Synopses & Reviews
The Most Widely Used Manual For Aspiring And Veteran Stage Managers - Now Revised and Expanded
The next best thing to shadowing a Broadway stage manager, this detailed, behind-the-scenes book as been brought completely up to date. First published in 1991, it is widely used and has been lauded as the most comprehensive, educational book on stage management available. From preproduction planning and first rehersals to opening night and final strike, all the essentials of the profession are presented here in a friendly, engaging style.
Blending how-to information with anecdotes from his own career, author Thomas A. Kelly explains the entire theatrical process, including:
- Organizing all rehearsals and performances
- Maintaining the working script, cue sheets, and daily records
- Supervising the technical aspects of the show
- Running shows outdoors and at other non-theatrical venues
- Dealing with performers and crew members on all levels
This new edition reflects all the latest developments and innovations in the industry and adds a totally new chapter on opera stage management, complete with an in-depth breakdown of the challenges this style of production presents. The text is supported by sample documents, diagrams, and charts that straddle time-honored approaches with what can be generated by today's computer software. All the latest stage machinery is discussed, along with tips on finding employment. This guide remians the first choice for anyone who works in any branch of the profession, whether amateur, educational, or professional.
Synopsis
From auditioning actors to running a rehearsal to calling the cues, all the tricks and techniques of performing one of theater's most essential roles are revealed in this eye-opening view of backstage life on Broadway.
Synopsis
From preproduction planning and first rehearsals to opening night and final strike, every aspect of the stage manager's job is looked at here in a friendly, engaging style.
Synopsis
This widely used manual for stage managers has been revised to include new methods that employ computers and spread-sheet software, automation in the theater, and contemporary event managing. Whether you work in the amateur, educational, or professional theater, you'll find all the nuts and bolts of the craft clearly laid out in this engaging, friendly book.
Author Thomas Kelly combines how-to information with personal experiences of his own and of other top-level stage managers to explain the entire theatrical process, including:
• Preproduction planning
• Organizing of all rehearsals and performances
• Maintaining of the technical aspects of the show
• Supervision of the technical aspects of the show
• Dealing with performers and crew members on all levels
And there's good advice on finding employment, too. The text, supported by many sample documents, diagrams, and charts, straddles traditional approaches and the use of computers. It shows how the communication skills of the stage manager can be applied with success to event managinga field that offers increasing opportunities for workand it explores the benefits and disadvantages of the latest stage machinery.
About the Author
Thomas A. Kelly has been a professional stage manager and production manager for over forty years. He most recently worked as Production Stage Manager for New York City Opera and before that on Broadway and major production venues in New York City and nationally. He has taught Stage Management at Rutgers, SUNY Purchase, and Columbia University and is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from USITT.
Sir Peter Hall is an English theatre and film director who was knighted in 1977 for his service to the theatre. He founded the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1960 and served as its artistic director until 1968. He was director of the Royal National Theatre from 1973 to 1988. He is currently director of The Rose Theatre at Kingston upon Thames.