Whats my title supposively im a stage manager but i do everything????HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE?

Question

i can program lights my director lets me run the show during the plays supposively the hiarchy of our theatre (high school) is

:Director

Stage Manger

i make a lot of the props order the costumes and direct the blocking type the scripts i do it all??

My question one is that the right hiarchy and also is that the right title for all those jobs

Answer 1

Yes, that's pretty much accurate. Basically, the stage manager in a high school theater is the director's b**ch. I stage manage both the winter and spring productions at my school, and my tasks involve making copies, checking props, recording blocking, calling the cues in the show, organizing costumes, taking notes for the director, checking up on actors/spreading call times, setting the stage before a show, and doing any other random task the director asks me to. Also involved is making sure you know all the times, dates, and locations for every rehearsal, meeting and show and you are able to answer any questions a cast member might have about these things. You might feel like the director is taking advantage of you, and you are pretty much right. The only reason I keep doing it is because if you are good at what you do, the cast will love you because you are a pleasant break from the director, who if they are the type that makes you do everything they don't feel like doing, is probably not the cast's favorite person at times. Stage managing is a lot of work, but for me it pays off in the end. Have fun!

Answer 2

There is no wrong or right title - theatre varies so much from high school to high school that a stage manager's job description cannot be universal.  I'd call you the stage manager, but also maybe prop and costume manager!  It's the same in the professional world; my current job involves some things that stage managers in other companies don't do (I set all props pre-show, which often is delegated to an ASM - however we don't have ASMs so it becomes the SM's job), and I don't do things that some other stage managers do.  However, what doesn't change is that the stage manager is the link between the artistic team and the production team - all information which comes up at rehearsals regarding props, costume, set, lights, sound or anything else technical comes to me and then gets distributed to the appropriate department.  Your director is being very professional in letting you run the show - in the professional world the show is in the hands of the stage manager after it has opened so you're getting good training there!  Hierarchy is a tricky one; in terms of high school theatre you're probably right in that the director is above the SM but in the professional world that isn't directly so - while artistically I answer to the director, my actual boss is the production manager.  I wouldn't say that I'm the director's equal, but there are times when an SM has power over the director (I'm responsible for keeping rehearsals running to schedule, making sure breaks happen on time and are long enough) and times when it goes the other way.  The director's role is artistic, the stage manager's is practical - at least that's how I see it.