4 Books Stage Managers Swear By

Many individuals are interested in stage management, but they just don't know where or how to start. Experience is always the best teacher, especially with a highly hands-on job like theatre, but people might want to read about it first while the theatre doors remain closed.

Quite recently, in a round table discussion of stage managers, they were asked about the book that really helped them learn about the craft. Some of them answered the same material, while one or two preferred different books.

There are plenty of resources out there to teach interested people about stage management, but here are four books that established stage managers swear by:

Stage Management by Lawrence Stern & Jill Gold

Lawrence Stern and Jill Gold’s book was the most highly recommended in that round table discussion. New and veteran stage managers will pick up more than a thing or two from this book. It provides genuine insights and applicable techniques that help readers become better stage managers and theatre practitioners in general.

Stage Manager: The Professional Experience – Refreshed by Larry Fazio

Being a stage management student is wildly different from working in the so-called “real world.” The book aims to help students with the shift in the working environment and dynamics. Like most stage management books, it talks about the qualities of a good stage manager, chain of command, creating the prompt book, calling a show, and more.

The Stage Manager's Toolkit by Laurie Kincman

Following the production cycle, the book covers all the bases and outlines what the stage management team does every step of the way. It’s concise and relevant, and there are even visuals and templates to help the reader understand easily. Consider this book very beginner-friendly. Many educators particularly love it and use it religiously for their classes.

The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management by Thomas A. Kelly

This book is perfect for early-career stage managers where they can pick up strategies that they can already apply. This book is often used in classes as well because the anecdotes and real-life examples by Thomas A. Kelly make it easy to digest. As always, there are examples of paperwork that readers may want to emulate.

There are so many resources available out there that individuals might choose to look into. Here are four other stage management books that you can check out as well:

·         Essentials of Stage Management by Peter Maccoy

·         A Survival Guide for Stage Managers by Mary Ellen Allison

·         The Backstage Handbook by Paul Carter

·         The Stage Management Handbook by Daniel Ionazzi

Even if you’re not formally enrolled in a stage management course (or maybe not yet), you can learn a lot with all these materials. If you work in a different department or you’re a theatre fan, you’ll still benefit from these books as they give you a clearer image of what the job entails. It’s always a good idea to go beyond what you think you know and seek more knowledge.