Stage Management
Stage Managers work closely with the cast and production teams by noting down all necessary information and ensuring a smooth, undisturbed flow during rehearsals.
Stage Managers work closely with the cast and production teams by noting down all necessary information and ensuring a smooth, undisturbed flow during rehearsals.
Joining Stage Management is one of the best decisions that I made in college. I signed up in 2016, without knowing anything about the competency, but my mentors and fellow members were all there to help me learn everything that I needed to learn. The skills that SM-ing gave me are so important in my everyday life that I also get to apply them outside of blueREP. You learn to be more organized with your tasks and attentive to what’s happening around you, as these are the things that you do during productions. Along with the organizational skills, being an SM really helped me in learning to manage different kinds of people and how to cater to their needs, which is essential once you start working with people from different departments and competencies. Even if I work in a different area from theatre now, I am able to use all my skills from Stage Management and it has given me an advantage in my job. I am truly grateful for my experiences in blueREP and I would not be the person that I am today if I did not join when I did.
I’ll always always remember my blueREP newbie screening. When asked why I wanted to be an SM at a time when very few did, I remember saying it was fun, and that I loved it even if it was hard. SM-ing for a university theatre org, and putting up a show in general, was 10x harder than I thought —but I ended up loving it 10x more, and still do to this day. I’ll always be biased for stage management over the other departments I’ve experienced working in because what other role gives you an opportunity to experience them all? Up to this day I firmly believe that I wouldn’t be who I am today had I not taken the plunge into blueREP, and into the competency that opened my eyes to a whole world of theatre I never knew of before.
First off, it always feels so fulfilling to see the show come to life after months of preparation, and there's a sense of pride in knowing you were part of the team that made each set piece and coordinated every cue. The actual work for each team is also so much fun, whether you’re trying it out for the first time or if you’ve done it before. There's always something new to learn and experience in each team with your fellow production members, so there’s never a dull day in prod! Being an SM in a blueREP prod is a great way for learning new skills that you can use for other prods and even outside of the theater. While it may seem daunting at first, your fellow SMs will be there to help you along the way. After all, the best part about joining a blueREP prod is working with other amazing and dedicated people! If there's one thing I learned from being an SM, its efficiency. The tasks of a stage manager has taught me a lot about efficiency, quick thinking and organization, so I’ve definitely had a lot of practice with doing good work in a short amount of time. That skill has served me well in handling my time as I balance my academics, extra-curriculars, and relationships.
