THEATRE 450: Stage Management Senior Capstone Project Checklist
School of Performing Arts, Department of Theatre
1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This project centers on the role, duties and processes
performed by the Stage Manager of a live stage production in the Samford Performing Arts
Season. Concentration will be in areas of Organization, Rehearsal and Performance
Processes, the Prompt Book and Safety Applications.
2. TEXT: STAGE MANAGEMENT by Lawrence Stern, 7 th
Ed., 2002.
3. PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
Stage Management:
To identify the overall role of the stage manger in the production hierarchy.
To recognize the duties of the stage manager in auditions and rehearsals.
To analyze the process and importance of budgeting.
To understand the various duties during performance.
To discriminate choices appropriate to interpersonal management of the backstage
machine.
To organize and present these choices in a way that leads to time efficient rehearsals
& performances.
To understand the role of the stage manger during strike.
To codify all salient production details in an organized Prompt Book.
Theatre Safety:
To understand the areas of possible danger in the rehearsal process.
To describe the solutions to everyday safety pitfalls in the scenic, costume and lighting
shops.
4. PROJECT SCHEDULE:
AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE PLAY IS TO BE REALIZED ALL
PRELIMINARY WORK MUST BE DONE:
(See Prompt Book Contents below) While many items in the Prompt Book will not be
available until after auditions or later in the rehearsal process, many can be obtained
before even the first production meeting. Forms such as the audition form and contact
information form must be created before auditions. The expectation is that you will
follow the guidelines in STAGE MANAGEMENT by Lawrence Stern as a minimal
performance model.
DURING THE REALIZATION PROCESS:
The student will be intimately involved in every aspect of the Audition, Casting,
Rehearsal, Performance and Strike of the production. As well, the student will serve as
a communication coordinator between all the artistic staff facilitating the realization of
set, costumes, lighting, sound, properties and special effects. The student must attend
all production meetings, fit ups, dress rehearsals and strike. Minutes of all these
meetings, as well as rehearsal notes, will be typed and e-mailed to all relevant parties.
As you know, the Stage Manager runs the production in the absence of the Designers
and Director. The expectation is that you will follow the guidelines in STAGE
MANAGEMENT by Lawrence Stern as a minimal performance model.
