Stage Managers Do Make Coffee

Taking Blocking Notation

Remember that directons are given from the actor's perspective when looking at the audience. Here are some useful shorthand blocking abbreviations:

When recording blocking, you should also be taking notes to track the movement of every prop, costume and set piece. You should know where all of these items start, when and where they move, who moves them and where they end up. This will allow you to prepare accurate, detailed preset lists for your crew. It also allows you to quickly reset the stage during rehearsals if the Director wants to pick up in the middle of a scene.

The two most important qualities in a good prompter are tactfulness and the ability to block out all disruptions, focusing only on the script. The second that an actor calls, �Line� the prompter should begin the feed the words straight from the script. One of the hardest things for many prompters to do is to keep the energy of the scene constant without entering their own interpretation of the line into the prompt.

No matter how funny the mistake, remember that part of the SM�s job is to make the actors comfortable. The SM shouldn�t laugh at mistakes or do anything that would make company members uneasy. Remember, it is the duty of the SM to create an atmosphere in which anything is possible. This atmosphere is essential for fostering the creative energy inside of everyone involved with the production.

I learned this lesson the hard way as an ASM. I was holding book for a rehearsal of Vaclav Havel�s The Memorandum. Much of the dialogue in this play is repetitive or written in an invented language used only in the world of the play.

One night I got tickled because the actors were twisting some of the lines around and basically talking themselves in circles. The rehearsal process for this show was rather solemn and my giggly response when someone called for a line was not appropriate or appreciated. After a discussion on prompting etiquette with the PSM, I made a conscious effort to keep my thoughts to myself during rehearsals. (And she admitted she was having a heck of a time not laughing herself during that particular rehearsal!)

Occasionally, SM�s will want to take written line notes to distribute to the actors detailing mistakes or deviations from the script. I use these notes most often when I am working on a show written in rhymed verse, such as Shakespeare or Moliere. If someone on the SM team is an excellent note-taker, it is the most effective way of keeping the company true to the playwright�s words.

One of the hardest things for beginning SM�s to remember is that not everything is their fault. When a musical director is red-faced and screaming at you because the director won�t give anyone a schedule, take a deep breath. Silently remind yourself not to take anything he says personal. Listen to his problems. Assure him that you�ll fix everything. Now take the problem in hand and do everything you can to bring him back into The Comfort Zone. Eventually you will get an apology. You will definitely earn everyone�s respect if you don�t raise your own voice and you listen attentively to his problems and complaints.

When handling an upset performer during a show, the best word of encouragement you can offer are, �The audience doesn�t know what it is supposed to look like,� and �Clear your head, regain your focus and move on.�

No matter what happens, Stage Managers do not yell or scream. The SM team can complain to each other in private as much as they need, but don�t let anyone in the company hear your negative comments. No matter how bad the situation, remember that the SM must do her best to remain upbeat and positive at all times. When things seem impossible, everyone will be looking to the SM for assurance that things will turn out all right. A SM who loses her cool or complains all the time has no chance of creating The Comfort Zone.

When the whole production seems to be falling apart around you, my best words of advice can only be borrowed from professional Stage Manager Thomas Kelly, �All things are not of equal importance.� Each new challenge that a SM faces is a learning experience. Prioritize your tasks and remember that it�s only theatre, not AIDS research.