The Production Stage Manager

Roles & Responsibilities:

General 

  • Reports to Schapiro PM and APM, Director of show
  • Receives support and guidance from: Schapiro PM and APM, Faculty, Director of Production.
  • Communicating with Faculty Intimacy and Fight Director if needed
  • Reviewing scripts and/or monitor devised text in order to develop standard production paperwork.
  • Facilitating communication between all departments.
  • Acting as executive-in-charge of all pre-production deliverables (see below), and Production Management proxy in rehearsals, and performances.
  • Maintaining artistic integrity of performances to ensure quality control over the course of the run.
  • Demonstrating ability to accept and incorporate constructive criticism from the Production Management and Concentration Advisors at various times through the process in an effort to assess progress.
  • As facilitator for all protocols, stage managers who are meet with any resistance from any member of the production team (students, staff, faculty, administration, and any outside colleagues working on the production), should immediately report such instances to their Concentration Head, the Director of Production, Production Management and the Director of Academic Administration for further counsel
  • Room B17 is the SM Office. It is a shared space by all 1st & 2nd Year SMs to store small items. Each stage manager has a bin with their name on it. The room also has a printer and supplies to refill SM Kits in The Theater and The Studio. Please be respectful of the space and the others that are using it. Do NOT store open food packages or containers in bins. The door has a punch code that will be given to you by email at the beginning of the semester.

 

Stage Manager Workflow

The Stage Manager Workflow Handbook is downloadable and printable.  It is also copied below for your convenience. Please access it in whatever way is most supportive to you. The information below and the downloadable handbook are 100% identical. 
 

STAGE MANAGER QUICK LINKS

 

REHEARSAL HOURS CALCULATORS AND TEMPLATES

Go to file, make a copy to get a fresh copy of this document to work with

 

INTRODUCTION

This document is here to walk you through all the deliverables, deadlines, and policies related to being a Stage Manager on productions at Schapiro. The information contained herein is primarily related to the role of PSM, who may assign some of the associated tasks to the supporting stage managers on their team.  This document does not replace the wiki. Please be sure to read the wiki in addition to this document. This document is meant to be a supplement to the wiki and a quick access guide throughout your process. Links to the wiki documents are below for your reference.

Anytime there are questions, or support needed of any kind, please contact the Schapiro Production Manager (PM), Tom Gilmore and Assistant Production Manager (APM), Dana Sokolov. If it is an urgent matter, or the Schapiro PM team is not responding, you can also reach out to the Director of Production (CB Knott). We are here to support you and help you make this process a success.

 

There are many deliverables throughout the process.  All of these have deadlines on the Dates and Deadlines document.  Below is information and guidelines for each of these deliverables.  

  • PSM Preliminary Paperwork
    • This is your basic prep paperwork for the production. Whenever possible, we would like for this to be completed prior to the Policies and Procedures meeting. This is so that you have a clear understanding of the production and its requirements going into this meeting, and also so that this paperwork is ready for designers to collaborate with as they start their design processes.
      • If you are working on a show that is a new work (i.e. an original piece for a directing project, or a Studio Project) you may not be able to have the script prep paperwork done by the Policies and Procedures meeting. For new works, this paperwork can be done at a time in the process where it makes sense. Work with Production Management and Stage Management faculty to set deadlines that work for the project and team.
    • Here is a list of documents that are expected as part of the preliminary paperwork:
      • Contact Sheet - including roles, names, emails, and phone numbers.  Please also include the Schapiro PM and APM on the contact sheet. Leave any roles blank that aren’t filled or confirmed yet.
      • Character/Scene Breakdown
      • Preliminary design lists for items referenced in the script (props, costumes, sound, scenic, lighting) - include page numbers for reference 

      • PDF of Script - The Schapiro PM or APM can help acquire this, if you don’t have one already 

         

  • Production Rehearsal Calendar Draft
    • Work with the director to create a rehearsal calendar draft.  This can be submitted as a Google Sheet or Google Doc with the ability to add comments, please do not submit the version for review as a PDF (but the final version can be shared widely as a PDF).  Please be mindful of the Columbia scheduling rules when making this draft: 

 

  1. Rehearsal weeks are Monday - Sunday.  It may be helpful to format the calendar with Monday as the first day on the left, and Sunday as the last day on the right, though this is not required.
  2. The entire rehearsal process, including tech, but not including performances, has maximum hours as detailed below:
    1. 2Y Materials: Rehearses over a maximum of 5 weeks. The first week is on Zoom and 4 weeks of in-person rehearsal. Total rehearsal hours have a cap of 124 hours of rehearsal.
    2. 2Y Chekhov: Rehearses over a maximum of 5 weeks. Total rehearsal hours have a cap of 124 hours of rehearsal.
    3. 2Y & 3Y Acting Productions: rehearses over a maximum of 6 weeks and has a cap of 156 hours of rehearsal.
    4. 2Y Studio Collaboration Productions: Rehearses over a maximum of 5 weeks. Total rehearsal hours have a cap of 121 hours of rehearsal.
  3. The rehearsal start date is listed on the dates and deadlines document.  You can start later if you prefer, you cannot start earlier without special permission from the Schapiro PM and APM.
  4. There is a max of 28 rehearsal hours per week (remember a week is Mon-Sun).
  5. All shows must have 1 full 24-hour day off each week Monday - Sunday and cannot go more than 6 days between days off.
  6. Each rehearsal day prior to tech can have a maximum of 4 hours of rehearsal time.
  7. The rehearsal day shall begin with the individual's first call of the day. There shall be one full hour meal/rest break, after a maximum of five hours in said day. This rule is in effect for everyone including the SM team and the director.
  8. Onstage rehearsals cannot begin before 6:00 PM on weekdays.
  9. Please pre-schedule the designer run into the production calendar (even if the date is tentative). 

When building the rehearsal calendar, you are welcome to use the rehearsal calendar hours templates to help track total hours.  This document will be saved in the Google Drive for easy access. There is no requirement to use this. Please make sure to copy and paste the template into a new document. Do not edit the versions shared with you. 

 

  • Paperwork Formats for Approval
    • Please submit the production’s paperwork templates to Michael Passaro and Linda Marvel for approval, with PM and APM on copy. This is due 1 week before rehearsals begin.  Please submit the templates for the following paperwork:
      • Daily Call
      • Weekly Schedule
      • Rehearsal Report
      • Performance Report
      • Any other paperwork templates that will be used during the process

 

  • Illness/Safety Plan (Optional)
    • It would be beneficial to the team to prepare an Illness/Injury Safety Plan prior to beginning rehearsals. This plan needs to identify the following:
      • Any activities or moments in the show that would be high risk for the spread of an infectious disease (examples include close contact, kissing, shared food, etc.).
      • Any measures being taken by the company to mitigate those risks beyond what Columbia's own protocols require.
    • Additionally, as part of the Illness/Injury Safety Plan, it is recommended that the company prepare a contingency plan for how the show would proceed in the event that one of the following occurs:
      • An actor or creative team member falls ill during the rehearsal process.
      • An actor or creative team member falls ill during or prior to tech.
      • An actor or crew member falls ill during or prior to a performance.
    • While we certainly hope that none of the above scenarios happen, having a plan in place in case they do is very helpful in providing a framework to work from in a time-pressured scenario.
    • Please save the illness/injury safety plan in the Google Drive and submit directly to the PM and APM via email. 

 

  • Draft of Detailed Tech Schedule
    • The tech schedule can be created in either Google Docs or Google Sheets with the ability to add comments and shared in this version.  CU Production Staff and Faculty will comment within the Google doc/sheet with edits and requested changes.  Do not submit this document as a PDF (but the final version can be shared widely as a PDF).
    • The tech process is templated to an extent, so there are some items that cannot change.  The start and end times of each tech day are pre-determined as follows:

 

  • When creating the tech schedule within the above parameters, please be sure to think about and address the following:
    • Specify the call time for stage managers each day.  Please note that 1st and 2nd year SMs cannot be called before 6:00 PM on weekdays, but they can choose to come earlier than their call time if they wish.
    • A Company Safety Walkthrough with the Schapiro PM or APM is scheduled on the Dates and Deadlines document. Please confirm this with PM and APM.
    • Specify a half hour call for actors to get into costume whenever applicable.
    • If using microphones, specify when sound check will happen.
    • If a fight or intimacy call is necessary, specify when it will happen. (As a recommendation, you often do not need to complete the full fight/intimacy call prior to cue to cue tech.  You will not hit all moments in each day, and it is often a better use of time to do the call for individual moments when you hit them during tech).
    • If you are doing an Acting Production, or a show that requires specific warm up time, please include that in the schedule.
    • Specify time at the end of each call for actors to get out of costume which ideally is no less than 15 minutes prior to end of day and prior to meal/rest breaks.
    • At the end of each tech day, please include the post-tech production meeting, which can begin 5 minutes after actors are dismissed to get out of costume. PM or APM will be present for this meeting on the first night of tech.
  • As part of the tech schedule, please include all performance calls.  When creating performance calls keep the following in mind:
    • Specify SM call time
    • Specify Actor call. Please note that if actors want to arrive prior to their call time, the earliest they can arrive is the SM call time.  No actors are allowed in the dressing rooms prior to SM call time.
    • It’s recommended (but not required) to specify time to sweep/mop and preset.
    • Specify when fight/intimacy call will happen when necessary
    • Specify when sound check will happen if necessary
    • What time you want to Open House.
  • There are sample tech schedules for each type of show linked below.  There is no need to copy this format, please format and create however you like, while keeping in mind the guidelines above.

 

  • Entrance/Exit Plot
    • Please format this document however you like. A sample format is included HERE. If there are questions about the best format to use, please reach out to Stage Management Faculty, PM or APM. This document is to be created for the use of the cast and creative team. Please make sure it is added to the Google Drive, and emailed out before the deadline set on the Dates and Deadlines document.

 

PRODUCTION MEETINGS

The Production Stage Manager is required at all Production Meetings, except the Scenic Bid Meeting. A list of required production meetings are detailed below.  

  • If the PSM has a class conflict with a production meeting, please inform the Schapiro PM and APM ASAP so that we can attempt to reschedule the meeting.
  • Please note that aside from class conflicts (which always take priority over production meetings), the PSM should prioritize attending required production meetings.
  • If the PSM is unable to attend a required production meeting, they must alert the Schapiro PM and APM in advance that they will not be attending.  

 

PRODUCTION MEETINGS:

  • Policies and Procedures Meeting
  • Design Production Meeting
  • Scenic Bid Meeting (if PSM is not present, PM will take notes)
  • Load In Meeting

 

PRODUCTION MEETING NOTES: 

  • The PSM is required to take notes and distribute notes at all required production meetings. Stage Management faculty requests that notes be taken by hand. AI note taking tools can be used as supporting resources to check your work, if you like.
  • Production Meeting notes need to be distributed no later than 24-hours after the meeting ends, though earlier is always better. Please advise the PM team if you foresee a challenge in distributing notes on this timeline.
  • The notes need to include a link to the Zoom recording of the meeting. The PM or APM will send this link. If you don’t have the link when you are ready to send the notes, ask the PM or APM for the link.
  • At the Scenic Bid meeting, where the PSM is not required to be in attendance the PM or APM will distribute notes from the meeting.  If the PSM has an approved conflict during a production meeting, please ask one of the Deck SMs to take notes (if applicable). If all Stage Managers have an approved conflict, then the PM or APM will take and distribute the notes.
    • Please note that the PM or APM will never distribute notes for a meeting that the PSM was required to be at, and was in attendance for. It is the PSM’s responsibility to distribute notes for these meetings.

 

THE GOOGLE DRIVE

The APM will create and share the show’s Google Drive with the PSM. Once the PSM receives the Google Drive, they have complete control over the setup and oversight of their show’s google drive.  

 

The APM will add 7 documents to the Google Drive Folder - 

  1. Marketing Copy
  2. Program Copy
  3. Preliminary Calendar
  4. SOA Theatre Program PRIMARY Production Calendar
  5. Budget and Expense tracking to be shared with Producer and Director ONLY
  6. Space Inventory & Drawings
  7. Rehearsal Templates

 

  • Everything else in the drive is up to the PSM to create, organize, and maintain.  Please create all the folders needed.
  • Everything for the show needs to be saved in the Google Drive. Nothing should ever be emailed out that is not also in the Google Drive. This is asked of everyone on the team including designers, director, etc.  If a completed document is created for the show, it should be saved in the Drive.
    • Designers and the director should not create their own separate shared drives.
  • If any assistance is needed with Google Drive, please ask the PM or APM.

 

REHEARSAL PROCESS

Booking Rehearsal Space & Rehearsal Schedule Changes

  • After the rehearsal schedule is approved and finalized, please reference the Room Reservation Policy for information on booking space in Nash.
  • VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Changes to the rehearsal schedule must be directly communicated to the PM and APM.
    • This includes any changes to:
  • Rehearsal start or end times
  • Canceled rehearsal days
  • Added rehearsal days
  • Changes in rehearsal location

Updating the weekly schedule and distributing it to the company does not constitute notification to PM and APM. Please contact directly and receive confirmation before distributing an updated schedule. 

Please note that schedule changes are not guaranteed and may require several business days to review and approve based on space availability, staffing, and other production needs. Please communicate early and often! 

  • 2ND VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you run into an emergency situation where you need to make a last minute change to the rehearsal schedule, please text and email the Schapiro PM and APM as soon as possible (even if it is late at night or over the weekend). This is so that the PM or APM can then alert other staff who may be working to support the rehearsal (most commonly the Schapiro Student Supervisor) and plan coverage if needed. 

 

Reports Distro

  • Please be sure to use the Distro List for Schapiro Productions when sending meeting notes, rehearsal/performance reports, and daily/weekly calls. Please pay special attention to which emails are to be in the CC field and which emails are to be in the BCC field.  Do not BCC any emails that are not specified to be BCCed.  

 

Reports and Calls Distribution Timing

  • All rehearsal reports should be sent as soon after rehearsal ends as is reasonable, and no later than 9:00 AM the day after the rehearsal ends.
  • All daily calls should be sent after the previous rehearsal ends, at the earliest reasonable time. In no case should the daily call be sent less than 12 hours before the first call of the day, although earlier is always preferred. 

 

Rehearsing in Schapiro

  • There is a printer in the Stage Management Office (B17) on the Lower Level of Schapiro. 

o   Printing needs to be done in the Theatre Office for large quantities

  • The Crew @ Schapiro are responsible for sweeping up their work-related mess, but are not required to sweep and/or mop the full stage before rehearsal. They may be available to help, but not expected to if other projects take priority.
  • Sweeping/mopping before tech/performances are the responsibility of the SM  with assistance from the Schapiro Site Supervisor.
  • Any items on loan to a project must be signed in on the Project Manifest Form and needs to be approved by the Schapiro PM and APM.  These items will then be signed out by The Staff @ Schapiro representative before leaving the building.
  • Audience chairs & seating risers are limited. In preliminary meeting with PM, please know the number of risers and seats that will be needed for the production
  • Use only spike tape on floors. Spike tape can be found in B13, B15b & B17 in Schapiro.
  • At the end of the performance week, the room must be restored to neutral,

Furniture, Costumes and Props signed out from Nash will be stored in Room 106/107

  • Refer to Production Strike Checklist
  • Strike is not complete until the Schapiro Crew Member on duty signs off on it.
  • All Schapiro spaces will be locked at 11p. Rehearsals will end at 10:45p to allow for cleaning up, gathering belongings, and exiting the space
  • Failure to abide by these policies may result in loss of scheduled use.

The Theatre @ Schapiro 

  • All lights (house, work, dressing room, back room, running) should be turned off before leaving
  • The ghost light needs to be turned on at the end of the day. The switch is located on the wall behind the audience near the booth.
  • The light and sound boards, monitors, amps and computer cannot leave the Booth.

 

The Studio @ Schapiro 

  • The room must be restored to neutral after rehearsal Monday-Wednesday, unless given permission by Production Management to leave set up.
    • All scenery, props, costumes, etc. must be struck to the back room, dressing room, and electrics room
  • At load-in, the PSM will be given keys to the Studio and Dressing Rooms (B20/B22). They must be returned at strike
  • The front, back doors, and the storage room by the booth needs to be locked and lights turned off when leaving

Accidents

  • In case of an injury to a production cast or crew member, please complete an Accident Report. This should be sent to the PM, APM, DOP, with the injured person cc’d. 

 

First Day of Rehearsal 

  • There are a few things to keep in mind for the first rehearsal:
    • Scripts and Scores: If you don’t distribute scripts (and scores when applicable) prior to your first rehearsal, you need to be ready to distribute scripts on the first rehearsal.  If you are using rental materials please carefully track who is given what, as you will need to collect all these materials at the end of the production to be returned.  If you are unsure if materials are rentals, ask the APM.
    • Emergency Info: Please collect Emergency Contact Info, allergies, etc from each member of the company and keep on file throughout the production.
    • Waiver/Release: These are the responsibility of the Producer or Company Manager (not the PSM), but they may ask for help in distributing the link.
    • Nudity Forms: If the production requires nudity, the nudity form must be filed by the first day of rehearsal.
    • Performance Agreements: This is the responsibility of the producer (not the PSM) but they may ask for time to finish these documents at the top of rehearsal.
    • Costume Measurements: Ideally, the costume designer will come in to take measurements on the first day of rehearsal. Please touch base with the Costume Designer prior to the first day to confirm when this will happen. They will need to pull people from rehearsal one at a time to measure them, it usually takes around 10 minutes per person. The cast needs to be told this is happening in advance, and there should be specific instructions from the Costume Designer that need to be included in the daily call for the cast.

 

Rehearsal Report Notes 

  • Please pay special attention to anything happening in rehearsal that may need to be communicated to Production Staff via the rehearsal reports.  Aside from usual rehearsal notes, here are a few things to pay special attention to:
    • Scenic pieces or props being used in a way they are not usually used - this is very important for the production staff to know as it may impact how they build items. Err on the side of over communicating, if an item is used in a way that’s even a tiny bit out of the ordinary, err

 on the side of caution and include it in the report.  

  • Script changes on licensed shows - If the show is a licensed show (ie not an original work or a work in the public domain) there are very specific rules around changes to the script and property.  Please be sure to communicate all proposed changes as these need to be approved by the rights holder. Withholding this information is never in service of the show. Even if you believe you are protecting the director or creative team in keeping proposed changes to yourself, changes can result in the production being shut down by the rights holder. Unauthorized changes to a show could also cause restrictions for future Columbia productions and could impact other students' options in the future. In other words, it’s a big deal, and as the Stage Manager, it is your duty to report changes if they come up. If you are uncomfortable putting proposed changes in the report, you can communicate them privately to Production Management or Stage Management faculty.
  • Notes of a Sensitive Nature: Please exclude any notes regarding interpersonal dynamics, conflicts, or an individual’s private circumstances from the rehearsal report. We ask that you prioritize confidentiality; if a specific matter feels delicate, trust your judgment and contact Production Management or Stage Management faculty via a private email or phone call instead.

 

Rehearsal Props & Costumes

  • Rehearsal Props are the responsibility of the props designer. Please communicate rehearsal needs in advance once you have them with the props designer. Any props checked out of Production Resources need to be checked out with a PR appointment.  It is not the responsibility of the PSM or SM team to find rehearsal props, but it is your responsibility to communicate what you need in a timely manner.
  • Rehearsal Costumes can be coordinated by the Costume Designer when requested. Please be sure to communicate these requests as early as possible and understand they may take time to fulfill.
  • Production Resources- Protocol for how to check out items and make appointments with PR can be found HERE. All external designers need to have the name of the attendant on the appointment itself to ensure security list clearance.

 

Special Notes for Musicals

  • Band rehearsals, where only the band members are called, can be scheduled separately from regular acting rehearsals. Band only rehearsals do not count towards the maximum hours of rehearsal, but do count towards the maximum of 28 hours per week. Band rehearsals can be scheduled at the same time as an acting rehearsal, as long as you are able to secure a second rehearsal space.
  • Stage Managers are not required to attend band rehearsals, but a Columbia University representative is required to attend all band rehearsals (this is often the producer). 

 

Special Effects & Blood 

  • Shows with blood and/or special effects should schedule a portion of their time in the space prior to tech to test these effects with the PM and/or APM present. A brief time spent earlier on these moments saves an enormous amount of time during tech rehearsals. Since every show is unique, please coordinate with the PM and APM as to the most efficient time to look at these. 

Fight Choreography and Weapon Usage

  • If the production has staged violence, fight choreography or weapon usage, please be sure to thoroughly read the Compliance and Stage Fights sections on this wiki page. There is a large amount of information and policies that are important for the Stage Manager to understand.
  • The Gun and Weapon Release form must be filled out and submitted before a weapon is used in the rehearsal room.
  • Weapons are required to be locked up when not in use. This can be inside the SM office that cannot be accessed without a code.
  • Adjunct Professor Jacqueline Holloway serves as the Staged Violence Advisor for Schapiro productions. Early in the production process, contact Jacqueline to assess the production's staged violence needs and, schedule permitting, consult with the creative team on how choreography will be approached. She can help determine whether the production would benefit from or require the engagement of a dedicated fight director or choreographer.
    • Please note that Jacqueline's schedule does not permit her to serve as the fight director in the rehearsal room if one is needed.
    • If a production does not have a fight director or choreographer and additional staged violence support appears necessary or would improve the safety of the rehearsal process, notify the PM, APM, and Stage Management Faculty immediately. The stage manager plays a critical role in identifying potential safety concerns, and that assessment is an important part of ensuring that rehearsals are conducted safely for everyone involved.

Intimacy in Productions

  • If the production has intimacy or nudity, please be sure to thoroughly read the wiki page on Intimacy as there is a large amount of information and policies that are important for the Stage Manager to understand. You must also be in compliance with the process detailed on the CU Production Requests For Intimacy & Fight Processes.
  • Adjunct Professor Jacqueline Holloway serves as the Intimacy Advisor for Schapiro productions. Early in the production process, contact Jacqueline to assess the production's intimacy needs and, schedule permitting, consult with the creative team on how moments of intimacy will be approached. She can help determine whether the production would benefit from or require the engagement of a dedicated intimacy director.
    • Please note that Jacqueline's schedule does not permit her to serve as the intimacy director in the rehearsal room if one is needed.
    • If a production does not have an intimacy director and any member of the production team believes one is necessary or would improve the safety and comfort of the rehearsal process, notify the PM, APM, and Stage Management Faculty immediately so that an intimacy director can be engaged if appropriate.
  • If the production has nudity, the nudity release form must be filed before any nudity happens in rehearsals.
  • The stage manager and intimacy director (if used) are the co-facilitators for all protocols relating to scenes with nudity and/or sexual content (including consensual sexual touching and sexual assault). At the first rehearsal, the stage manager will highlight the protocols to the company, and confirm that all members of the company have read, understood, and consented to this policy. In preproduction, the stage manager will enumerate the scenes with any potential nudity, sexual content, consensual sexual touching and/or sexual assault, and in the rehearsal room will work with the Intimacy Director to take down the choreography to ensure the choreography is repeated. Stage Management is responsible for letting the company know of nudity/sexual content in the rehearsal room at least 24 hours prior.
  • As facilitator for these protocols, stage managers who meet with any resistance from any member of the production team (students, staff, faculty, administration, and any outside colleagues hired for the production), should immediately report such instances to their Concentration Head and the Director of Academic Administration for further counsel.

Inclement Weather Policy

  • If inclement weather occurs during/prior to a rehearsal or performance, please stay in close communication with the Schapiro PM, APM and/or Director of Production about the status of any building or campus closures.
  • The policy for rehearsals and performance is that they will continue as planned, unless the building is closed by the University and/or NYC Public Transit is shut down.
  • Final decision for any alteration of schedule is with Production Management/Director of Production with guidance from Public Safety.

Trucking Form

  • Prior to submitting the Trucking Form, please discuss furniture items being checked out from PR with the Schapiro PM. There are possibly similar items at Schapiro that could be substituted to avoid unnecessary trucking. This discussion can likely take place at the Load In Meeting.
  • The Trucking Form is due the Thursday prior to Load In. Please collaborate with the scenic designer, props designer, and director to ensure that everything you expect to be brought to Schapiro is on this list. If something is missing from the list, it will not arrive. The trucking form is a shared responsibility of the people listed above.

Last Day in Nash

  • On the last day of rehearsal before moving to Schapiro, please complete the following:
    • Please be sure that all pieces that need to be moved to Schapiro are gathered together and put where PR has told you to store them for trucking.  Please also include a list of all items that need to go on the truck in the rehearsal report in the Scenic section.
    • Pack up all props and items that need to be trucked and place them where designated for trucking.
  • Pull up all spike tape.
  • Put all rehearsal furniture back hallways, Academic or PR storage.
  • Reset the room. 

APM & SM Walkthrough In Space (Pre-Tech)

  • On the first day onstage, the SM team will have a space walkthrough with the APM or PM prior to rehearsal beginning. This is usually scheduled at 5:30 pm, but will be rescheduled if this creates a class or dinner break conflict. During this walkthrough, we will cover technology use in the space, including, but not limited to- all light switches, comm & PA system, and basic lighting and A/V operations.

 

TECH PROCESS & RUN OF SHOW

  • UPDATE IN PROCESS (8/11/26)

 

Zoom for Tech 

  • We may set up a zoom via an iPad during tech so that SM and Directing faculty can join the rehearsal via Zoom. Usually the APM will set this up, and the SM will join with their zoom login. 

 

Tech Goals

  • We strongly recommend that you set goals and benchmarks throughout tech with your director to keep yourselves on schedule. These goals do not need to be shared widely but are a very helpful way to gauge if you are moving quickly enough, and if you have time to go back and hit things you’ve already done.  Please note that you are required to run the show on Thursday prior to opening (and a run prior to that is also always good, but not required). 

 

Post-Tech Production Meetings

  • At the conclusion of technical rehearsals each day, approximately 5 minutes after the cast has been released to get out of costume, there will be a post-tech production meeting in the house. The Stage Manager should take notes during this meeting and those notes should be included in that day’s rehearsal report under each applicable department. 

 

Performances 

  • PSMs calling a show in Schapiro are expected to operate cues from the light board, QLab, and any necessary cue lights. 

Photographing the Production

  • With approval from PM and/or APM, the production may bring in a photographer to shoot the show prior to opening. It is recommended that this happens during the final dress rehearsal. Please be sure that the entire cast and creative team is given notice of the photos no less than 24 hours prior to the rehearsal.
  • If a photographer is coming to shoot a run, it does need to start at its scheduled time. If a change is made to the start time of that run any time after the tech schedule is approved, please directly coordinate this change with the photographer.

 

Recording the Production

  • Please be in communication with the producer and PM or APM about the legality of recording according to the performance rights agreement.
  • With approval from PM and/or APM, the production may bring in a videographer to shoot the show prior to opening. It is recommended that this happens during the final dress rehearsal. Please be sure that the entire cast and creative team is given notice of the photos no less than 24 hours prior to the rehearsal.
  • If a videographer is coming to shoot a run, the rehearsal will need to start at its scheduled time. If a change is made to the start time of that run any time after the tech schedule is approved, please directly coordinate this change with the videographer.

 

Communication with Front of House

  • The stage manager will communicate with the Front of House (project’s Producer and Schapiro Site Supervisor) team.
    • Pre-show
      • Schapiro Site Supervisor is available to help SM with pre-show set up. They will then move to help with FOH 40 minutes before Showtime.
      • Discuss with FOH: Length of show, late seating, intermission
    • Before House Opens
      • Let FOH know when the company is ready for house to open
    • At Intermission
      • From booth on radio, when to open house doors for in intermission
      • When the company is ready for house to close
      • From booth on radio, when house doors are closed
    • Post-show
      • Schapiro Site Supervisor is available to help SM with post-show and close down.
    • After Last Performance
      • Schapiro Site Supervisor will make sure STRIKE LIST is complete before company can leave