Knightdale Drama Club/Knightdale Repertory Theatre

Stage Manager Duty Roster

Appoints an assistant (ASM) for the show

Completes a tutorial with the director on assessment of needs

Maintains a callboard with up-to-date information, i.e. calendars, schedules, breakdown, call
sheets and any upcoming events

Acts as a liaison between the director, the production staff and the performers

Informs artistic, production and technical staffs of all standard operating procedures and
systems for facilitating the working theatre process

Discusses all rules and theatre etiquette with backstage staff

Conducts one major production meeting each week and more if the need arises

Maintains order backstage and brings any major concerns to the director

Publishes a communiqu on the production meeting and distributes information to all

Meets with the director to establish vocabulary for the most effective communication

Completes a weekly rehearsal report (done daily in the professional theatre)

Gives daily reminders of any changes from the director and/or changes from the production
team that have been sanctioned by the director and/or the ministry leader

Records the actions of the rehearsal, including latecomers, their reasons, the rehearsal
staring and ending times

Makes the director aware of scheduled break time (five minutes for every hour or ten
minutes for every hour and twenty minutes. The break should come at the end of a scene or
an act

Makes the director aware of the time every 15 minutes or so in rehearsal. Please use an
audible voice

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 Knightdale Drama Club/Knightdale Repertory Theatre
Stage Manager Duty Roster
Distributes notes from production meetings and rehearsals to the production team

Sets up all fitting sessions with the costume designers and wardrobe supervisors

Reminds all actors/performers of appointments with the press, i.e. interviews, tapings, etc

Makes copies of all memos, references and correspondences and keeps them on file

Keeps a prompt book of all information about the production at hand all of the time with no
less than the following: a) contact list
b) a production list
c) an original cast list
d) schedules, calendars, and the important dates form
e) copied paper work from all production coordinators
f) rehearsal reports
g) production meeting reports
h) a script with all up to date blocking and notes from the director
i) a color coded legend that shows light, sound, costume, props, special effects, set changes,
makeup and curtain cues.

If the show contains other multimedia items, they should also be included.

Give actors command to standby when the director is ready to rehearse the scene. Please
give the performer a roadmap of where the scene begins (i.e. page number and line)
Begin by saying , We will take if from

Shout hold when the director stops the action

When the company returns from a break, simple state Were back to indicate that the
appointed time is up and the director is ready to begin

Once actors are off book, share with them a record of any line omitted or stated incorrectly
at the end of the rehearsal. Let them know if they have changed the original blocking

Always sit at the right hand of the director, preferably at a table that will accommodate all of
your belongings

Arrive at least 30 minutes before the company and the director to prepare the space, set up
the rehearsal stage and have ready any handouts that need to go to the performers

Remind actors of procedures for costume cleaning and repairs.

Prepares a sign in sheet for every rehearsal and performance for sign in and sign out

Stage managers should have a little Stage Managers Kit. At a minimum, it should have

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 Knightdale Drama Club/Knightdale Repertory Theatre
Stage Manager Duty Roster
clean white paper, post it notes, index cards, several pencils, rubber bands, paper clips, pens,
big markers hi-liters, a stapler, masking tape and several colors of spiking tape

Stage manager marks out (or tapes out) the floor with accurate measurements. Mark each
scene and or level of the set with a different color

During tech week, be prepared to stay long hours

On the performance days, please give warnings beginning with 45 minutes before
curtain, next is 30 minutes15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes and finally you
say Two minute warning and then Places, everyone.
Place wall charts in the corridors/wings of the theatre. They contain information on the
order of the scenes and place of entrance

Ask the running crew to set up lights for the show and the stage managers station

Inform the house manager (or head usher) when you are ready to begin the performance

Begin by directing the board operator. Say "lights to halflights out curtain going
uplights fade in

At the intermission, keep an accurate time and check with the house manager to let him/her
know when it is time to end intermission and start the second act

Make sure that each scene is timed during the tech week and during the run.

A performance report should be given to the director and the producer that shows the time
and any holds on the show

The stage manager is always cognizant of time. Never start a show more than five minutes
late unless there is a real reason to hold the show such as technical difficulty or people are
still streaming into the house. We must be good stewards of time so that our patrons
know that we are time conscious organizationwe value them and we value their time and
the effort they made to come on time

When a performance ends, the stage manager and associates should reset the stage for Act I
for the next performance

Be prepared to help with strike

Write notes and letters of thanks to all people who supported the show with in kind gifts and
services

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