How I Kickstarted My Stage Management Career in College
When I was in college, I had three part-time jobs that helped me pave my way towards my career in stage management. Sure, they weren’t paying a fortune, but they played an instrumental role in my learning journey.
One of my gigs was writing articles and clicking photos for the university newspaper. It was a freelance job that paid me $5 for each photo and $10 per article, given they were published. This job, though, wasn’t enough to suffice my expenses.
To balance it out, I also worked in the university’s scene shop and doubled up as a stagehand at the campus performing arts center. For those unfamiliar with what a scene shop is – it’s where theater sets are created. I was lucky to get a spot among the three openings and held onto this job for a year and a half. This job gave me real hands-on experience as we were responsible to execute set and lighting designers’ sketches into reality.
During my stint at the scene shop, I got my hands dirty doing pretty much everything from constructing flats and platforms to scenic painting, and learning a great deal about lighting procedures. It was here where I learned the importance of resource management by requesting supplies and maintaining inventory, especially for props and costumes. But most importantly, it was my first work experience in theater production and a safe place to make rookie mistakes and learn from them.
As gripping as it might sound, it was far from a comfortable job. My first time using a chop saw could have ended disastrously, but thankfully, I got away with some scares and valuable lessons. Though I don’t particularly enjoy carpentry, the ability to do it has been a lifesaver more than once.
In the last leg of my Senior year, I landed a job at the school’s performing arts center, which I think was the best part-time job there. I enjoyed several benefits like getting paid overtime if I worked for more than 40 hours a week, and the flexibility to attend classes during those extra long working days. The work was physically demanding, but the rewards were well worth it. Through interactions with the professional crew, I grew competent and was recommended for several gigs post-graduation.
Later on, my career took me to become a stage manager and production manager. My first big break was as a stage manager on a cruise line where I also fulfilled the duties of a technical director. Despite my initial hesitation, I found myself quite good at it, primarily because of the experiences I gained in college.
I often wonder if I’d have reached where I am today if not for these college jobs. Although they were grueling at times, like when I had to carve mountains out of foam or create massive scenic sets, I am truly grateful for those experiences. All those hours and efforts certainly paid off in laying the foundation for my future in theater production.