Stage Management Colleges

[domaviles]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 11:20am

I am a senior in high school, and I've been doing musical theater shows for about 9 years now. I love being on stage, and i love being backstage as well. At this point, I don't think I'm good enough to get into a musical theater program in college, however, i don't want to give up theater. I would be a great stage manager, but to get into a good college, you need a strong portfolio. I've only been stage manager once, and assistant stage manager twice. I've worked lights, special effects, assistant directed, but how (or should) I put that in a portfolio for college? And if so, can you give me some college names that would be good for me? Thank you!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 12:09pm

I responded on the other board, but I'll also post my response here.

In stage management, college isn't that important. They are looking more for experience. I would suggest looking in a magazine like ArtSearch and look for internships and production assistant jobs. If you work hard and get along with everyone, you can rise fairly quickly from intern to production assistant to stage manager.

Also, check out the professional theaters in your region. Which state are you from? Many take on run crew personnel for a show or two and this will help you get your foot in the door and a few references for the next job.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 1:17pm

I would argue that a college degree is very important no matter what career path you choose especially in today's job market. BWW lists some fine schools with BFA programs in Stage Management.

[LegallyBroadway2]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 3:37pm

delete

Updated On: 3/11/16 at 03:37 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 3:48pm

Go to college even if you major in something dry like, oh, Poly Sci. It is a great place to grow up.

Also take every stage management job you can whether, PSM or ASM. Learn by doing. You can do this in educational settings, community theatre, semi-pro, pro and so on.

Do investigate university programs. But also take plenty of directing classes and psychology ones too. A good stage manager is so much more than someone who manages what happens on the stage.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 4:03pm

"A good stage manager is so much more than someone who manages what happens on the stage."

A stage manager is the most thankless job in the theater.

And when you get a screamer like Patti LuPone (who has screamed at the SM for Evita and Noises Off) you really earn your pay.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 4:07pm

What Goth said is becoming less and less true. The market is being flooded with young stage managers with degrees. More and more internships are requiring that you be able to receive college credit for the work you do, or to be a recent grad. Because of this that college experience is becoming more and more necessary.

That being said, do not limit yourself to only BFA programs. There are many BA programs that will give you the same training, and sometimes better since your courses won't necessarily be as rigidly laid out for you, this giving you more freedom to try your hand at a bit of everything.

Look at what is important to you and what your current tastes are. If you enjoy musicals then obviously you don't want a school that rarely does them. Conversely, if you enjoy Shakespeare and the classics then you'll want to find a school that has a stronger focus on those genres.

Look at the faculty. What is their background? Do they still work professionally or are they entirely sunk into the world of academia? Does the program bring in guest directors, choreographers, designers, etc, or is it the same handful of faculty members who do everything on every production? Do they allow students to direct or design main stage productions? A good stage manager has to know how to work with many different types of people, and much of your career will eventually end up being based on who you know.

Don't worry about your portfolio not being strong enough coming out of high school. Present what you have and make sure what you have is well organized and gives the viewer a sense of who you are and what you've done so far. The good schools are looking for potential, not a finished product. For a personal example, I didn't start stage managing until my freshman year of college (my original focus was scene design). I've been working professionally for fifteen years now, and am celebrating my tenth year as a member of Equity.

[NotTheComfyChair]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 5:39pm

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has an excellent BFA stage management program with a really high employment rate, I think I heard in the high nineties percent.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 8:54pm

I will be pursuing PCPA, located in Santa Maria, CA next fall. They are a union rep theatre, but they operate their own 2 year vocational technical theatre conservatory. The only one of its kind. It's the perfect way to train at a union theatre.

[Nateben2]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 10:34pm

I second everything AEA AGMA SM says.

Look for schools that will also allow you to get education and practical experience designing and directing.

Be weary of schools with grad programs in stage management - you find that you are competing for assignments with grad students (although those programs may have more dedicated faculty to stage management). But going to undergrad at a school with a grad program may mean more $$$ and resources put into the theater program.

Location, location, location is important. You will be making connections - so watch out if you end up going to a school that is geographically isolated. If you have an idea where you want to live and end up, trying going to school there - it's never as easy to live as cheap as you need to in college. And, while going to school, you maybe making connections or at least learning about the local theater scene.

Cost - try everything to keep your costs down. Graduating with debt sucks.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/20/14 at 8:18pm

Yeah, what AEA said (as usual)!