Production Stage Manager
Introduction
Welcome to your role as Production Stage Manager at Encore You are now a key member of our artistic leadership team, responsible for elevating stage management practices across all our productions while nurturing the next generation of theater professionals.
Your position is unique in that you wear multiple hats: you are both a practicing stage manager and the leader of our stage management department. This dual role allows you to maintain direct connection to the craft while building systems and mentoring others who will carry forward Encore’s commitment to excellence.
“Theater is a verb before it is a noun, an act before it is a place.” — Martha Graham
Your work directly impacts both the quality of our productions and the educational journey of emerging professionals. Through your leadership, you help create the structured, supportive environment where creativity can flourish.
Your Role at Encore
As Production Stage Manager, you serve three essential functions within our organization:
Department Leader: You oversee all stage management operations, ensuring consistent quality and professional standards across productions.
Mentor and Educator: You guide emerging stage managers through our Youth in the Booth program, providing hands-on training and professional development.
Active Practitioner: You stage manage approximately 6 productions per year, maintaining your direct connection to the craft while modeling excellence for others.
Reporting Structure
You report directly to both the Artistic Director and Executive Director, reflecting the collaborative nature of your role that bridges artistic and operational leadership.
Your Voice in Production Selection
You have significant input in selecting which productions you will stage manage directly. Consider these factors when making your selections:
- Educational opportunities for Youth in the Booth participants
- Production complexity that allows for meaningful mentorship
- Balance between challenging and foundational learning experiences
- Your own professional development goals
Department Leadership Responsibilities
Building Your Stage Management Team
Recruitment and Hiring Process
You lead the identification and evaluation of stage managers for each production. While the Executive Director makes final hiring decisions, your recommendations carry significant weight. Your process should include:
- Reviewing applications and portfolios
- Conducting interviews that assess both technical skills and alignment with Encore’s educational mission
- Recommending candidates who demonstrate potential for working effectively with young artists
- Building a diverse pool of stage management talent
Onboarding New Stage Managers
Create a welcoming and informative onboarding experience that includes:
- Introduction to Encore’s mission and educational philosophy
- Review of production standards and documentation systems
- Connection with the Youth in the Booth program
- Assignment of mentorship opportunities when appropriate
See also: Onboarding and Team Hiring.
Establishing Standards and Systems
Documentation Standards
Work with the Production Manager to ensure all stage managers follow consistent practices:
- Rehearsal report formats and distribution
- Production bible organization
- Cue documentation standards
- Safety protocol implementation
Quality Assurance
Monitor stage management practices across productions through:
- Regular check-ins with individual stage managers
- Review of rehearsal reports and production documentation
- Attendance at key rehearsals and technical processes
- Feedback collection from directors and production teams
Professional Development
Support the growth of your stage management team by:
- Providing constructive feedback and coaching
- Identifying professional development opportunities
- Facilitating peer learning and collaboration
- Recognizing excellence and addressing performance concerns
Youth in the Booth Program
Program Leadership
Program Design and Implementation
You are responsible for developing and refining this mentorship program:
- Create structured learning pathways for participants
- Design meaningful assignments that build skills progressively
- Establish clear expectations and goals for program participants
- Develop assessment methods to track progress and success
Recruitment and Selection
Identify and recruit emerging stage managers who show:
- Genuine interest in stage management as a career path
- Willingness to learn and grow within a mentorship framework
- Ability to work effectively with young artists
- Commitment to Encore’s educational mission
Mentorship Activities
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Create experiences that allow Youth in the Booth participants to:
- Shadow experienced stage managers during various production phases
- Take on graduated responsibilities under supervision
- Observe different types of productions and creative processes
- Practice specific skills in low-stakes environments
Structured Learning
Develop formal training components including:
- Workshops on stage management fundamentals
- Training sessions on Encore’s specific systems and procedures
- Professional development discussions about career pathways
- Networking opportunities with theater professionals
Documentation and Assessment
Track participant progress through:
- Regular evaluation meetings
- Portfolio development
- Goal setting and achievement tracking
- Program completion certifications or recommendations
Building Future Professionals
Career Pathway Development
Help participants understand and navigate stage management careers:
- Connect them with educational opportunities
- Facilitate networking within the theater community
- Provide references and recommendations for future positions
- Create alumni networks for ongoing professional support
Direct Production Responsibilities
Production Stage Management
When you serve as stage manager for productions, you model the excellence expected throughout Encore’s stage management department. Your approach should demonstrate:
Educational Integration
- Incorporate Youth in the Booth participants as assistants when appropriate
- Use production challenges as teaching moments
- Balance efficiency with educational opportunities
- Show how professional stage management supports young artists’ growth
Collaborative Leadership
- Work closely with directors and creative teams to support their artistic vision
- Coordinate effectively with designers and technical staff
- Maintain clear communication with all production team members
- Demonstrate the stage management role as artistic collaborator, not just administrator
Excellence in Practice
- Maintain meticulous documentation and organization
- Lead technical rehearsals with confidence and clarity
- Manage performance operations smoothly and professionally
- Address challenges with creative problem-solving
Production Selection Strategy
When choosing which productions to stage manage, consider:
- Opportunities to demonstrate different aspects of stage management
- Complexity levels appropriate for Youth in the Booth participants observing
- Productions where your leadership will have maximum educational impact
- Balance between familiar territory and professional growth challenges
Systems and Documentation
Creating Sustainable Systems
Template Development
Work with Production Managers to create and maintain:
- Standard rehearsal report formats
- Production bible templates
- Cue sheet and documentation standards
- Safety protocol checklists
Digital Organization
Ensure all stage management materials follow Encore’s Google Drive organization standards:
- Consistent file naming conventions
- Proper folder structures for each production
- Version control for evolving documents
- Archive systems for completed productions
See Fix!!!!!! Google Drive Organization Guide for the master organization system.
Knowledge Management
Document best practices and lessons learned:
- Create guidelines for common stage management challenges
- Develop training materials for recurring processes
- Maintain institutional knowledge about Encore’s specific needs
- Share successful approaches with the broader stage management team
Communication Protocols
Regular Reporting
Establish systems for ongoing communication with leadership:
- Weekly updates on department activities
- Monthly reports on Youth in the Booth program progress
- Quarterly assessments of stage management quality across productions
- Annual evaluation of department goals and achievements
Cross-Departmental Coordination
Work closely with other department leaders:
- Coordinate with Production Managers on staffing and scheduling
- Collaborate with Artistic Directors on production planning
- Support Marketing Teams with documentation and promotional needs
- Assist Design Teams through efficient technical processes
Working with Leadership
Artistic Director Collaboration
Your relationship with the Artistic Director focuses on:
- Ensuring stage management supports artistic vision across all productions
- Identifying opportunities for stage management to enhance educational outcomes
- Discussing the artistic development of Youth in the Booth participants
- Planning production schedules that optimize both artistic and educational goals
Executive Director Partnership
Work with the Executive Director on:
- Department budget planning and resource allocation
- Staff hiring recommendations and performance management
- Program development and assessment for Youth in the Booth
- Strategic planning for stage management department growth
Collaborative Decision-Making
Your voice is valued in organizational decisions regarding:
- Production selection and season planning
- Staff development and professional growth opportunities
- Program expansion and new initiative development
- Quality standards and operational improvements
Getting Started
First 30 Days
- Meet individually with current stage managers to understand existing practices
- Review recent production documentation to assess current standards
- Begin developing your vision for the Youth in the Booth program
- Establish regular meeting schedules with Artistic and Executive Directors
First 90 Days
- Complete assessment of current stage management practices
- Draft initial standards and systems documentation
- Begin recruiting for Youth in the Booth program
- Select and begin preparation for your first production assignment
First Year Goals
- Establish consistent stage management standards across all productions
- Launch the Youth in the Booth program with initial participants
- Complete 6 production stage management assignments
- Develop sustainable systems for ongoing department leadership
Resources and Support
Available Resources
- Encore’s Production Bible and all companion documents (see 0.0 - Production Bible)
- Existing Google Drive templates and organizational systems
- Budget allocation for professional development and program materials
- Support from Production Managers and other department leaders
Professional Development
- Conference attendance and industry networking opportunities
- Training workshops for both you and your team
- Subscription to professional publications and resources
- Connection with other educational theater organizations
Ongoing Support
Remember that you’re not expected to know everything immediately. Your leadership team is available for:
- Guidance on Encore’s specific practices and culture
- Support in developing new programs and systems
- Resources for professional development and training
- Collaboration on challenges and creative solutions
Your role as Production Stage Manager is both exciting and significant. You have the opportunity to shape the future of stage management at Encore while mentoring the next generation of theater professionals. Your work contributes directly to both the artistic excellence of our productions and the educational growth of young artists and emerging professionals.
Welcome to this important role in our artistic community!
By Phase
Production Stage Manager is a year-round department-leader role. When you’re stage-managing a specific show, the per-phase responsibilities live in Stage Manager. The phase notes below describe your departmental lens — what you watch for across all productions in each phase.
Inception
Welcome to the Encore fam! Be sure to complete your onboarding items below — we look forward to building an incredible show that builds life skills through stage skills for young artists.
Onboarding (one-time when joining Encore as PSM)
- Complete child safety training.
- Submit background check.
- Submit W-9.
- Sign and return contract.
- Complete onboarding process.
Per-Production (department lens)
- Identify which production this PSM will SM directly vs. assign to another SM in the department.
- Help the Production Manager and Producer select the SM for the show if you’re not stage-managing it.
- For each Youth in the Booth participant, plan the educational thread for this production.
See 1 - Inception for the phase overview.
Pre-Production
- Onboard the assigned SM into Encore’s documentation standards if they’re new.
- Hold a kickoff with the SM team to align on tools and templates.
- Ensure the Show Bible is being built to standard.
See 2 - Pre-Production for the phase overview.
Casting
- Light departmental involvement. Spot-check audition logistics across productions.
See 3 - Casting for the phase overview.
Rehearsals
- Check in with each production’s SM weekly; review rehearsal reports.
- Coach SMs through challenges; flag patterns across productions to the Production Manager.
- Mentor Youth in the Booth participants who are shadowing or assisting.
See 4 - Rehearsals for the phase overview.
Pre-Tech
- Review the Show Bible draft for each production going into tech; flag gaps.
- Attend Paper Tech / Dry Tech for productions where mentorship is most needed.
- Ensure cue calling practices are aligned with Encore standards.
See 5 - Pre-Tech for the phase overview.
Technical Rehearsals
- Attend tech rehearsals across productions to observe and support SMs.
- Step in if an SM needs backup or relief.
- Capture observations for post-production debriefs.
See 6 - Technical Rehearsals for the phase overview.
Performance
- Attend opening night for each production.
- Be on-call for SM escalations during runs.
- Ensure performance reports are reaching the right departments.
See 7 - Performance for the phase overview.
Post-Production
- Lead the SM department debrief after each production.
- Capture lessons learned; update templates and standards.
- Assess Youth in the Booth participant progress; recommend next steps.
- Document patterns for the Production Manager and Executive Director.
See 8 - Post-Production for the phase overview.
Related
Status: Working · Portal: Team · Last reviewed: 2026-05-11 · Owner: Rhett