Stage Management

Inspiration & Exploration

Every great show has someone running it from the shadows — the stage manager. They are the organizational brain that keeps actors, crew, lighting, sound, and props all moving together perfectly. Watch a documentary or YouTube video about what stage managers actually do during a show (search "stage manager calling cues live theater"). If you can, attend a show at Hale Centre Theatre or Desert Star Playhouse and watch what happens in the wings. Notice how many people are moving at once and imagine being the one coordinating all of it. Stage managers are the unsung heroes of every production. You're ready for the next step when you can explain the stage manager's three main responsibilities in your own words.

Tools & Techniques

Stage managers work with a specific set of tools and language. Learn the key vocabulary: blocking notation, cue sheets, preset checklists, the promptbook (also called the production bible), and "calling cues." Understand the difference between a stage manager, an assistant stage manager, and a production manager. Watch a "calling cues" video on YouTube to hear how a stage manager talks to crew through headset in real time — it is a whole skill on its own. Download a free sample stage management template from stageman.app or search "free stage management templates" to see what a real promptbook looks like. You're ready for the next step when you can define ten stage management terms and explain how a cue sheet works.

First Creations

Get your hands on a real (or practice) script and build a promptbook for it. Use any short script — a one-act play, a school project, even a scene you write yourself. Mark blocking with standard notation symbols, create a props list, write a preset checklist for before the show starts, and draft a simple cue sheet for lights and sound. You do not need a real theater — this is pure paper practice. Download a free one-act script at dramaticpublishing.com sample pages or find a public domain script online. Your goal is a complete, organized binder someone else could pick up and follow. You're ready for the next step when you have a finished promptbook for a short script with blocking, cues, and checklists.

Style Development

Now practice the live coordination skills. Run a short rehearsal for a scene with friends or classmates — you are the stage manager. Call places, give cue warnings, track time, and keep the promptbook updated as blocking changes. Practice giving clear, calm headset-style callouts even if you're just talking across the room. After the rehearsal, write a rehearsal report: what was accomplished, what was not, notes for the director. Real stage managers send these after every single rehearsal. Check out the Stage Managers Association (stagemanagers.org) for free resources. You're ready for the next step when you've run one rehearsal and written a complete rehearsal report.

Refine Your Craft

Level up with tech rehearsal skills — the most intense part of any show. Learn how lighting and sound cues get numbered and called, how to run a "paper tech" before touching any equipment, and how to manage a cue-to-cue rehearsal (where you stop and start constantly to set technical moments). Study how to handle emergencies: an actor misses an entrance, a prop is missing, a mic cuts out. Study "contingency protocols" — what stage managers plan for when things go wrong. The book "Stage Management" by Lawrence Stern is the professional standard and worth finding at Salt Lake County Library. You're ready for the next step when you can write a full tech rehearsal schedule and explain three emergency protocols.

Portfolio Piece

Stage manage a real event from start to finish — a class scene, a school assembly performance, a short original show, or even a carefully organized group presentation. Build the full paperwork package: promptbook, preset checklist, cue sheet, rehearsal reports, and a production timeline. On the day of the show, run every element: call places, coordinate with anyone involved in tech, track timing, and handle anything that goes sideways. After, write a post-mortem report covering what worked and what you would do differently. This complete package is your portfolio piece. You're ready for the next step when you have run a real event and can show your complete production paperwork to a director or theater teacher.