Stage Management Basics: A Primer for Performing Arts Stage Managers

Stage Management Basics touches on basic principles for stage management for theatre, dance, and opera productions.

Without assuming any intrinsic prior knowledge of the theatrical field and its associated, specialized terminology, this book covers every aspect of the stage management, from reading a script, meeting with a director and theatre staff, and auditioning, to constructing green digital scripts, communication best practices, and opening night protocol. Additionally, this book features multiple appendices containing stage management form templates, blank version of which are available on its companion website.

This book is for the beginning Stage Management student.

Jonathan Allender-Zivic, MFA has been teaching and working in the theatrical industry for over 15 years primarily a Professor, Lighting Designer and Technical Director. Jonathan has over 125 professional and academic credits in the past 5 years, keeping an active hand in the professional arena; he has most recently worked regionally in the mid-west designing lights but over the course of the past 15 years he has worked all over the country with different theatres and taught at four different colleges and university since receiving his MFA from Western Illinois University. He believes that receiving the fundamental building blocks in a discipline gives students that ability to lead successful careers in the future.

Emily Roth is a freelance stage manager and production manager currently living in New York City. She holds a BA from Coe College in Theatre with an Emphasis in Design and Technology and has worked professionally over the last three years across the Midwest and New York City, primarily as a stage manager, but also as a lighting designer, electrician, sound designer, and props master. As an early career professional that is largely self-taught in stage management, Emily felt the need for a text that introduces the topics that everyone takes for granted in young stage managers. With this book, she hopes to provide guidance to all those who are now where she has been.

Katy McGlaughlin has been working in and around theatre for as long as she can remember; a lot of stage managing and doing a little bit of everything else. She has worked all across the US on productions ranging from new works to large-scale musicals. She also spent some time as an assistant production manager and a company manager. Katy holds a BFA from Webster University, where she studied stage management and technical direction. After many years in the professional arena, Katy has decided to pursue her MFA in stage management from the University of Iowa. Stage Managing will always be her home but she thinks it is important to branch out and understand what is happening around you!