Guide To Stage Management: Colby Theater & Dance
Guide To Stage Management: Colby Theater & Dance
Guide To Stage Management: Colby Theater & Dance
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Congratulations!
Running Rehearsals
Delegating
Taking Blocking
10
Production Meetings
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Accept responsibility
Keep their cool
Keep their eyes and ears open and know when to share their opinions
Think ahead
Are considerate
Keep their sense of humor
Are organized and efficient
Are punctual and dependable
Approach all of your duties from a perspective of What can I do to make this the show the very best it
can be? With this question at the heart of all your actions as a stage manager, you will not only make
it through the process alive, but you will also shine as a great stage manager in the Theater and Dance
department.
In order to be available to help your director and cast during the rehearsal process, you need to
prepare yourself as much as possible before rehearsals begin. Being able to answer questions and point
people in the right direction with minimal effort on your part will make your job a million times easier
and less stressful. But the only way that will happen is to plan ahead and get organized. So lets get to
it!
Rehearsal Prep Checklist
read and be familiar with the Departments Safety Information Sheets found at
In order to be prepared for anything and to maximize rehearsal time, youll want to have the things
youll need for rehearsal on hand in an easy-to-access place. Below is a list of the minimum inventory
you should be sure to have, but if you think of other things that would be useful please add them to
the list.
You should meet with Debi Ward, Department Administrative Secretary, to arrange for payment of any
replacement items. Make sure the SM kit is complete before rehearsals begin.
SM Kit Checklist
antacid
band-aid, brush-on, clear
band-aids, assorted
batteries, 8 @ AA size, 4 @ D size
brads (1-inch)
breath mints
can opener
chalk
cough drops (sugarless)
dental floss
dust cloth
eraser, large, art gum
foot tape
flashlight
gauze
hair pins
hole punch
instant ice packs
magnifying glass
moist towelettes, individually wrapped
nail clippers
nail file
Neosporin
note cards, 3 x 5
paper clips
**Note that for health safety reasons, the Department does not provide aspirin/ibuprofen/
acetaminophen or any other medications than the ones listed above.
**First-aid supplies in the SM kit are there as a convenience and not as a replacement to any of the
first-aid kits in the theaters, shops, dance studio, or front office. Quantities of these supplies in
the SM kit should be kept fairly minimal.
The most important key to keeping yourself organized and efficient in rehearsals is to have a really
well set-up prompt book. Spend some time on this project before rehearsals start. It will make all the
difference to your sanity as the production moves through its various phases.
For a scripted play or dance, start with a copy of the script and a binder. Each page of the prompt
book should be a page of the script blown up on an 8 x 11 sheet of paper (single-sided). You want
the text as big as you can get it, leaving a 1 margin on the left hand side and 1 on the top, bottom
and right sides. Make sure that any weird copier gray is cleaned up, since you need to be able to write
in the margins.
On the back of each script page, copy the blocking sheet template from the back of this workbook. If
you have a ground plan of your set, you can tape a copy of it in the blank box at the top of the
template before you make the copies. This will save you some time later when you are writing in
blocking.
Hole punch the script on the RIGHT hand side of the pages. This is backwards from how you would
usually set up a binder, but for your prompt book you will be laying out the text of the script on the
left hand side and the blocking sheets on the right side.
Use some dividers (or post-it notes on the edge of a sheet of paper) to make places for your paperwork
you will be generating during rehearsals and to keep any notes on the show organized.
Examples of recent Department show prompt books are available from the Chairs office. Looking at
an example is extremely helpful before getting started.
Heres how your layout should look once you get set up. For a more in depth explanation of prompt
book notation, see the appendix.
A lot of your stress can be avoided by having a good conversation with your soon-to-be-best-friend, the
Director. Once again, being prepared with the right questions to ask will save you grief down the road.
Its important to get a feel for the directors rehearsal style and what they expect from you.
Questions for your pre-rehearsal meeting with the director
How would you like to organize the first day of rehearsal? May I have some time to make
announcements to the cast before we start?
Do you want me to help you create the master calendar of rehearsals and performances?
When and how often do you want to build in breaks during rehearsal?
How would you like me to get your attention when its time for a break?
Do you have any particular requests in terms of blocking notes?
Do you have any additional items youd like to include on the rehearsal report?
At the end of your meeting, be sure to make a plan to have a daily after-rehearsal check-in. You will
frequently have questions after rehearsals and its good to try and get the director into getting into the
habit of checking-in with you before they leave for the night, since other members of rehearsal will be
vying for their attention too. Remember that good communication with the director is essential for the
stage manager to be effective, and if you dont feel you are getting the information you need, you
have every right to ask for it.
RUNNING REHEARSALS
During rehearsals through performances, the stage manager is the official timekeeper of the production
and should call the start and stop of the rehearsal to the director so that they can keep things moving
along. Calling a break during rehearsals is also part of the timekeeper role. You should discuss in
advance with the director when he/she would like to fit in the break(s). For the most part, directors
will run a scene, stop the scene and give notes, then reset and do the scene again. If you are working
with someone who you know does not like to stop, you may try to gently tell them between the notes
and resetting that after you run the scene again it would be a great time to take a break. Always ask
the director before calling a break! Never just pipe up and announce Were taking five!
One of the trickiest parts for a stage manager is sitting in rehearsals while artistic decisions are being
made and resisting the urge to chime in with opinions on acting, choreography, or staging. This is not
the function of the stage manager and it is inappropriate for the SM or ASM to give unsolicited advice.
Sometimes you will work with directors who will ask for your opinion and in that case its fine to speak
up. If you really have strong feelings about something its fine to make notes and speak with the
director on a break or after rehearsal. Never give out these artistic ideas in front of the cast! You
may not know what the director ultimately has in mind for the scene and you may disrupt the process if
you throw unwanted ideas around the room. However, if you know a logistic or safety reason that
something the director is trying to do wont work, by all means say something. (For example, if the
director is thinking that someone is going to make a two minute costume change in 15 seconds and be
on time for their entrance then its important that you flag that for the director and, if needed, discuss
it in a production meeting.)
RUNNING REHEARSALS
Once you get your first rehearsal started, you can take a deep breath. All that preparation means you
can now watch the things that youve set in motion grow into a full-fledged show! Make sure that you
take your moment before things get started to go over any announcements that you need to make
about safety, paperwork and the rehearsal schedule.
DELEGATING
Just because the stage manager is responsible for a task doesnt mean that the SM has to personally do
the task. It means that the SM needs to make sure that the task is done and done well, but delegating
is the only way to make it all happen and stay sane. During regular rehearsals the tasks should be
divided up:
Stage Manager
being on book, when working with a script (This is actually a really big responsibility - the longer
a performer has to wait for their line to be delivered, the more out of the moment the cast
becomes and the less productive the rehearsal becomes. It is very important to stay right on the
text and jump immediately in with the line if someone calls for it.)
resetting scenes or dances while the Director or Choreographer is giving notes (This is also a big
one, as it saves lots of time)
Plan to meet with your ASM(s) before rehearsals start and let them know how you would like rehearsals
to be run, what your expectations of them are and any information that you learned from the Director
that might be useful to your team. Remember that just as you are looking to the director for guidance,
your crew will be looking for your direction.
RUNNING REHEARSALS
During rehearsals you will have help with all of your duties in the form of one, if not more, assistant
stage managers (ASM). The Assistant Stage Manager can ease a lot of the stress that comes from
needing to be everywhere at once and if you let them, they can be your secret weapon.
TAKING BLOCKING
1. Be sure to delegate other tasks to your ASM(s) so that you can be focused on the director and cast.
2. Use a system of shorthand (it has to be something that you will understand later!) to swiftly make
notes as the performers move around.
3. Pay attention when the director is talking! That way if theres any disagreement about what a
performers next move is supposed to be, you will brilliantly have the directors preference
written down.
In order to notate blocking quickly, abbreviations are used for each section of the stage, as depicted in
the diagram below. (When taking blocking for a show in the round, the stage is usually divided up into
the face of a clock, with 6 oclock being the position of the tech booth.) Also for your notation
shorthand, use abbreviations of the character names not performer names in case someone unfamiliar
with your production has to step in and use your book. They may not know your performers names, but
they will be able to follow characters in the script.
So if your performer playing the character Jim is crossing stage left to a table, the quick way to notate
that would be J x SL to table. I used the first initial of the character name and drew a circle
around it so that I can see performer movements at a glance. I used x to stand for cross and just
filled in the action. If it was a smaller move, only a couple of steps, I would abbreviate it J x 2 to
table. I dont need the word steps, I know that if theres a number there, Im talking about that
number of steps.
When you are using the blocking sheet template (see the appendix) the idea is to write the blocking on
a line and then write the corresponding number for the movement in the script where the action
happens. This keeps your text free from clutter so that you can place in your light and sound cues later
and still be able to see all the information on a page at once. When you are picking the number on the
blocking sheet to assign to a move, try to keep them in chronological order according to the order of
the actions and skip lines so that if more moves get added you can still more-or-less keep them in
order.
USR
US
USL
(up stage)
SR
CS
SL
(stage right)
(center stage)
(stage left)
DSR
DS
DSL
(down stage)
RUNNING REHEARSALS
A primary responsibility of the stage manager is to assist the director and cast in remembering the
blocking decisions that were made during rehearsals. Having accurate notation will also make the tech
process smoother for you: when the lighting designer says Take cue 156 on their cross downstage,
you will brilliantly have that move right there in your book and youll know precisely where to place
the cue. Some keys to taking successful blocking notes at are:
A big part of the stage managers job is facilitating communication and disseminating information.
Writing daily rehearsal reports keeps designers and other production team members in the loop
regarding whats happening in rehearsal without the stage manager having to track each person down
individually. During rehearsal, jot notes down either on a notepad or directly into the report on the
computer. Keep the tone of your note neutral; We would like to add a bottle of soda would be a
good way to word a note under the props section. In theory, all of the designers and department heads
should be reading all of the rehearsal report, but sometimes they just scan their own section so its
advisable to copy and paste notes that affect several departments into each of their sections on the
report. Rehearsal reports should be sent out the same day as rehearsal. If youre able to keep a running
list in your computer during rehearsal, all you have left to do is format, read through and make sure
you got all the notes and that youve made yourself clear, then copy and paste into the body of a fresh
email and send it to your show distribution list you set up during prep.
Important: make sure that all rehearsal notes are sent as fresh emails to the distribution list (as
opposed to hitting the reply all for the previous days email). This avoids confusion.
For a rehearsal report template, see the appendix.
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RUNNING REHEARSALS
REHEARSAL REPORTS
The stage manager is responsible for scheduling and running the weekly production meetings. Its a
good idea to jot down some points from your rehearsal reports that would benefit from a conversation
with everyone in the room. If its a topic that could be discussed one-on-one (as opposed to a group
discussion), then it is better to save time and hold that discussion separately. You should take notes at
the meeting (or better yet, have the ASM take notes so you can focus on running the meeting) and
email the notes to everyone by the end of the day of the meeting. Follow the outline below and do
your best to keep the meeting on track.
I. Budget Status Reports (allow 5 minutes)
-Costumes & Makeup
-Sets/Props, Lights, & Sound
-Other
II. Safety (allow 10 minutes)
A. Discuss risk assessments before the production process begins, during the rehearsal process,
and before the show opens
B. Plan emergency preparedness (especially before rehearsals begin and then again before
technical rehearsals begin)
III. Departmental Reports & Discussion (allow 30 minutes)
NOTE: Change the order of these departments as timing and needs demand.
Usually costumes, props, and scenery need the most time in the early phase
of production. Lights and sound should receive higher priority as tech
rehearsals approach. Also check the publicity timeline. As those deadlines
near, publicity should take precedence. Above all, make sure time is
allotted for all departments. Keep the meeting focused and moving!
-Costumes
-Props
-Scenery
-Lights
-Sound
-Projection
-Makeup
-Stage Management
-Program
IV. Scheduling rehearsals and next meeting. (allow 5 minutes)
11
RUNNING REHEARSALS
PRODUCTION MEETINGS
A really easy way to build your run sheets is to keep a post-it on the fist blocking page of each scene.
When you get to a new scene in rehearsal, jot down all the set pieces and props needed for the scene
and any set pieces or props from the previous scene that need to be struck. This will give you a quick
cheat sheet of everything that will need to move, and when you get to the point in rehearsals where
the director is ready to block scene changes, you will be prepared to make sure no prop gets left
behind!
As soon as you get into stumble-throughs of the show, you can start to assemble your official run
sheets. Working with the template in the appendix, assign specific people to as many moves as you
can. This will help you see places where you might need extra crew members to move an unwieldy set
piece or where an performer may have to pre-set their own prop in the wings because all of your crew
is busy.
A good percentage of your crew will be from other theater classes and will not have been in rehearsal.
Try to put enough information on the sheet that someone unfamiliar with the show can pick it up and
follow along fairly easily but not so much information that they get bogged down in irrelevant details
and miss their cues. Its also helpful if you give everyone their own copy of the run sheets with their
assignments highlighted. If you have a set that changes lot, I would recommend blowing-up sketches of
the ground plan set configuration for each scene and posting them, labeled and in chronological order,
on the walls backstage, out of audience sight lines (this is a great job for your ASM). That way a crew
member can tell with a glance at the run sheet Im moving the bunk bed to stage left with the ASM
and a quick look at the wall will give them a visual sense of where the set piece is currently and where
they will be moving it in the next scene. It is usually a good idea to also post your run sheets backstage
so that people can have their hands free and dont have to keep reaching in their pockets for their
sheets.
No matter how well you plan ahead in rehearsals, THINGS WILL CHANGE DURING TECH. Encourage
your crew to write down all of the changes and additions to their assignments on their run sheets and
then have your ASM collect them at the end of rehearsal. Make changes to the master run sheets and
have new, highlighted copies for everyone at the next rehearsal. Again, this is a great project for your
ASM.
Dealing with run sheets in advance is a cinch and can save a lot of time and confusion during tech.
Putting them off until the night before tech will make you a miserable person, so dont let it happen!
For the run sheet template, see the appendix.
Things to note while looking at the run sheet template:
1. Dont split a scene change across a page break.
2. Keep each persons moves for each scene change together in chronological order. That way all they
have to do is look at their part and they wont miss a move.
3. Be sure to put a version number at the top so that people will know if they are using the latest
version.
4. Try to put as much relevant information in the notes section, but not so much that its confusing.
How long someone has for a quick change is good to note, but all the pieces involved in the change
should be on a separate run sheet for the wardrobe person.
5.
Its a good idea to make the footer page ? of total pages so that people will know if
theyve lost a page.
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RUNNING REHEARSALS
During rehearsals you and your ASM should work on building the run sheets that the crew will use to
learn their parts backstage. Its important to take the time to work on these during rehearsals so that
you are not trying to construct them from memory the night before tech!
13
A company meeting is usually scheduled at the beginning of the first technical rehearsal and the stage
manager is in charge of running the meeting. The most important thing is to keep this meeting up-beat
and positive! Try to stay away from negative statements as much as possible. This is an exciting time
and a big list of rules will kill all enthusiasm. On the other hand, you must be very clear about the
protocol for the tech process, particularly as it relates to safety. Before you go into the meeting,
review the Theater & Dance Safety Information Sheets which can be found here:
web.colby.edu/theater/?page_id=399
TYPICAL COMPANY MEETING AGENDA
I. Introductions (let everyone introduce themselves and explain their role in the production.)
II. Overview of the tech rehearsal process
A. Describe each type of upcoming rehearsal (remember that some of the people in the
company have never done a show at Colby before)
B. Give the Director(s)/Choreographer(s)/Musical Director(s) a chance to add anything
C. Give the Designer(s) a chance to add anything
D. Give the Costume Shop Manager a chance to add anything
III. Procedures & Policies
A. Punctuality (including Go, Stop and Dismiss times)
B. Sign-in Sheet (remind people that they should sign-in for themselves)
C. No food/drink in theater, stage, shop (non-show food, that is)
1. Have run crew return prop plates, etc. to dining hall, dont leave for custodians
D. Announce the rehearsal date that performers should stop walking down the aisle through the
proscenium arch to make entrances (usually first dress but check with director)
E. Announce the rehearsal date that performers and backstage personnel are no longer to
watch from the house (usually second dress but check with director)
IV. Emergency Preparedness
A. 5911 or 207-859-5911 (not 911)
B. Fire Drill
1. Check-in point
2. No talking
C. Location of First Aid Kit
D. Location of Approved Fire Exits
E. Location of Fire Extinguishers
F. Location of Fire Alarm Pull Stations
G. Location of Fire Blankets
1. Stop, Drop, & Roll (facing down)
V. Other
A. Explain ticket/admission procedures
B. Anything else as defined by the production team at the last production meeting prior to this
company meeting
VI. Wrap Up
A. Final Thoughts/Questions
B. Announce how long until places
1. Allow a reasonable amount of time to make an on-time Go feasible
14
Calling the show is a big part of the stage managers role, and most people find it the most enjoyable
part of the job. Its very much the equivalent of being a performer; you have to know your part (but
not from memory!) and you have to be on time with your cues. There is a certain art to being able to
call a show well and a lot of what it takes to be successful is you guessed it being organized!
Remember how we were very specific with the way that we copied the script and set-up the prompt
book? Now is the time that prep pays off. During the pre-tech process you will get cues from your
designers which will include the name of the cue (typically a number for lighting and a letter for sound
so that they are less apt to get confused when you are calling the show) and a placement which will be
based on either text in the script or an action on stage. As soon as you get the cue placements, you
should go ahead and write them in your script, IN PENCIL, as things will change during tech. You should
write your cues in the left-hand margin of the script (arent you glad we left all that room there?) and
you should write exactly what you are going to say so that when you call the cue all you have to do is
read exactly what is on the page.
After you have the cues in your book, you can add Standbys. Standbys are used to give your board
operators a heads up that they have a cue coming up and it is their job to put a finger on the button at
the standby so that all they have to do is push it when you call the GO. Try to place your standbys
early enough that your board op can respond to your call (typically they respond with: Lights or
Sound or whatever they are running so that you know they heard you) and get in place, but not so
early that they lose focus and forget that theyre standing by. For people with cues that require them
to get into place (i.e. Fly cues), allow a little extra time for them to get there. Feel free to adjust your
standby placements based on feedback from your crew.
On your first rehearsal with your board ops, carve out a little bit of time before you start rehearsals to
orient everyone who is on headset during the show and to go over headset protocol. Make sure that
everyone knows how to turn the headset on and off and where the volume knob is located. Talk
through the cue calling procedure, First I will call a standby, you respond with light, sound, etc. and
put your finger on the button. Then I will call the cue, Lights, sound, etc. GO! and you will push
the button on the GO; as close to the G of the GO as possible. Also remind people to let you know
when they are getting on or off headset so that you know whos there. Getting all this said before you
get started will hopefully get everyone on the same page from the start. Remember to clearly state
your expectations. Also, keep in mind that that a little witty headset banter is fun but its the stage
managers prerogative to cut any unnecessary chatter if its interfering with peoples focus on the
show. And under no circumstances should any non-show chatter happen once youre in a standby.
As for actually calling the cues, the most important thing is to try to be as clear and
consistent as possible so that your crew can follow you. Always call things in the same
way. Standby cues always start: Standby cue lights, sound, etc. GO cues always
start: Lights, sound, etc. GO!. The is a pause for you to look at the action of
the play or follow the text in the script for a moment. Its a good idea to build this
little breath into your calling so that you can be as accurate as possible. Try to be as
consistent as possible with it so that your board ops arent left guessing when youre
going to say GO. If you have a sequence where you have a lot of cues coming up, you
can combine your light and sound standbys and GOs, for example: Standby Lights 100103 and Sounds A and B then Lights 100 and Sound A GO! and on to the rest of the sequence.
Theres a decent YouTube clip here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TXBqdDAXgE that demonstrates a
calm and collected stage manager calling cues for a tech rehearsal of the musical Hairspray. Listen to
how consistent he is being even though there is a lot going on!
15
WARNING Used when there are very few cues and a lot of time between them. Also good for giving
run crew a heads up on a cue that may require them to get from one side of the stage to the other.
Action - Operator finger is not on the button yet / Run crew moving into position.
16
Once you are into dress rehearsals and performances youll want to make sure that your crew
understands their responsibilities so that you are free to watch the clock. It might feel strange at first
to not be running around while everyone else is, but as the stage manager its your responsibility to
make sure that you are free to deal with any last minute issues and double check your crews work.
Also, it is super important to always be keenly aware of the time. You are in charge of making sure
that everything stays on schedule. Be sure to announce the time to everyone cast, crew, and house
manager. Be loud and clear and make sure that you get a response when call the time. If you call halfhour, the response from the people youre talking to should be Thank you half-hour. Insist that they
get in the habit of doing this to avoid an I never heard you call fifteen! freak-out.
30 minutes until house open called 30 minutes before opening the house
Fifteen minutes until house open 15 minutes before opening the house
Five minutes until house open 5 minutes before opening house
Half-hour & House Open called 30 minutes before the show GO time (see Working with House
Management, below)
Fifteen minutes 15 minutes to show GO time
Five minutes Its actually a good idea to call this about 7 minutes before show time so that people
have a little more time than they think
Places Check in with House Management before you call this to make sure that there arent any
reasons to hold the house in case of late audience members, seating issues, or any other number of
things that can go wonky at the last minute. If things are going well, call this about two minutes
before the actual start time so that people have a chance to get to places. You will either call place
over the paging system or call it yourself backstage and then head to the booth, so make sure that
you have an ASM assigned to be on headset to tell you when you have places.
At intermission, either ten or fifteen minutes long, you will call five minutes at about seven til and
places at two til. Dont forget to start your timer at the beginning of each intermission.
17
CALLING TIMES
APPENDIX
Stage Management Forms & Templates
Prompt Book Notation
Blocking Sheet Form
Contact Sheet Template
Rehearsal Report Template
Scene Breakdown Template
Scene Shifts Example
Line Notes Form
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20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
31
32
18
19
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________
6. _____________________________________________________________________
7. _____________________________________________________________________
8. _____________________________________________________________________
9. _____________________________________________________________________
10. ____________________________________________________________________
11. ____________________________________________________________________
12. ____________________________________________________________________
13. ____________________________________________________________________
14. ____________________________________________________________________
15. ____________________________________________________________________
Version 2015, 01-08
20
Name of Show
contact sheet
PERFORMERS
Name
Role
Name
Role
Name
Role
ARTISTIC STAFF
Name
Director
Name
Choreographer
Name
Set Designer (etc.)
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Name
Stage Manager
Name
Assistant Stage Manager
Name
Assistant Stage Manager
DEPARTMENT FACULTY/ STAFF
Lynne Conner
Associate Professor of Theater
and Dance, Chair
Todd Coulter
Assistant Professor of
Theater and Dance
John Ervin
Technical Director
Annie Kloppenberg
Assistant Professor of
Theater and Dance
Christine Nilles
Costume Shop Manager
Jim Thurston
Adjunct Associate Professor of
Theater and Dance
Shannon Hodgdon
Administrative Secretary &
Box Office Operations
phone number
phone number
phone number
phone number
phone number
phone number
phone number
phone number
phone number
(207) 859-4524
Runnals 111
(207) 859-4523
Runnals 104b
(207) 859-4522
Runnals 104c
(207) 859-4526
Runnals 202
(207) 859-4528
Runnals 303
(207) 859-4525
Runnals 305
(207) 859-4520
Runnals 104a
IMPORTANT NUMBERS:
Emergency: (207) 859-5911 (or extension 5911 from any campus phone)
Campus Security (Non-emergency): (207) 859-5530
Theater & Dance Box Office: (207) 859-4535
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Name of Show
rehearsal report date
Please read all notes, not just those for your department
GENERAL:
1.
SCENERY:
1.
PROPS:
1.
COSTUMES/MAKEUP:
1.
LIGHTS/PROJECTION:
1.
SOUND:
1.
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Name of Show
scene breakdown
Act I sc. 1- Alais Room
p. 1- 4
Alais, Henry (character names)
L. Godart, K. Paquin (actor names)
Act I sc. 2- Reception Hall
p. 4-5
John, Geoffrey, Richard
S. Dube, D. Harvey, Z. Knower
p. 5- 6
p. 6- 7
p. 7- 8
p. 8- 10
Eleanor, Henry
L. Godart, C. McMurdo-Wallis
p. 12- 14
p. 14- 16
Eleanor, Richard
D. Harvey, C. McMurdo-Wallis
Continue with this format until you have mapped out the whole play. This is a great task to assign to an
ASM if you have their help before rehearsals. Be sure to fill them in on any insight from your prerehearsal meeting with the director before they get started.
23
24
date: ______________
date: ______________
date: ______________
25
Phone:
E-mail:
Show title:
Director:
Running time of
show:
How many
How far into show
intermissions?
is intermission?
Intermission will be 10 (ten) minutes UNLESS otherwise noted
Are there tickets being set aside by the director/ cast/crew? Yes ___ No ___
How many? _______ For whom? _____________________________________________
Will there be open flame used during the show? Yes ___ (which act(s)? ___________) No ___
Will there be a strobe light? Yes ___ (which act(s)? ___________) No ___
Will there be any gunshots? Yes ___ (which act(s)? ___________) No ___
Will performers be using any outside doors for exits or entrances? Yes ___ No ___
If Yes, which doors? ________________________________________________________
(It is the Stage Managers responsibility to ensure these doors are accessible before top of show)
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7:25pm (1:55pm)
Asst. House Manager calls Stage Manager ask
if they are ready for House to close in 10
minutes*
Flash the Hollywood lights
Announce in bathrooms that the House will be
closing
7:35pm (2:05pm)
House Manager will close the House (per Lynne
Conner, the House will stay open until 7:35pm
(2:05pm))
Turn off Hollywood lights and lights in 1st & 2nd
floor lobbies
Asst. House Manager
7:35-7:50pm (2:05-2:20pm)
Asst. House Manager should remain in Lobby
area (NOT Box Office) for 15 minutes and
ensure no one enters the theater (late seating
for Strider shows is often in the balcony, but
make sure that has been approved before
sending patrons to balcony)
Tape orange signs on outer doors (the signs
alert people entering the building to be quiet)
Strike blue stands to Box Office
Count tickets in blue stands (put ticket stubs in
an envelope and mark the envelope with
number of tickets remember to include the
ushers and House Manager in the count)
Remain in Box Office
Ensure Hollywood lights and lights in1st & 2nd
floor lobbies are turned on prior to Intermission
Intermission Ushers and Asst. House Manager
Ushers prop open doors
Post-Intermission Asst. House Manager
Strike the easel and sign to the Box Office
Post-Show
Ushers prop open doors
When the theater clears of patrons, ushers
must go through the aisles, picking up
discarded programs and paper trash, and
retrieving flashlights and reserved signs (return
to Box Office)
Re-lock all four theater doors (use hex key)
One of the balcony ushers must ensure doors
are re-locked (use thin hex key)*
*Please communicate information to House
Manager
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