by Stacey A. Smith

Created on: January 02, 2011   Last Updated: January 04, 2011

The show must go on! That is the mantra of live theater and the responsibility to make this happen falls fully on the shoulders of the stage manager.

The director prepares the actors during rehearsals to be ready for opening night. The director chooses the props and has the final decision on costumes, make-up and hair. The director works with the tech crew to solidify sound and lighting cues. All of this is in preparation leading up to the live performances and on those nights the director hands over the show to the stage manager.

The stage manager runs the live shows and is in charge of making sure the director's vision is achieved. This position is key to successful performances and the best way for the stage manager to make this happen is organization.

A stage manager's prompt book is like the production's bible. This book contains all the important information to make sure the show goes off without a hitch.

Organization for the prompt book starts with a large binder. This binder will hold everything vital to a successful show starting with a copied version of the script. By using a copier to copy the script, large margins are created which will be used to copy down all character information during the specific scenes, such as blocking. Blocking is movement for the actors attached to dialogue, it is the fundamental basis for keeping the show moving, The stage manager needs to know where all actors are at all time to keep the show moving.

Aside from character cues, the margins in the script should also include both lighting and sound cues. Throughout the acts, the stage manager is responsible for communicating the lighting and sound cues to the tech crew. Assigning a different color pen for each of the three cues (character, lighting, and sound) will help to easily make sense of all the notes that will quickly fill the margins. Using writing that is clear and easily read will help to ensure a smooth opening night.

An organized prompt book should also include  variety of lists. First and foremost a complete list of cast and crew that details contact numbers is vital. This list will get a lot of use so filing it  in the front of the binder will help with easy access.  A list of props cross referenced with scene, start location, end location and character that uses the prop is also needed. This list will come in handy for the stage manager to set up the show before the performance and tracking down all props at the end of performance as well. A costume list that details all costume changes for each character in each scene will also be useful. A rehearsal schedule list that details what will be covered on what day is also needed. This list should be located at the beginning of the binder for quick reference. Rehearsal dates can often be changed or added and finding it easily will help keep the list accurate and up to date.

Having all this information is only helpful to the stage manager if its organized in the prompt book. The binder is a good start, along with color-coding notes by designating certain colors to certain information, such as all lighting cues written in red ink. Another good organizational tool to use is dividers and tabs separating the sections. Use the tabs to identify and separate acts, scenes and all lists. By clearly labeling the tabs, the info can be  found quickly and easily.

Although the stage manager position comes with big responsibilities it can be a very rewarding job, Using patience to gather info for the prompt book may be daunting but the real key to being a successful stage manager is knowing that all the useful information is organized in the prompt book.

Learn more about this author, Stacey A. Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.