A working stage manager explains what stage managers actually do — rehearsal duties, calling the show, paperwork, and the skills the job really demands.
A stage manager runs the rehearsal room and the performance. They schedule and call rehearsals, record blocking and cues in the prompt book, communicate between director, designers, cast and crew, and call every light, sound and scenic cue during the show.
Communication (being the company's single source of truth), scheduling, maintaining the prompt book, running rehearsals and performances, and caring for the people in the room.
Yes. From opening night the stage manager runs the show — calling cues over headset, managing the backstage crew, and keeping every performance consistent with what the director staged.
Clear written and verbal communication, calm under pressure, organisation and systems thinking, script notation and scheduling fluency, and the ability to lead without ego.