Student Blog: The Other Side of the Stage - Actor Turned ASM

I had no intention of becoming an assistant stage manager for my department's production of Into the Woods this semester. It just happened. Between already being the dramaturg for the show and making my way through classes, I was very aware that this semester was going to hit me like a truck. I agreed to do it because I like to take on a challenge.

I'd like to make it clear before I get too far into this; I am not a stage management major. I have never been a stage manager for anything, much less a production of this magnitude. I am a BFA student getting my degree in stage performance-and another degree in English, which is coming in handy with the dramaturgy-so I know the very basics of what a stage manager does. I have thanked them profusely for finding my props and giving me my dropped line cues at the end of the rehearsal. I know that without them, things would not be nearly as streamlined and productive as they often are. With this being said, I had little to no idea as to what I was getting myself into when I agreed to become an assistant stage manager, or ASM for short. But I've learned some things pretty quickly.

1. Stage managers show up early.

By four-thirty every weekday afternoon, I'm standing with the other two ASMs in the lobby of the theater as our stage manager turns her computer screen around and points at the checklist she carefully curated. "Call time for the actors is at five," she says, "so we have to get this, this, and this done before then. Then," she checks her notebook, "you two will be in the music room, and you'll come upstairs with me, okay?" Since Into the Woods has a big cast, we have to be very careful about how many people we can have in one space at a time. For now, we're operating out of two rooms that are about as far from each other as they possibly can be, giving actors just enough time to go from musical rehearsal to blocking rehearsal.

2. Stage managers get fun keys.

My stage manager hands me a key off of her lanyard. "Would you mind opening up the room downstairs for the pianist? It also opens the closet inside, and the piano should be in there."

I'm ninety percent sure I've just been given a master key, and it feels terrifying. I go open the room downstairs and set up the piano. Running back up the hallway and a flight of stairs, I hand it to her and turn around to grab a broom.

"Actually, Rachael, since you're here, would you mind printing something for me?" The stage manager gives me her keycard and points me in the direction of what I thought was another closet. "Make sure to tap the card once you're done, it locks everything up." I print out everything she's written down for me: schedules of department-mandated events that interfere with rehearsal times, blocking keys, rehearsal reports, and making my way out of the not-closet, I tap the keycard against the lock on the way out.

3. Stage managers get a great workout.

Now that I've dropped the paperwork off, I run back down to the piano room and grab the stack of mats that are serving as impromptu set pieces. With the help of another ASM, I trek down two long hallways, across the theater lobby, and into the elevator, forearms burning as I try to not lift with my back. The three walks across our half-mile campus between classes earlier have made my legs strong, but my arms are still noodly for now. I'm sure when it comes to lifting set pieces, they'll (maybe) manage to do their job better. Dropping the mats off for the director to arrange, I look over to the stage manager, who gives me a thumbs up.

4. Stage managers have to manage.

I make my way back to the piano room and greet the music director, who's serving as the accompanist for the day. Dragging a table and chair to the center of the room, I plug my nearly-dead laptop in and open up our attendance form and daily call. Cross-examining the list for music rehearsal and blocking rehearsal, I see I'll need some PPE wipes to clean the chairs and music stands in between actors. I go back upstairs to the other rehearsal room and get them. Once I'm settled in front of my computer again, room ready for the actors, I look at the time and reach for my phone. Time to prepare for contacting anyone who might be late! Thankfully, the actors begin to come in just as I'm getting their numbers ready. Our school uses Coverified, this app that tracks our Covid symptoms (and lack thereof), and I have to remind a few actors to show me their Verification badges as they settle in. Entering them all as 'present' in the attendance form, I switch back to the daily call one more time to make sure that everyone's present and accounted for on my end.

"You've got about half an hour to work this, and then the boys are coming in for 'Agony.'" I say.

Paperwork next, with three hours or so of listening to my friends settle into the lyrics of Sondheim's music.

5. Stage managers get to walk home with their friends.

After cleaning up the music room and chatting with the music director, I head up to the other rehearsal room and arrange the props in the closet as actors bundle the mats into a closet and push tables back against the walls. "Thanks, guys!" I call out as they begin to pack up. "You all sounded awesome tonight!" They wave and call out their thanks and goodbyes as I make my way over to the director and stage management team. My director looks at me and smiles. "How are you feeling, Rachael?" he asks cheerfully. I give him a tired smile. "Good. It's a lot, but it's fun so far."

The stage manager grins at me. "We haven't even gotten to moving set pieces or calls for lines yet," she teases, "but I'd say for your first week, you're doing pretty good." We all laugh, and after triple checking everything's locked, and no, no one needs anything else, I head back to my dorm, chatting with one of the other ASMs on the way.

They ask "Got any plans for tonight?" as I stop in front of my dorm and fish out my student ID. I laugh and pull open the door.

"Yeah. Homework, man. See you Monday!"

I've been an assistant stage manager for a week, and I already really like it. It's far more complex than I ever would've imagined, but it's really fun to look at the process of play production from the other side of the stage.

To post a comment, you must register and login.