Questions about Stage Management and Production Part 2

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I wanted to update an older thread from a while back concerning stage management. Rather than having the updates lost in an old thread I decided to create a new one. </p>

<p>First, I will state that I am NOT up to date on what programs are best for SMs. Heck, I don't even know how many programs there are which offer a BFA in stage management. In reality I don't get excited about SMs with BFAs. The best SMs I know and work with don't have one. Many don't have theatre degrees at all. That said, this thread is not about debating the merits of the BFA. All training is good. Experience, however, is better...</p>

<p>For those interested in asking about or discussing stage management, I would encourage you to ask about it here.</p>

<p>A little about my background: I am an AEA stage manager, and have been for 16 years. I attended the University of Kentucky and have a BFA in technical theatre, graduating in 1995. I interned at Seattle Repertory Theatre 1995-1996 during Daniel Sullivan's tenure as Artistic Director. From there, I took Bill Irwin's "Scapin" from SRT to the Roundabout Theatre in New York, where I earned my Equity card. My SM mentor furthered my career by engaging me on other Roundabout productions, including the 1998 Tony Award winning revival of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge". After 9/11 I was forced to leave NYC, as theatre jobs were difficult to come by. I took up a position at SMU in Dallas as resident PSM and stage management faculty. I left Dallas in 2003 to get my MFA in stage management from the Yale School of Drama, where I graduated in 2006. I currently serve as a technical producer of major corporate events for a company (ironically) based in Dallas. I have lived and worked all over the country, seemingly corner to corner. While I no longer produce theatre, I do keep up with my practicing peers and see a lot of shows. I also keep my AEA membership up to date.</p>

<p>I guess it's a holdover from my time teaching at SMU, but I have a strong desire to guide aspiring stage managers and technical theatre majors. I have seen many young people leave theatre completely, disappointed because they did not find the job of their dreams after graduation. I don't blame their training. So much success in the world of production is dependent on a student's desire and ability to put themselves in a place to be noticed by others who can help their career. I feel like this could be improved by employing a little strategic positioning in the early portion of their undergrad experience.</p>

<p>I've worked with hundreds of stagehands, producers, designers, directors and actors. I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the what it's like to be a student, teacher and professional practitioner. I won't claim to have insight on everything, but I know a lot about what I do know.</p>

<p>What I've learned from reading this forum for the last couple of years is that most students are not technical, rather actors/directors/designers. There are lots of people here with firsthand knowledge of programs and practices for those areas. Stage management is a curious and often misunderstood function of the performing arts, varying greatly between the disciplines of dance, theatre and opera. As such it's difficult to find a resource for real-world information regarding the profession.</p>

2

<p>Warning - Long post ahead :)</p>

<p>I’ve mentioned this in the first post, but I am probably not the best resource for specific schools and programs. There are many parents and students here who have a much greater knowledge of current curriculum, programming and admission trends than I. My area of expertise is primarily overall career guidance for technical production students and stage managers. Since it seems the bulk of the posts come from the perspective of actors, directors and other creative/performing areas, I offer a viewpoint from the technical production side of the world.</p>

<p>I would strongly encourage students tour the facilities of the schools they are interested in. Some things to look for:</p>

<p>How important is the technical program to the school? The answers to the questions below will give you a good idea.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>How well funded is the overall program? Obviously, some schools value their performing arts programs more than others. Good intentions are fine, if a school cannot realistically support a program with a high overhead cost like technical production then the student is ultimately going to lose out. Poorly funded programs should be an instant pass, in my opinion.</p></li>
<li><p>Is there a large tenured or at least tenure-track faculty? What are the real-world credentials of those faculty and staff members?</p></li>
<li><p>What is the overall attitude of those faculty and staff? If you’re smart, you can read between the lines and get a feel for the level of competency, dedication to the program, and general professionalism. Students learn what is and is not acceptable professional behavior directly from the Production Manager, Technical Director and their assigned department heads. If their attitude sucks, so will theirs. This is no minor thing. Jaded, surly stagehands do not make good role models.</p></li>
<li><p>What is the condition of the school’s physical plant? Are the rehearsal/performance spaces well kept, clean and fully functional? Does the shop have separate carpentry, welding and paint areas? Is there a spray booth in the paint shop? Does the prop department have its own area? What is the condition of the prop storage area? I’ve been to schools that were considered top-tier and been turned off by their lack of decent facilities. Actors can rehearse anywhere, but technical students who work in sub-par shops/theatres are missing out on the opportunity to excel in their craft.</p></li>
<li><p>How organized and user-friendly is the school’s rehearsal space schedule?</p></li>
<li><p>Is there office space provided for stage management? Printers? Internet access? Is there a call-in or other messaging system of some type to communicate daily rehearsal and costume fitting schedules? Technology is the friend of the SM. Schools who support that sort of professional infrastructure usually support their stage managers.</p></li>
<li><p>Is there a dedicated stage management faculty position? I don’t mean a TD or production manager who also teaches stage management. What are the qualifications of the resident stage manager? Is stage management class a requirement for all students?</p></li>
<li><p>How ambitious are the program’s technical productions? Motion control and automation are standard fare for professional theatre, and technical students should be learning the construction and operation of turntables, wagons, winch systems and rigging early on. Robotics and radio control are popular in the world of props. Moving lights are becoming more prevalent in colleges. Being able to program both conventional and moving lights are a professional must. Installing, addressing, trouble shooting movers as well as newer LED lighting fixtures is the way of the future. What kind of recording facilities does the school give to its audio and sound design departments? Do they have Pro Tools, Sound Forge and Sport Tracks or other workstations? How are audio cues run during productions? Everything is hard drive based these days. Playing clips back off of iTunes might work, but it’s not how professionals do it.</p></li>
<li><p>Finally, there is a movement in design and technical production known as “convergence”. It’s a design concept which combines scenic, lighting and projection to produce truly 21st century theatre. If you’ve ever seen Dancing with the Stars, The Voice or American Idol you’ve seen it in action. Projection and lighting become scenery. This has been embraced to the point that Yale School of Drama now has a video design MFA. It’s not a fad. If you find a school with a commitment to serious video design, it’s a good thing for sure.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I’m sure there’s more to add to this list. To be clear, I don’t think many (if any) school will be able to fully fulfill all of the above. There are a lot of grad programs out there who can’t satisfy all of the above, either. However, I would think any prospective student who asks these questions will find out very quickly how progressive the program is. It might make some faculty a little uneasy to answer these questions, as it highlights all of the potential shortcomings of their program. The schools who are up front with their answers and value the fact that you asked the questions in the first place are the ones you want to seriously consider.</p>