The Stage Manager's Toolkit, 2nd Edition

The Stage Manager's Toolkit, 2nd Edition

by Laurie Kincman
Released November 2016
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781317292593

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Book description

The Stage Manager’s Toolkit provides a comprehensive account of the role of the stage manager for live theatre with a focus on both written and verbal communication best practices.

The book outlines the duties of the stage manager and assistant stage manager throughout a production, discussing not only what to do but why. The book identifies communication objectives for each phase of production, paperwork to be created, and the necessary questions to be answered in order to ensure success.

This book was written for Stage Management courses in Theatre programs and for the working professional.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Foreword
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Preface to the Second Edition
  8. Introduction: The Stage Manager as Communicator
  9. Chapter 1: Avenues of Communication
    1. Face-to-Face Communication
    2. Written Communication
  10. Chapter 2: Principles of Document Design
    1. Identifying Your Audience
    2. Page Layout
    3. Fonts
    4. Color and Shading
    5. Accessibility
    6. Continuity
    7. What's in a Name?
    8. Ready to Begin
  11. Chapter 3: Pre-Production
    1. Given Circumstances
    2. The Calendar
    3. Analyzing the Production
    4. The Character/Scene Breakdown
    5. Meeting with the Director
    6. Meeting the Production Team
    7. The Prop List
    8. Specialty Charts
    9. Auditions
    10. The Contact Sheet
    11. Thinking about the SM Team
    12. Next Steps
  12. Chapter 4: The Prompt Book
    1. Organizing the Prompt Book
    2. Preparing the Prompt Script
    3. The Script for the Musical
    4. Ready for Launch
  13. Chapter 5: Rehearsals
    1. First Rehearsal
    2. Table Work
    3. Music and Dance Rehearsals
    4. Blocking
    5. The Daily Call
    6. Conflicts
    7. Fittings
    8. The First Run-Through
    9. Organizing Yourself
    10. Scene Work
    11. The Rehearsal Report
    12. Production Meetings
    13. Adding the Elements
    14. Updating Paperwork
    15. Rehearsals for Dance
    16. Concluding Time in the Hall
  14. Chapter 6: Technical Rehearsals
    1. Creating the Tech Schedule
    2. Types of Tech Rehearsals
    3. Preparing for Tech
    4. Technology for the Stage Manager
    5. Delegation
    6. Working with the Crew
    7. The Preset List
    8. More About Prop Tables
    9. The Shift Plot
    10. Paperwork Variations
    11. The Costume Plot
    12. Cueing
    13. Partnership with the Musical Director
    14. Tech for Dance
    15. The Art of It All
    16. Stepping Up to Run the Show
    17. Rehearsal Reports during the Tech Period
  15. Chapter 7: Performances
    1. Previews
    2. Refining Your Routine
    3. Opening Night
    4. Working with Front-of-House
    5. The Performance Report
    6. Changing Personnel
    7. Maintaining the Artistic Integrity ofYour Show
    8. Working with Understudies
    9. Emergency Plans and Problem-Solving
  16. Chapter 8: Next Steps
    1. Moving the Production
    2. The End of the Line—Or Is It?
    3. The Post-Mortem
  17. Chapter 9: Teaching Stage Management
    1. Overall Philosophy
    2. Curriculum
    3. Practical Experiences
    4. The Introductory Course
    5. Advanced Study
    6. Evaluation and Grading
    7. Learning On Your Own
  18. Epilogue: Final Thoughts
  19. Appendix
    1. Actors' Equity Association
    2. The Stage Manager's Kit
    3. Emergency Announcements
    4. More Paperwork
    5. Web Resources
    6. Suggested Reading
  20. Notes
  21. Author Biography
  22. Index

Product information

  • Title: The Stage Manager's Toolkit, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Laurie Kincman
  • Release date: November 2016
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781317292593