The Tempest: Stage Management Roles and Responsibilities

Transcription

1 The Tempest: Stage Management Roles and Responsibilities DURATION: 30 mins OBJECTIVE: To understand the different roles and responsibilities in a stage management team. KEY LEARNING POINTS: There are different roles and responsibilities in the stage management team. Identify the skills and qualities needed to be in stage management. Factors such as size of production, venue and budget affect the size of a stage management team. Have an insight into the working conditions of most stage managers. YOU WILL NEED: The Stage Management video The Stage Management Tasks slips cut up, one per four participants see below IT S NICE TO HAVE: Access to the internet for participants to undertake research ACTIVITY: Watch the Stage Management video and allow participants to ask any questions. Ask participants to name the roles in the Stage Management team for the Trilogy, how many there were of each and what the role title is abbreviated to. o Company Stage Manager (CSM) - one o Deputy Stage Manager () - one o Assistant Stage Manager () three, one for each show Once you have the roles recorded, ask the participants what they think the hierarchy of the roles is and then draw it out on the whiteboard or flipchart. CSM s Explain that some productions also have a Stage Manager (SM) instead of, or working for, the CSM. Page 1 of 5

2 Put participants into small groups and give them the Stage Management Tasks slips. Give each group three minutes to decide which tasks are the responsibility of the Company Stage Manager, Stage Manager, Deputy Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager, and tasks that might be done by more than one member of the team. Ask participants to feed back their discussions and agree task lists for each job title, recording the answers on the whiteboard or flipchart. Discuss any tasks that were difficult to allocate why? Give each group one of the roles and ask them to consider some of the key skills or qualities that would be required to be good at that role, now they know the tasks that person does. Share back their suggestions and discuss. o Good communication skills working with lots of different people o Organised and methodical must keep the book and blocking in order and look after props correctly o Practical making and building skills props o Understanding of technical and creative elements of theatre o Common sense and ability to stay calm under pressure Ask participants to reflect on what factors they think might affect the size and make up of a Stage Management team? o Scale of the production a large musical will have lots more people, including extra crew or stage hands to move set on stage o Budget it may not always be possible to do everything that you d like to do o If the show is being performed in one place, or touring to lots of places Most stage managers are self-employed freelancers ask participants if they know what that means? o In effect they run like a small business need to market themselves and manage their own finances and contracts. o Work on short-term contracts for a range of different organisations and employers. o Get paid a fee rather than a salary, and therefore responsible for paying their own tax and national insurance. o Have to pay for their own insurance and training. Ask participants what they think the advantages and disadvantages are of working in this way? Lots of variety and change as you work on different projects in different places, opportunities to travel when shows tour to different places. Working with people in a practical and creative way. Working evening and weekends, and usually six days a week. Can be financially insecure and you have to be good at managing your own finances. Ask participants which role in the stage management team they think they would enjoy most and why. EXTENSION ACTIVITY: You could develop this exercise by asking participants to research Stage Management Jobs - look at The Stage, or Arts Jobs and training opportunities via The Stage Managers Association Page 2 of 5

3 and share their findings back with the group. You could do The Tempest: Marking Blocking exercise. KEYWORDS: Company Stage Manager (CSM) heads up the stage management team, responsible for the health and safety of everyone in the production. If no SM on the show, the CSM takes on their responsibilities too. If working on a tour, they might be responsible for arranging travel and accommodation. Stage Manager (SM) heads up the stage management team if no CSM. If there is a CSM, the SM is usually responsible for moving all of the set and scenery and managing the stage crew who move set. Deputy Stage Manager () sits in rehearsals, records the blocking and all the cues in the book. During the performance tells the lighting and sound operators to make changes, this is referred to as calling the show. Assistant Stage Manager () sources, makes and repairs props. Makes sure that props are all ready for each show. May be part of the stage crew moving set during the performance. Book (or prompt book) the up-to-date performance script, a record of the blocking and all sound, light and special effects cues. This the most detailed record of the performance. Blocking - the actions and movements of the actors on stage during the performance. Page 3 of 5

4 Stage Management Tasks Cut out the What column and ask the participants to sort by job role. Who What Ensuring that everyone has the most up to date script with any new edits or changes Making notes of all the blocking (movement of the actors) in the book. Records all the sound, lighting and special effects cues during the technical rehearsal in the book. Calls the show telling all sound, lighting and technical team when anything should happen. Writes rehearsal notes at the end of every day of rehearsal to share with all the creative and technical teams, CSM, Works with the Director to design the rehearsal call for the next day SM, Sourcing props for the Designer SM, Making props Repairing props Making sure consumable props are ready each day (food, balloons etc.) Prepares the props table and ensures all props are ready before each show Collecting up and tidying props after each show SM, Moving set on stage during the performance if required. Responsible for Health and Safety of actors and crew during the rehearsals and performances. Page 4 of 5

5 CSM If the show is touring, may book travel and accommodation.,, Attends the production meetings Scheduling rehearsals, technical rehearsals, costume fittings and other events like press interviews and meetings with donors/sponsors. Leads the stage management team Pay roll making sure all the cast and crew get paid on time and that all tax and national insurance payments are made. Page 5 of 5