Bryan Runion
Bryan Runion is a production manager, stage manager, and writer exploring the intersection of leadership, live performance, and human connection. With experience spanning global productions, immersive experiences, and large-scale touring shows, his work focuses on the systems and relationships that make complex work possible.
He is the creator of BackstageOS, a platform designed to bring clarity and structure to production workflows, and the founder of Half-Hour, where he writes about leadership, collaboration, and the quiet decisions that shape how teams operate. Bryan also co-hosts the Backstage Banter podcast, where conversations with industry professionals unpack the realities of working behind the scenes.
His writing reflects a belief that the most important part of any production isn’t the show itself, but the people who make it happen.
Essays by Bryan Runion
Leadership When You Are Not in the Room Conflict Architecture for Creative Work The Mask of Busyness: Why We Choose Productivity Over Presence Ep 09: The Leadership You Won't See Why Ethical Leadership Matters Phenomenology and its Relevance to Leadership Bridging Generational Gaps in Entertainment Production Teams When Your Body Leads Before Your Brain: Leadership in the Heat of the Moment Understanding and Caring for Relationships between Stage Managers and Performers You Can't Command a Garden to Grow Emergency Preparedness Is Leadership: What Happens When You’re the Calm in the Chaos Ep 11: Practice, Presence, and the Ethics of Showing Up What Stage Management Teaches Us About Guiding Teams Establishing Standard Practices for Emergency Scenarios and Technical Errors How to Approach Conflict Resolution for Productive Conversations A Former Seafarer’s Voyage to Mental Health Ep 01: Adaptive Challenges w/ Nico Lamros Smith 5 Powerful Lessons About Leadership When You’re Not in the Room Ep 13: The Mask of Busyness Stage Management Leadership as an Act of Service Stage Managing for Ballet How to Negotiate Your Salary and Get Paid What You Deserve Pay Disparity in Entertainment: A Call for Equity Asking for a Raise and Countering in Negotiations 10 Best Leadership Books: Must-Reads for Growth, Feedback & Real-World Clarity How to Prep Your Production Book Ep 14: The Cost of Clarity Mastering Empathy for Effective Leadership Navigating Stress: Identifying Stressors and Effective Coping Strategies Participation vs Contribution Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Echoes of the Darkened Stage Inviting Feedback in Leadership, Creating Space for Diversity, and Challenging Tradition Defining Stage Management Style Show Advance Toolkit How Show Calling Changes Based on the Production Stage Manager Emergency Communication and the Importance of Clear Cooperation Show Types 101: Adapting Your Advance for the Artform Leading From Your Why Can Change Everything Equality vs Equity: Why the Difference Matters More Than Ever Leading with a Whole Heart Ep 06: Conflict Resolution Who’s Who in the Advance: Mapping the Ecosystem Stage Management Is Systems Thinking, Not Task Execution 5 Things Every Stage Manager Should Bring to First Rehearsal Ep 05: Career Transitions w/ Sharon delPilar What does it mean to be an Ethical Stage Manager? Building a Career: The Long Term Playbook 10 powerful digital collaboration tools for stage managers How to Advance a Show in Live Entertainment Identifying and Overcoming Leadership Blindspots Immersive Theatre is Changing the Industry Preparing for a Hard Conversation: Defining Feelings, Uncovering Identity Triggers, and Setting a Purpose Blending Education and Experience Building a Fire vs. Keeping It Lit When Leaving is the Only Feedback The Unspoken Conversation Between Stage and World What gets lost when companies plan for people to leave Authority, Power, and Leadership: Understanding the Differences That Shape How We Lead Mental Health Days at SDSU: How One Professor Boosts Student Well-Being When Empathy is Your Strongest Algorithm When the Plan Breaks The Six Phases of Production Every Stage Manager Should Know Culture, Burnout, and Why People Stay The Emotional Labor of Leadership The Invisible Leadership of Stage Managers Develop Career Resilience to Thrive in Constant Change The Power of Culture Building Sandcastles in a Tsunami: The Exhaustion of ‘Good Enough’ 5 Leadership Lessons from Calling a Show What Does an Assistant Stage Manager Actually Do? The Shape of Trust Servant Leadership: the quiet practice that holds everything together Stage Management 101: The Complete Beginner’s Guide for New and Aspiring SMs Tips for Applying to International Work Career Paths in Live Entertainment How to Embrace The Courage Of Risk: Transforming Vulnerability Into Triumph The Cost of Clarity in Leadership Communication The Importance of Professional Practice as a Stage Manager Ep 08: Culture Shapes the Way We Work We Need to Redefine Professionalism When Leadership Feels Like a Fucking Trap The Actors’ Equity Association and Its Help to Grow the Current Theatre Market Working with Protection Protocols for Royalty and High-Profile Individuals in Live Entertainment Preparing for a Hard Conversation: The Facts Conversation Ep 10: A Personal Code of Ethics: Four Pillars That Guide My Leadership What We Practice We Become Ep 03: Show Calling What Stage Managers Should Know About the Rehearsal Process Touring Stage Management: A Stage Manager’s Guide to Life on the Road Why I Created a Personal Code of Ethics as a Stage Manager What We Carry Into the Wings The Fatigue of 'Better': When New Tools Just Add New Work Ep 07: Freelancing w/ Laura Zingle Ep 15: Group Dynamics Building a Successful Stage Management Team Setting Effective Goals The Imperfect Craft of Leadership How to Safely Stop the Show: A Complete Guide for Stage Managers Managing Personalities When the Hardest Work is the Work No One Sees Why Every Stage Manager is a Thought Leader Ep 04: Toxic Workplace w/ Helen Moreau The Micromanagement Myth: Why Hands-On Leadership Isn’t Always the Enemy How to Safely Stop the Show: A Look At Assessing Risk Before It Happens Ep 02: Education vs Experience w/ Jay Sheehan Ep 12: When Your Body Leads Before Your Brain Belonging to Myself Building Relationships is the Key to Strong Leadership The Automation Anxiety: Rewriting Our Role in an AI-Driven Workflow We All Win When We Stop Competing