance) and their accompanying infrastructure (air-con, lights, furniture, etc.) doubles as Technical Director and Stage Manager provides the transport, food, and other requirements of the cast-crew controls the production budget | | Manages: WARDROBE/COSTUME MASTER/MISTRESS PROPERTIES (PROPS DEPARTMENT) PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS CARPENTERS/MOVERS | | Technical Director (TD) qualities: technical knowledge and a good grasp of stage mechanics | ·in charge of the technical aspects of the stage including the fit-up and get-out of lights, sounds, electrical infrastructure, scenery, and the like supervises the stage technical staff doubles as SM and PM, or carpenter-electrician | | Manages: ASST. TECHNICAL DIRECTOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS CARPENTERS ELECTRICIANS | | Company Manager (CM) qualities: good at figures, tact, patience, diplomat, manager | in charge of the welfare of the cast and stage management team organizes and provides their transport and food needs (and accommodations, if on tour) liaises with venue on box office returns takes charge of publicity pays wages, if any acts as eyes and ears of the director | | Manages: MARKETING HOUSE MANAGER FINANCE USHERS BOX OFFICE | | House Manager qualities: diplomat, manager, tactful, socially gracious, knowledge of the house | in charge of Front-of-House business supervises ushers to assist and to provide comfortable conditions and security to the theater’s audience manages the box office, reception, and audience space and its infrastructure as seats, aisles, and the like | | Manages: USHERS BOX OFFICE PERSONNEL SECURITY JANITORS |
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