Knightdale Drama Club/Knightdale Repertory Theatre

Stage Manager Duty Roster

Stage Manager

Associate Stage Manager

Assistant Stage Manager

Production______

Appoints an assistant (ASM) for the show
Establishes a program for stage management recruitment
Completes a tutorial with the director on assessment of needs
Maintains a callboard with up-to-date information, i.e. calendars, schedules, breakdown, call sheets and any upcoming events
Acts as a liaison between the director, the production staff and the performers
Informs artistic, production and technical staffs of all standard operating procedures and systems for facilitating the working theatre process
Discusses all rules and theatre etiquette with backstage staff
Conducts one major production meeting each week and more if the need arises
Maintains order backstage and brings any major concerns to the director
Publishes a communiqué on the production meeting and distributes information to all production area coordinators, designers and operators
Meets with the director to establish vocabulary for the most effective communication
Completes a weekly rehearsal report (done daily in the professional theatre)
Gives daily reminders of any changes from the director and/or changes from the production team that have been sanctioned by the director and/or the ministry leader
Records the actions of the rehearsal, including latecomers, their reasons, the rehearsal staring and ending times
Makes the director aware of scheduled break time (five minutes for every hour or ten minutes for every hour and twenty minutes. The break should come at the end of a scene or an act
Makes the director aware of the time every 15 minutes or so in rehearsal. Please use an audible voice
Distributes notes from production meetings and rehearsals to the production team
Sets up all fitting sessions with the costume designers and wardrobe supervisors
Reminds all actors/performers of appointments with the press, i.e. interviews, tapings, etc
Makes copies of all memos, references and correspondences and keeps them on file
Keeps a prompt book of all information about the production at hand all of the time with no less than the following: a) contact list
b) a production list
c) an original cast list
d) schedules, calendars, and the important dates form
e) copied paper work from all production coordinators
f) rehearsal reports
g) production meeting reports
h) a script with all up to date blocking and notes from the director
i) a color coded legend that shows light, sound, costume, props, special effects, set changes, makeup and curtain cues.
If the show contains other multimedia items, they should also be included.
Give actors command to “standby” when the director is ready to rehearse the scene. Please give the performer a “roadmap” of where the scene begins (i.e. page number and line) Begin by saying , “We will take if from…”
Shout “hold” when the director stops the action
When the company returns from a break, simple state “We’re back” to indicate that the appointed time is up and the director is ready to begin
Once actors are off book, share with them a record of any line omitted or stated incorrectly at the end of the rehearsal. Let them know if they have changed the original blocking
Always sit at the right hand of the director, preferably at a table that will accommodate all of your belongings
Arrive at least 30 minutes before the company and the director to prepare the space, set up the rehearsal stage and have ready any handouts that need to go to the performers
Remind actors of procedures for costume cleaning and repairs.
Prepares a sign in sheet for every rehearsal and performance for sign in and sign out
Stage managers should have a little “Stage Manager’s Kit. At a minimum, it should have clean white paper, post it notes, index cards, several pencils, rubber bands, paper clips, pens, big markers hi-liters, a stapler, masking tape and several colors of spiking tape
Stage manager marks out (or tapes out) the floor with accurate measurements. Mark each scene and or level of the set with a different color
During tech week, be prepared to stay long hours
On the performance days, please give warnings beginning with “45 minutes before curtain”, next is “30 minutes…15 minutes…, 10 minutes…, 5 minutes… and finally you say “Two minute warning” and then “Places, everyone”.
Place wall charts in the corridors/wings of the theatre. They contain information on the order of the scenes and place of entrance
Ask the running crew to set up lights for the show and the stage manager’s station
Inform the house manager (or head usher) when you are ready to begin the performance
Begin by directing the board operator. Say "lights to half…lights out… curtain going up…lights fade in”
At the intermission, keep an accurate time and check with the house manager to let him/her know when it is time to end intermission and start the second act
Make sure that each scene is timed during the tech week and during the run.
A performance report should be given to the director and the producer that shows the time and any “holds” on the show
The stage manager is always cognizant of time. Never start a show more than five minutes late unless there is a real reason to hold the show such as technical difficulty or people are still “streaming” into the house. We must be good stewards of time so that our patrons know that we are time conscious organization—we value them and we value their time and the effort they made to come on time
When a performance ends, the stage manager and associates should reset the stage for Act I for the next performance
Be prepared to help with strike
Write notes and letters of thanks to all people who supported the show with in kind gifts and services

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