The show must go on, but the stage manager is missing. How will you navigate a critical technical glitch?
Theater thrives on unpredictability, but an absent stage manager can bring things to a halt. Here’s how to keep the show on track:
- Step up and delegate. Assign roles based on crew members' strengths and past experiences.
- Use a comprehensive checklist. This ensures all technical aspects are covered, even in the manager's absence.
- Maintain open lines of communication. Keep the cast and crew informed of changes and progress.
How do you manage unexpected backstage challenges? Share your strategies.
The show must go on, but the stage manager is missing. How will you navigate a critical technical glitch?
Theater thrives on unpredictability, but an absent stage manager can bring things to a halt. Here’s how to keep the show on track:
- Step up and delegate. Assign roles based on crew members' strengths and past experiences.
- Use a comprehensive checklist. This ensures all technical aspects are covered, even in the manager's absence.
- Maintain open lines of communication. Keep the cast and crew informed of changes and progress.
How do you manage unexpected backstage challenges? Share your strategies.
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While not impossible, it's highly unlikely a professional stage manager just "doesn't show." However, vacations, dr appointments, or medical emergencies that cause them a serious delay to the theater are much more likely to take place. When I was an assistant stage manager, I had my own binder with duplicate script notations to call a show if said emergency ever happened. I would also listen on headset every night to understand and memorize how the stage manager called all technical and lighting cues for the show. Have a secondary copy of the binder you leave at the theater in case you both are delayed. Also, communication is key. Inform the stage hands, lighting and sound techs of the absence so they can help you if you're struggling.
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It would be very stressful if you SM is missing. The main thing to keep in mind, is that if anything goes wrong, you and your crew would know BUT the audience would not. Keep calm, and have your notes ready, know what needs to be done, to keep the show going . If you are the director, you probably know the show inside out, so you could delegate to the crew the necessities to run it. The greatest skill is building teamwork, theatre is a team game, know your team, their strengths and you should be able to navigate any problems. One time, we had a power outage, all the lights went out, from the wings I pointed to the actors on stage to keep going, the audience responded to that energy by lighting their phone flashes, and we had a great show!
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I have never known a stage manager worth their salt who doesn’t have extensive checklists. Good stage managers build systems around the production that minimize the impact of the absence of any individual.
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IF The SM was an effective one - then the ASM should be fully clued up on the show and should be able to transition with relative grace and ease into the helm. If not, then it is paramount that the production team rally around the ASM to aide them in adapting to the challenges they have been met with.
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When missing an absent stage manager you'd better start looking towards the key acting roles, their understudies, and those other staff that make sure the show goes on in the stage manager's absence. On the preproduction of a performance everyone should have received direction to ensure a quality production. The absence of such a stage manager will stress the production and those struggling to act without the complacency of a well directed stage presence will suffer if they haven't prepared preproduction. In conclusion when the cast and show must go on it is the work behind the scenes that the audience sees and a competent cast can usually deliver a quality performance. The proof is in the practice!
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