STAGE MANAGERS: The Unsung Heroes of Broadway, Off-Broadway and The Road

Anyone who's ever been in a show, been part of a show, worked on a show or produced a show, know that it's the Stage Manager who is the glue that holds it all together. The keeper of information, original intent of directors, choreographers and musical directors, as well as serving as ambassadors between producers, publicists, ad agencies, designers, wardrobe people, musicians and anything that goes into getting a performance ON and as close to perfect each and every night and matinee.

Earlier this week, the Stage Management Association held a reception at Connelly's during which they presented a number of awards to a few very special Stage Managers and supportors of Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS.

At the event, BC/EFA Trustee Craig Jacobs was presented with the Del Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award. Unfortunately, Craig was not able to attend to accept, so a letter from BC/EFA's Executive Director, Tom Viola was read and sent to him in his honor.

As the letter states, Craig is one of BC/EFA's great champions, fiercely involved with us from our earliest days. While production stage manager at THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA from 1997 - 2014, Craig led the PHANTOM company in raising over $5.2 million (of the total $5.6 million raised since our inception and PHANTOM's opening in 1988.)

At this same reception BC/EFA Trustee Sherry Cohen, also on of BC/EFA's great champions behind the scenes, currently stage manager at MAMMA MIA since its opening in 2001, was honored with stage manager Peter Wolf for their inception of "The Unofficial Stage Managers' Handbook" which now exists as The Stage Managers National Directory on the Actors Fund website. http://www.actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/healthcare-and-health-insurance/stagemanagers

This project has been funded since 2006 through BC/EFA' s support for The Stage Managers Project at the Actors Fund. Congratulations, Sherry!

The Stage Managers' Association is a professional organization created by and for stage managers. We seek to create a network through which we can share our problems, ideas, and stories; educate ourselves and those with whom we work; eliminate that isolated feeling which strikes us all from time to time; make our crazy jobs just a little easier, and help us to be better stage managers. For more information, visit www.stagemanagers.org

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $250 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

Broadway Cares awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, The Dancers' Resource and the Stage Managers' Project.