What should you know before starting a career in stage management?

It's ok to not have the answer to every question. Know that being a stage manager is about service and that you are a facilitator for collaboration.

At its peak, stage management is an opportunity to combine a wide variety of skills - artistic, social, technical and managerial - and to make a major contribution to the quality of a show. Dedication is essential. A stage manager both serves the creative process and leads from behind the scenes. The stage management team is first in and last out. They ensure that everything is perfectly prepared for when the performers and creatives arrive. When others take a break, the stage managers prepare for the next rehearsal or show. When others leave, the stage managers write their reports on the day. The reward... the knowledge that you are indispensable, and that if anyone wants to know what, where, when, why or how, they will come to you first.

For me stage management has always been about preparing for the worst and putting on the best. So make sure you're prepared for anything and if you aren't taking care of whatever is thrown your way with a smile.

In my experience, stage management requires what’s mentioned above, but also the ability to be 100% present in the moment, especially as you’re calling the show. When you’re calling the show, sometimes you have to be able to intuitively feel when the actors are going to say a line or hit a mark, while simultaneously being able to communicate the calls to your tech crew so that both sides of the performance are seamlessly executed. Going back to the initial sentence of this post, calling a show is a skill that takes a while to master. A good stage manager is worth their weight in gold.

If you studied theater, it's best not to advertise it. I've worked with numerous "stage managers" who justified their poor decisions based on their degree. If you must pursue higher education, consider a business management degree instead. Begin as a stagehand, absorb knowledge, and maintain humility. This approach offers a genuine understanding of the entertainment industry, with fewer people fixing your mistakes if you avoid flaunting your qualifications and making terrible choices. Strive to grasp all aspects of the business, take responsibility for errors, and learn from them. As a former stage manager myself, I recognize the split-second decisions you're entrusted with. Trust your instincts, and be confident without arrogance.

I agree with almost all of this, but I would personally find it odd if I was tasked to scout and book the venue as a stage manager. I also think it’s odd if you’re creeping towards technical director duties in terms of handling equipment rentals etc, but as it states, the role varies for the size of the production - and ultimately what’s stated in your contract in terms of your role’s responsibility.

You need to prepare yourself to be flexible in any roles and responsibilities given. Yes it may be hard, but make sure you learn something new and surely it will add up on your character formation. ??

El director de escena permitidme el símil es como el capitán de un submarino tiene que buscar soluciones a los problemas que se den para no terminar hundidos. Además de tener la visión completa del proyecto y el rumbo que ha de llevar

This is very accurate, and as the stage manager, you’re ultimately responsible for a lot of moving parts amidst a sea of chaos. If someone that you’re responsible for screws up, it’s your job that’s on the chopping block depending on how severe the screw up is. But, it is rewarding and awesome to be a part of a theatre family for a run of a show, so know your strengths and jump into the stage managing pool once you’ve really honed your understanding of how a show works and how all the moving parts in that show work as well.

There are few things more rewarding than steering the production ship to opening night. The gratification is immediate and backed up by the audience's reaction. However, the skills required to be a successful stage manager translate to a lot of other fields with more humane work hours and lower stress. You have to love the industry and believe in promoting the art.

In my opinion you personally have to have the rewards outweigh the challenges. As soon as you begin to get bitter it is time to move on. As a stage manager you do not often receive much praise, no applause - and so you have to find the role rewarding and self motivation is key.

Agreed. It is the most important role in production that is often overlooked. The stage manager is responsible for creating solutions…even when it’s impossible to everyone else. To forecast tasks, events, attitude, crowd energy and many other variables that may present itself. Functioning as electricity that powers an event the stage manager should ensure the smoothest flow and transition occurs in dedicated timelines. The stage manager is allowed anywhere in the venue of the event or activity. All powerful.

While there are many job specific skills needed to be a top notch stage manager, some of the most important you will ever use on a daily basis are soft skills that cannot be taught. The job requires you to creatively inspire others into action so that when unprecedented challenges occur everyone will trust you to calmly lead them through it. Your cast and crew needs to know they can trust their safety in your hands every time they take the stage and you will honor that trust by protecting them via the decisions you make when problems occur. It’s a given that things WILL go wrong, so how you respond in those moments is what shows your cast and crew your true leadership skills. Earn their trust with true leadership in those opportunities.

I’m an Actor, while I greatly appreciate the role of a stage manager, I have no experience. My preference and experience (since the age of 4) is picking up the story and bringing it to life. However, getting degrees in Theatre makes an actor more well rounded as we learn a little bit about all involved in the production.