The Stage Manager's Toolkit

Introduction: The Stage Manager as Communicator

One of the most important roles in any theatrical production is that of the stage manager. A clearinghouse for information, the stage manager is responsible for organizing rehearsals and running performances. The requirements for the job include confidence, strong organizational and management skills, understanding and compassion, a sense of humor, and the motivation to initiate tasks and follow them through to completion. The stage manager works as a team with the director, production manager, designers, technicians, and actors, facilitating a process in which creativity can flourish.

In less official terms, the stage manager might be thought of as the “air-traffic controller” of a theatrical production, ...