I am available to mentor students on individual projects or productions
and to lead workshops introducing students to the art of stage management at all educational levels.

Whether we are performers, designers, technicians, or stage managers, I believe it is so important to share our skills and our love of the arts with students at all levels. In some students we may spark or further expand interest in a particular career path, but my primary objectives in sharing the art of stage management are to broaden students' understanding of the performing arts, challenge students to be confident leaders, and encourage students to enjoy the arts throughout their lives. Workshops or mentoring projects can be sculpted on an individual basis to meet the needs of the students in question; please contact me to discuss your goals. Continue reading on this page for sample mentoring project and workshop outlines that I have developed and executed.

 

Sample Mentoring Project

Title:   Stage Managing Your First College or High School Show
     
Participants:   I have mentored numerous individual students in "calling" their first production at the high school and college levels. In some instances the student had previous experience as an Assistant Stage Manager or Assistant Director, while for some this was their first hands-on stage management experience. Some of my mentoring projects have encompassed a stage management team: a stage manager and assistant stage manager(s).
     
Objective:   To guide the student in the application of basic stage management techniques from pre-production through post-production, including "calling the show" through rehearsals and performances.
     
Length:   Coincides with the length of school's rehearsal and performance process. May begin mentorship before or after auditions, but preferably before the start of rehearsals.
     
Basic Structure :  

When beginning a mentoring project, the mentor will meet with the stage management student(s) and director and/or faculty advisor to determine the scope of the stage manager's responsibilities during the project. The stage manager and mentor will create a written outline of goals and stage management duties to be performed.

The mentor will meet and/or communicate with the stage manager on a regular basis throughout the project. A regularly written stage management journal is a recommended way for the student to record questions, observations, and experiences to be later discussed with the mentor. As the production progresses through different stages - such as blocking, run-throughs, technical rehearsals, etc. - the mentor will introduce new skills and methods relevant to the current stage of production. The mentor may choose to attend some rehearsals to evaluate the stage manager's application of these skills, and the director and/or faculty advisor may provide regular feedback as well.

In addition to instructing the stage manager in technical rehearsal procedures prior to the first such rehearsal, the mentor will be present at all technical and dress rehearsals to advise the stage manager as needed. Having an experienced and competent stage manager on hand during this part of the process will provide both student stage managers and directors/faculty with an added level of comfort and confidence that their technical process will run smoothly.

 

Sample Workshop

Title:   Leading a Creative Team: Stage Management for High School Theatre
     
Audience:   Total of over 100 high school students and teachers at the 2002 California State Thespian Festival. Workshop was administered with groups of 30-45 participants in each sitting.
     
Objective:   To teach students basic, practical skills which they can immediately apply to their own high school theatre program. This workshop is specifically focused on the unique needs of high school theatre.
     
Length:   Seventy-five minutes (length determined by State Thespian Festival)
     
Topics Covered:  

Who is the Stage Manager?
    Working with and being an Assistant
    Pre-production: brush up your paperwork skills
    Rehearsals: Blocking, Prompting, and more
    Technical Rehearsals: Making it all come together
    Post-production: reflecting on a job well done
     
Workshop Outline:   Who is the Stage Manager?
   
  1. How do stage managers function in high school programs?
  2. What are some key qualities of a good stage manager?
  3. Working with and being an assistant
    Pre-Production
   
  1. Creating the SM and ASM production books
  2. Auditions: how high school SMs and ASMs can help
   

Rehearsals
   
  1. Blocking: students learn basic blocking notation and complete an exercise in recording blocking
  2. Prompting
  3. Other standard rehearsal tasks including set-up/clean-up, rehearsal props, cueing in rehearsals
    Technical Rehearsals
   
  1. Purpose & key components
  2. Paper Tech
  3. Cue to Cue rehearsals
  4. Calling Cues: includes both written cue notation and verbal communication skills
  5. Role-play exercise simulating a "cue to cue" rehearsal and practice "calling" cues
  6. Role of the ASM during Tech
    Post Production
   
  1. Reflection & self-evaluation
  2. Organization of SM/ASM book and its value