Thank You, Places...Production Stage Manager KATIE VEGLIO

What's a stage manager? What do they do? What's their job? Seriously. Perhaps no job in the theater is as hard to define as that of a production stage manager and it's that blend of mystery, fear and total dependence that makes actors, directors, crew members, producers - you name it! - hold a really great stage manager in total awe and to revile someone who is (how do you say it, without offending anyone?) less than stellar in their position?

According to Wikipedia, "Stage management is the practice of organizing and coordinating a theatrical production. It encompasses a variety of activities, including organizing the production and coordinating communications between various personnel (e.g., between director and backstage crew, or actors and production management)." And that's a pretty good definition, to be sure.

However, it doesn't quite do justice to the amazing stage managers who can make a good production a great one. As they ride herd over everyone connected to a show, while maintaining the integrity of what has been created, the stage manager's responsibilities are many and varied, and by the wave of a hand or the pointed gesticulation of a colored marker or highlighter, they can work miracles that oftentimes save a production from certain failure.

Yet despite their magical powers and all the wizardry they can summon at any particular moment, stage managers seldom get the attention, the adulation or the respect they so richly deserve...because they are simply so good at their job that they seamlessly move from one task to the next, one project to the next that they don't call attention to their awesomeness.

With this - our latest regular feature - we hope to rectify that and shine the spotlight on the individuals who make the shows run with the precision of a Swiss timepiece. Thank You, Places... is our opportunity to edify the theater-goer by introducing you to some of the best production stage managers to be found on the planet.

Today, we introduce you to PSM Katie Veglio, who has worked with numerous theater companies around Nashville, one of Tennessee's finest:

What was your first stage management gig? And your most recent? My first official gig was for Rhubarb Theater Company - The Nashville Monologues in 2008 and my most recent was Angels in America Part 1 with ACT 1.

How did you get into stage managing to begin with? A friend of a friend was looking for someone to run lights for a show - that friend was Julie Alexander with Rhubarb Theater Company. I had never done theater before, but she assured me all I would have to do is sit there and push a button when the stage manager told me. Sure, sounds like fun! So, I wandered into a cute little black box called the Darkhorse on Sunday of Tech Week. Turned out they also needed a new stage manager to run the show. Julie gave a crash course on checking props, calling times, running sound, and running lights. I LOVED it! It was intense and fast paced and thrilling. I was hooked. When Trish Crist called to see if I wanted to also stage manage the next Rhubarb show, I said "of course!" and just sort of figured it out as I went along with the advice and guidance (and patience) of so many amazing directors!

What's the biggest misconception most people have about stage managers? I've heard a lot of ridiculous ones. That all we do is call places. That we are all grumpy and tired all the time. The weirdest one to me is that we are easily angered. We are all human, we are all doing this thing we love and get paid very little for, we are all sitting in Nashville's rush hour traffic every day. Life happens. Blatant disrespect for a production and your peers would anger me, but not much else.

What's your favorite "the show must go on" moment? Oh, man! So many. Crazy tech elements always go wrong - I think just to keep the Stage Manager on their toes each night. I've dealt with fire alarms going off, actors not showing up, air conditioning not working July, dogs running on stage (yay, outdoor theater!). But my favorite was super early on when I was still a new stage manager. I was doing a show called Rising and Falling, which spanned many seasons. We had this cool snow feature strapped to the Darkhorse ceiling. Well one night, Phil Brady and Wesley Paine are on stage looking up at the "sky" discussing the beautiful Spring day and the eight-foot-long sheet full of snow came loose and an avalanche of snow falls right on top of Phil and Wesley. I do not stay "Stage Manager cool" - I freak out. I am ready to run out of the booth and start sweeping it all up in the scene, I guess. But Phil and Wesley just shake the "snow" from their hair, kick it off their shoes and keep on going and the audience keeps going right along with them. I sat back down in my chair, started laughing, and learned that night what "the show must go on" really meant.

How do you prepare for a new production? Even before auditions or rehearsals start? The most important part of a new production for me is the relationship between the director and the Stage Manager. I really try to become the other half of the director's brain. Every Director operates a little differently and expects their stage managers to assist them in specific ways. So, I meet with my Directors and see what they need and really just chat with them and figure out what they don't even know they need/want. It's important for me to establish that trust in our partnership before we add in actors, designers, crew, etc. so that we go into the production, day one on the same page. My favorite prep part though is that trip to Office Depot to pick out my new binder! Putting the colored tabs in my script and organizing and restocking my SM Kit is the BEST feeling. Such a nerd!

What's the most outlandish thing ever asked of you as a stage manager? Once a Producer didn't want the set builder to have to build a piece of the set - a very iconic, specific, huge piece of the set. She says "Katie, can you just take care of making that piece please?" Um. No. It's crazy to me when people just assume a job no one else wants to do should be dumped on the Stage Manager. Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to fill in the gaps where needed to make a successful show, but I know my limits and there is only so much magic I can make happen with a hammer! She eventually asked the set builder to... you know, build the set. Also, no one asks me to do this but having to pull used, sweaty mic tape of the walls and tables - Why? Actors, put them in the trash can!

To post a comment, you must register and login.