Teaching Stage Management

[sam.henderson]

Hi all,

 

Right well... I have got 1 and a half hours to teach 15 guys about the basics of Stage Management!! These people have little knowledge of the theatre (they know there stage left from right but not a lot more).

 

So things to cover so far are...

• The Role of the Stage Management Team
  
• Creating and keeping the Production Book
  
• Cueing a show, setting up the cans system and cans etiquette
  
• Running a Props borrow book and a Props Table
  
• Blocking Notation
  

so what else... I know there is loads of stuff but its all things that you just pick up on the job and are hard to teach so any more suggestions and anything I have left out would be great!!

 

Also any ideas of some semi-fun practical tasks to do with them related to Stage Management, got a few obvious ones at the mo.

 

Thanks,

 

Sam

[mac.calder]

Hi all,

 

Right well... I have got 1 and a half hours to teach 15 guys about the basics of Stage Management!! These people have little knowledge of the theatre (they know there stage left from right but not a lot more).

 

So things to cover so far are...

• The Role of the Stage Management Team
   
  
• Creating and keeping the Production Book
   
  
• Cueing a show, setting up the cans system and cans etiquette
   
  
• Running a Props borrow book and a Props Table
   
  
• Blocking Notation
  

so what else... I know there is loads of stuff but its all things that you just pick up on the job and are hard to teach so any more suggestions and anything I have left out would be great!!

 

Also any ideas of some semi-fun practical tasks to do with them related to Stage Management, got a few obvious ones at the mo.

 

Thanks,

 

Sam

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ummm... I would tell them where the nearest copy of Sterns SM guide is.... Cans are usually set up by the sound monkeys...

 

1.5 hrs to get people to the standard required to SM is in no way possible - SMing means they will need to know how to set up a rehearsal room - so get out the spike tape and a scale ruler, give them a basic stage plan and get them to mark it out.

 

They will need to know how to run a tech rehearsal, and probably how to take down notes for each of the plotting sessions too.

 

They will need to know paperwork - including rehearsal schedules, contact lists etc.

 

They will need to know how to call - it is a very fine art...

 

So here is what I would suggest.

 

Photocopy the first 6 or so pages of a script (unmarked) which you have done before, bring in a lot of white paper. Bring in a floor plan of the same play. Bring in masking tape, spike tape, electrical tape etc. Bring in some props.

 

Do a basic run through of the whole thing.

 

Start off with the duties and paperwork - hand out copies of some of the paperwork for the play, ie rehearsal schedules etc.

 

Next set up a prompt copy with them.

 

Get them to mark out a stage from the scale plan using a scale ruler and measuring tapes

 

Give them info on taking blocking notation, then 'act out' the scene, getting them to take blocking for just you, then add another person later on. Do one page at a time, then review their work, offer improvements, and continue

 

Go through the setup of a prop table, including but not limited to masking out the table and labling it.

 

Next get them to write in cues.

 

Then get them to (if you need to) set up cans, explain etiquet and then get them to call the show, one at a time as you 'act' out a page for each of them

 

Basically contract an entire show into 1.5 hours... then take up their lunch breaks for the next few weeks to fill in the finer details.

 

Seriously though - SMing is not a job for those who do not know theatre. Anything over a brief overview cannot be expected in that time either.

 

I did an overview of SM course a while back, it was 12 hours and we only scraped on the finer details.

[mr techie]

why not a few stage rules aswel. marking set pieces on stage

lifting stage weights properly, carrying flattage, securing flattage.

what to do if someone shouts heads on stage, fire procedures. are these tasks to basic? I don't know how much these guys know so I'm just throwing in some ideas. good luck !

[Genus]

I suppose it would be unfair to shout "NO CHANCE". But anyway.

 

I think that all of the above points are valid. If you can get them to read one of the SM books suggested BEFORE you have to do the session, that would save some time.

 

It is also important that they are aware of the other deparments and what they are doing. In my experience if you teach "Stage Management" you also have to cover a bit of lighting, sound, direction, set design, admin and even acting itslef. Because the SM is expected to know all of these things and more, to be able to answer questions on all things.

 

I don't think its possible. I wish you the best of luck.

What are the group expected to do with the information?

 

They will need a lot more time than 1.5hrs to get to grips with stage management. I am in the position, having worked in a theatre environment for 6 years and learned "on the job" that only now am I confidant enough to SM a show.

 

I picked up a copy of "Practical Theater" (By Trevor R. Griffiths) which is good for the basics of all areas, but no book will cover everything.

 

Genus

[sam.henderson]

Thanks for all the help everyone, it went quite well. Indeed I only just scraped the surface however I managed to cover the following:

• The Roles of the Stage Management Team
  
• What Qualities does a good Stage Manager have
  
• The roles and jobs within the Stage Management team
  
• Creating a Prompt Book and Calling the show (as the practical activity). They each had a turn calling the show while the others pretended to be operators replying to the standbys etc.
  

I have sent them away to read some of the suggested stage management books and the ones who are really interested I hope to have a few more 1 hour sessions with where I can delve a bit deeper.

 

Many Thanks,

 

Sam