By Kerry Epstein
Stage administration is the artwork behind the scenes. It’s magic taking place if you say “go.” As a stage supervisor, I facilitate all elements of the inventive course of for a manufacturing, from rehearsals to closing. I handle efficient every day communication by sending schedules, notes, and stories. I guarantee protected and artistically correct executions of every efficiency by cueing all the sunshine modifications, sound results, and transferring surroundings. And I clear up issues in a proactive and artistic method.
However what does that every one imply? Let me stroll you thru a manufacturing timeline from a stage administration perspective. The method is similar for every present, however the inner elements fluctuate wildly.
Prep Week
The week earlier than rehearsals begin is stage administration prep week. I meet with the opposite members of the stage administration workforce. Sometimes I work with two further folks, both two assistant stage managers or an assistant stage supervisor and a manufacturing assistant. Assistant stage managers, like myself, are members of Actors’ Fairness Affiliation, the union {of professional} actors and stage managers in the US. A manufacturing assistant is usually of their stage administration journey and never but a union member.
The three of us will determine our working rhythms in order that we will every assist the present in our personal distinctive methods. We learn the script like detectives looking for clues. Then we generate prop lists, scene-by-scene breakdowns to notice which characters are during which scenes and songs, determine what costume items could be useful to have within the rehearsal room (spoiler: it’s at all times sneakers), contact actors and designers, and make calendars. Plenty of lists, a lot of spreadsheets. Consideration to element is vital! To not point out a barely unhealthy fascination with workplace provides.
Rehearsals
A typical rehearsal course of is three weeks, Tuesdays by means of Sundays from 10 am to six pm. These instances are actor begin instances. The stage administration begin time is “a bit of” earlier than and “a bit of extra” after. We arrive early to organize the area for no matter we’re rehearsing that day. My workforce and I’ve eyes all around the room, noting entrances and exits, writing down the place every performer stands or how they transfer in every scene (that is referred to as “blocking”), monitoring the place props begin and the place they find yourself, estimating how lengthy actors want for costume modifications between scenes, and observing actor/director conversations about character intentions. I control the clock to ensure the room is adhering to breaks as set forth by Actors’ Fairness Affiliation. If it’s a brand new play or musical, I’m additionally conserving an additional ear out for added strains from the playwright. Generally these are sneaky conversations that occur within the nook of the room; generally it’s a dialogue with everybody. It’s vital to trace the brand new strains not solely to ensure everybody has the up to date strains (possibly we’re individually writing the brand new phrases or phrases in our scripts, possibly it’s a big sufficient change that we have to print new script pages for all). One new line or lyric can imply a brand new prop, a brand new costume, or a change of temper for the lighting design.
On the finish of every day, I’ll meet with the director, choreographer, and music director to determine the following day’s schedule. Along with rehearsal, there are sometimes costume or wig fittings that have to be integrated or beforehand authorized conflicts. It’s an enormous, difficult scheduling Tetris, and it’s massively satisfying to crack that puzzle. This schedule (aka the Every day Name) will get emailed to everybody on the manufacturing. Then the stage administration workforce debriefs and shares data gathered all through the day. I’ll e mail out a report back to the designers and manufacturing employees summarizing the whole lot that occurred throughout that rehearsal day, what discoveries we made, any new line modifications, and what new objects now we have added, like props or costume items.
Tech
After the rehearsal interval ends, we bid farewell to the rehearsal room and transfer into the theater for tech. It is a week-long journey when all of the artists come collectively to work out all of the technical components of the manufacturing — surroundings, props, costumes, lights, and sound. The designers and manufacturing employees unfold out all through the theater, every with their very own tables filled with displays, computer systems, devices, and snacks as we spend lengthy hours making the world of the play come alive. Whereas within the rehearsal room we had tape on the ground to point the define of the set, now now we have precise partitions and stairs. Earlier than, I’d say “ring!” to point a mobile phone ringing; now I flip a swap and a telephone rings. My job turns into about executing the imaginative and prescient of the present as I name the cues. Cues occur each time a light-weight modifications or a sound impact performs or a chunk of surroundings strikes. These are all numbered and given to me by the lighting designer, sound designer, and director. I’ll write these notes in my script in order that the cues turn into my strains throughout the present. For instance, the lighting designer will inform me mild cue 256 occurs when the actor is at middle stage. I determine my timing for once I want to begin speaking in order that I say “Lights 256…” because the actor begins to make her cross after which “…go” as she will get to middle. On my “go,” the top electrician pushes the Go button on the lighting console and the highlight comes up on the actor. Magic!
Throughout tech, I can really feel a bit like air visitors management, as I’m on a headset concurrently with the assistant stage managers and crew backstage, the lighting designer and head electrician, the observe spot operators, and the sound designer. You get excellent at listening to all of the voices in your head.
Whereas we’re in tech rehearsals, the orchestra is having their very own rehearsals in a separate room. The primary day that the forged and orchestra work collectively is named wandelprobe. On at the present time, I begin watching the conductor carefully to be sure that the rhythms of the present are all in sync. Earlier than, we have been rehearsing with only a piano. Now it’s very clear {that a} hip circle strains up with the wah-wah-wah of the brass or that we should always add a light-weight cue with the drumroll … crash! The conductor is on video displays positioned strategically within the theater so the actors can see, and I even have a “conductor cam” monitor at my workstation.
On the finish of tech week, I transfer my script, laptop, devices, and displays from the center of the theater to the sales space in the back of the home. Ideally, I can see the stage from the sales space, however generally my sightline is partially blocked by viewers seating or surroundings. I due to this fact depend on an infrared digicam to enhance my view. There’s a video game-esque management knob that enables me to zoom into corners or make certain actors have exited safely throughout blackouts. The digicam is hung behind the home, and I’ve a monitor within the sales space, proper subsequent to my conductor cam.
I’ve moved as much as the sales space for the invited gown rehearsal. We are going to run the present, hopefully with out stopping, for an viewers of theater employees and visitors. Generally it’s a full home, generally it’s only a handful of oldsters. Both method, it’s an effective way to sneak in a primary viewers.
Previews
We now have every week of afternoon rehearsals and night performances. Every afternoon, we are going to make changes primarily based on how the viewers reacted to the present the evening earlier than. Generally, particularly in new works, total songs are reduce or moved to a unique a part of the act. Preview week is simply as intense, if no more, than tech week since you are continuously altering and refining the present, however there’s a dwell efficiency within the second half of the day. On the finish of the week, the present is frozen, which means no extra (main) modifications are made.
The Run
We open the present, have a good time with a flowery frock and photographs, and toast our success. We will now settle into the run, proper? Kind of! Instantly after opening, I begin having afternoon rehearsals with the understudies. We are going to work by means of the present to organize the understudies to carry out their numerous roles and to ensure the present is roofed in case of sickness, harm, or emergency. The understudy firm consists of inner actors masking different roles and exterior understudies/swings. Generally understudies know nicely prematurely they’ve scheduled performances. Generally they discover out at intermission that they’re going on for Act Two. Having a rock-solid understudy firm is such a reduction for any stage supervisor, and I’ve been extraordinarily fortunate to work with very gifted understudies. You already know your present will probably be in good palms, it doesn’t matter what the theater gods throw at you. However a part of the artwork of stage administration is anticipating what would possibly go awry and having contingency plans on the prepared.
In the meantime, the present is operating eight performances every week. Actors are referred to as a half hour earlier than curtain, and I’ll normally arrive a bit earlier than that to be sure that the stage is ready and prepared for the efficiency. The assistant stage managers will double-check that every one props and costume items are of their preshow beginning positions. If there are any actors who’ve referred to as out sick, I’ll make certain home administration is knowledgeable to allow them to put together understudy indicators and program stuffers for that efficiency. If a present has intensive battle choreography or difficult dance lifts, we’ll have a 10- to 15-minute battle and raise name with these particular actors to run by means of these moments. As soon as that’s full, I’ll do a blackout test the place we flip off all of the lights within the theater to ensure there aren’t any errant work lights left on after which go into the preshow mild and sound cues. At that time it’s nearly half-hour earlier than curtain and we’re prepared at hand over the home to the home managers to seat the viewers. That is now the sacred time of “half hour” when everybody prepares for the present. Throughout half hour, I give time calls to the dressing rooms and backstage to maintain the corporate on schedule and prepared for an on-time begin.
For the precise efficiency, I’m nonetheless calling the cues, generally at a speedy tempo, however I’m additionally watching the present with a directorial eye to make sure that the actors are persevering with to flesh out their characters because the director meant. Actually, issues develop and alter throughout a efficiency — that’s the fantastic thing about dwell theater — however now my artistry expands to incorporate sustaining the inventive integrity of the present. This includes giving actors notes. Generally it’s a straightforward verbal observe given in passing after the present (“Hey, tonight you have been out of your mild throughout the refrain. When you take one step to your proper, you’ll hit it”). Generally it’s a basic observe about line or scene pacing that may be emailed to all actors. Generally it’s a one-on-one dialog to determine why a second has modified from what was created within the rehearsal room. This fine-tuning ensures that the entire work the inventive workforce has carried out remains to be there for each viewers member to expertise throughout all the run.
After each efficiency, I ship a written report back to the inventive workforce and manufacturing employees. This contains knowledge factors like curtain instances, operating instances for every act, and the viewers home depend. I additionally add narrative bits about what occurred throughout the present: robust viewers reactions, something out of the strange, and the way it was dealt with. It’s a bit of snapshot of what you may need skilled for those who have been on the present. My aim is to make it an satisfying learn, however it’s also used to move on manufacturing notes or requests, like if a desk is wobbly and desires a restore or if we want extra apples for subsequent week or a fancy dress piece ripped and must be changed.
Closing
We attain the tip of the run. Most, if not all, understudies have gone on. There have been trials and tribulations, secret triumphs, and superb moments on and off stage. Hopefully the viewers has been thrilled and delighted or at the least rejoiced in a shared communal expertise. We take down all of the backstage paperwork — the prop playing cards, the scene orders, all of the paperwork we made throughout prep week — and scan them to a digital archive. We take our metaphoric ultimate bow. After which the following week the method begins yet again with a brand new present.
Kerry Epstein is the resident stage supervisor for Signature Theatre, a place she has held for over 20 years. Latest and chosen credit embrace Pippin, Security Not Assured, Fiddler on the Roof, Play On!, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Within the Heights, A Humorous Factor Occurred on the Strategy to the Discussion board, Mushy Energy, HAIR, Non-public Jones, Ragtime, Pacific Overtures, Into the Woods, She Loves Me, Assassins, A Little Evening Music, Titanic, West Facet Story, Cabaret, Sunday within the Park with George, Threepenny Opera, Shakespeare’s R&J, Sundown Boulevard, First You Dream, Les Miserables, The Go to, The Studio, and Nevermore. She serves because the stage administration mentor for Signature within the Colleges and has an in depth show-specific rubber duck assortment.
In regards to the collection
How Theater Works is a brand new DC Theater Arts collection designed to provide readers a deeper understanding of the important, often-overlooked disciplines that form a theatrical manufacturing. Past performances and scripts, theater is constructed by a community of artists whose work isn’t at all times seen to audiences: designers who create the world you see and listen to, administrators who form storytelling, and stage managers who maintain all of it operating. By breaking down these elements of theater, this collection provides audiences the instruments to higher perceive, respect, and consider the complete scope of what goes into bringing a play to life.
