Brian is currently the resident production stage manager at northern stage in vermont and spends his summers as the production stage manager for the new london barn playhouse in new hampshire. Bay street theater is a notforprofit 299seat professional regional theater situated on long wharf, in sag harbor, ny, and founded in 1991 by sybil christopher, stephen hamilton and emma walton. The rocky horror show broadway musical 2000 revival ibdb. A stage manager with live nation clubs and theaters is a. Stage managers can be paid hourly, by contract, or through a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union, iatse. Feb 29, 2012 not just to remind you, but in case something happens, someone else will be able to read and understand your blocking notations. Stage management is a broad field that is generally defined as the practice of organization and coordination of an event or theatrical production.
No projects will be accepted after the last day of class. Brian meister production stage manager has worked on over three dozen. How to become a good stage manager with pictures wikihow. Brian meister is credited as stage manager and performer. Have swept a stage, focused a light, mended a costume 8. Personally i think this book helped me the most when i was dsm for one of the productions at college it helped me as i wasnt totally confindent with being a dsm and being.
Brian meister theatre credits, news, bio and photos. Stage management handbook v4 west virginia university. Join facebook to connect with brian meister and others you may know. How to make a prompt book resources for stage managers. Complete with charts and helpful checklists, it takes the reader through a. Expounded in our town by a folksy stage manager a part often played by wilder himself over the years the idea touched the hearts of a global audience, and the play became a fixture. Not just to remind you, but in case something happens, someone else will be able to read and understand your blocking notations.
How to prepare a stage managers prompt book kayla e decoration how to prepare a stage managers prompt book one of the stage managers most important tasks is to create and maintain the prompt book sometimes known as the show bible which is a master copy of the script and contains everything pertaining to the show. Samples should show how the same information can be organized in three distinct ways. Stage management handbook v4 home school of theatre. Compare three samples of the following types of forms used by stage managers. Rocky horror, an homage to the science fiction and horror b movies of the late 1940s through the early 1970s, tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm during a road trip and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist unveiling his new creation, a muscle man named rocky horror. Books software general rigging safety lighting sound carpenter grip stage management software carpenter rigging safety fall arrest harnesses lanyards rope pulleys carabiners klein tools nico press felco cutters loops spansets daisy chains sandbags other. The prompt book is the master copy of the script or score, containing all the actor moves and technical cues, and is used by the deputy stage manager to run rehearsals and later, control the performance. Be sure your name is on the inside cover of the three ring binder. The paper mill playhouses production of the familyfriendly meet me in st.
Brian meister, production stage manager theatrical index. Meters testers battery testers dmx testers electrical testers socapex testers. Ibdb provides records of productions from the beginnings of new york theatre until today. He or she is central to the entire process from auditions to the closing night. Much of the success of the entire project rests in the hands of the members of this important department. Safely and effectively manages the load in and load out of production elements to stage. Haven is a stage manager and performing arts professional. A stage manager is in charge of the entire production, and must know the ins and outs of every production they oversee. In full production, though, it doesnt seem like much of anything.
I am a freelance stage manager living in birmingham, al. Stage management may encompass a variety of activities including the overseeing of the rehearsal process and coordinating communications among various production teams and personnel. The book is filled with interesting and amusing anecdotes from the authors decades working behind the. A stage manager is responsible for the overall organization of a theatrical production.
Traditional and new methods for running a show from first rehearsal to last performance kindle edition by thomas a. Outline the change you purpose and the reason for this proposal. Feb 25, 2012 when creating a rehearsal schedule, you will need. Much of the success of the entire project rests in the hands of. Peter lawrence won a tony award for his contributions to our industry as a stage manager. The job requires keeping actors and technicians on task, managing meetings and rehearsals, and remaining calm and levelheaded throughout a process that tends to be emotionally and physically draining. The rocky horror show new broadway cast cd rockymusic.
Travis blackwell is a stage manager for theatre, opera, and special events. Brian meister, production stage manager view their professional profile on theatrical index, including current productions, past productions and. City of angels original, musical, comedy, broadway opened in new york city dec 11, 1989 and played through jan 19, 1992. The rocky horror show, broadway show details theatrical index. Stage management may encompass a variety of activities including the overseeing of the rehearsal.
Assistant director, brian meister production stage manager, annette ye. Understand that the actor is the one putting herhimself in front of the audience and how vulnerable that makes them 6. And no, no, there has never been a tony award category for best stage manager, its just that peters work has been so important that the tony awards committee gave him an excellence in theatre tony in 20. Once a show goes up, i keep my prompt book at the theatre. Sep 22, 2014 last stage manager standing is not a casual stroll down memory lane. Led accessories led stage markers led scrolling badges other. If youre making fake white wine for stage use, dont use grape juice if the wine is sitting in a bottle undrunk for a few days. It tells you about all the stages in the production process and how each memeber of the stage manangement team like the assistant stage manager and the deputy stage manager. All of the cast members conflicts scene breakdown production calendar the production calendar includes not just the audition and performance dates, but when people are building the sets, when publicity photos will be taken, and any dark days the theatre has.
To call a cue you warn the lighting operator and then say the word go when it is time, hamilton stage manager scott rowen, who joined the show after its offbroadway run, said. Log in or sign up for facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Top nine things you need to understand or have done to become a professional stage manager. The rocky horror show, broadway show details theatrical. In every theatrical production, a single indispensable person is responsible for ensuring that scenery, lighting, actors, directors, sound artists are in sync. Being a part of a live performing art production can be very exciting and fulfilling. West side story broadway musical 1980 revival ibdb. Ibdb internet broadway database archive is the official database for broadway theatre information. View additional production details on theatrical index.
In the world of professional theatre, the stage manager is one of the most important players. Assistant stage manager department of theatre and dance. Brian meister bio, photos, theatre credits, stage history. For a digital copy of traviss resume or cv please use the contact tab. Cunningham who also wrote the book courts mediocrity immediately by. The essential handbook is aimed at students, graduates and all aspirants to stage management, amateur or professional, whether the production is on a large or small scale. The west side of new york city during the last days of summer. How to make a prompt book, paperwork, prompt book, prompt script, rehearsal reports, show bible, stage managing. The back stage guide to stage management, 3rd edition. The rocky horror show revival, musical, comedy, broadway opened in new york city nov 15, 2000 and played through jan 6, 2002. Math team queen if broadway producers ever greenlight a musical based on mean girls, the lindsay lohan pic about a brainy teen who courts popularity partly by pretending to be.
But even this seasoned skewermeister, who can find zest and variety in the monotony that is broadway today, is hard pressed to unearth similar sparkle from the. Studied construction management at oklahoma state university 08. Essentials of stage management by peter maccoy, the stage management handbook by daniel a. Complete with charts and helpful checklists, it takes the reader through a typical production week by week.
This new production isnt so much a revival of the original stage show. Stage management is an art that is learned through extended study, mentoring, and experience. In other productions, the head stage manager is usually just called the stage manager. Jan 01, 2000 in every theatrical production, a single indispensable person is responsible for ensuring that scenery, lighting, actors, directors, sound artists are in sync. Rather, it is a full speed toboggan ride down an unmarked slope with the author in the lead seat shouting out the landmarks as you whiz by.
Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Books software general rigging safety lighting sound carpenter grip stage management software. The prince of egypt original cast recording released today. Introduction to theatre drama 4, the stage manager is perhaps the most important enabler in a production. Once upon a mattress broadway musical 1996 revival ibdb. The 1920s stage version of dracula has been revived with michel altieri. Choose styles that clearly indicate specific advantages or disadvantages of each document.
He has, in collaboration with christopher porterfield, written two books. Be prepared to point out specific differences of each document in your production book to the class. These agreements expire every 35 years and then a new one has to be negotiated. Freelance stage manager and theatre artist based in new york city. Apply to stage manager, operations manager, certification manager and more. Its sometimes known as the book, prompt copy or prompt script. Stage managers are responsible for facilitating the technical details of a theatrical production, assisting the director during rehearsals, overseeing scheduling, keeping the prompt book, managing cast relations and distributing information. Production stage manager the head stage manager, in charge of making sure the production goes smoothly and the supervisor of the other stage managers.
Lines between the audience and the stage are conscientiously blurred in. All hamilton, the color purple, and the bodyguard photos are by joan marcus. Virtual stage manager handles all your time consuming theatre management tasks. Last stage manager standing is not a casual stroll down memory lane. The assistant stage manager assists the stage manager in completing a wide number and variety of responsibilities, which can be broken down into three primary categories. Dec 30, 2012 in thornton wilder, penelope niven is largely willing to take this apologia at face value 400 letters.