English Theatre Frankfurt: Stage Manager calling JEKYLL & HYDE

[@sevinm6261]

Very impressing! It's amazing how much is going on backstage that you can't see.

[@TheGeoDaddy]

As I start putting together my “stage book” for my next production… I came across this reminder of how the Stage Mgr ends up running the show… right from the “book” with a few visual queues IF something goes amiss… The unheralded job of the Theatre that does exist in the “movies” 😁

[@kevinlane7555]

I used to work in a small theatre....ran all of the light cues manually , and called spot cues. People think show production just happens

[@FlyNAA]

I watched a few videos like this, wondering what's the % split between time looking at the stage vs time looking in the book, and this one answers it. Neat.

[@misterbonzoid5623]

When I recruit student technical crews for college shows in London, the Stage Manager, Assistant SM and Deputy SM always end up being some of the smartest, utterly punctual (always women) in the college. They have to be, and seem drawn to it. They connect the backstage crew with the director, and with the performers, and run the show live.

[@MrSonicMAJ]

Who is the stage manager? I use this clip as an example in my classes and would appreciate being able to reach out.

[@Kommentarkanal-pc5nl]

So LX means Light what other cues did you use?

[@misterpuma]

Lisaaaaaa, beautiful :)

[@munci6474]

I don´t get this...I thought the lights f.e. is done by the light-people...r u telling each technic person what to do???

[@Shadowknightneo]

She's "Calling" the show. She will be in the wings in her own special area with the script on it with ALL the technical stage managers directions written down..lights/ sound and effects. Her job is to keep her eyes on the script and follow the script/action on stage (also prompt in the rare occurrence and actor forget a line) She also has to read a few lines ahead of the actor and when she spots a cue she talks into her headset (sometimes called CANs) to the lighting and sound desk that will be facing the stage and tell them to standby with their cue (you hear her say LX331, which is standby for lighting cue 331) the when it hits the moment the lights need to come on she says "Go" which tells the lighting people to press the programmed cue button on the lighting desk. Then she moves into the next one. Source: I have done this job in the theatre many times. It's weirdly satisfying and calming as nothing else goes on in your head but reading and calling.

[@munci6474]

@@Shadowknightneo wow...that s amazing!!! Thank you!!!

[@Shadowknightneo]

​@@munci6474It's even more amazing when you realise the work and craft that goes into this. She has to stay ahead of the beat and account for the lighting people's reaction time when she says go. So she will actually call the "Go" for the lighting half a beat ahead so the switch lands on the beat. She will also be writing notes for any cues that were missed or in the wrong time to feedback at the next rehearsal to make it smoother. She could also potentially be calling for any of the other sundry theatrics such as Sound, Pyros, Flyrailing, Set Switches, Clearence etc. It's an amazingly technical job that a lot of people don't realise can make or break a show. (It's also one job the actors don't want to annoy or get on the wrong side of as you might find your precious spotlight was "Missed" during your monologue)