Title: Why Being a Stage Manager in Your 30s Beats Your 20s
This week, I’ve had some time to catch up with old pals. Naturally, we ended up taking a trip down memory lane. No kidding, we seriously spent 20 minutes just grumbling about our poor, aching knees!
On another note, I’ve been hanging out with an enthusiastic young stage manager who reminds me of an energetic squirrel. She’s thrilled about everything, while I’ve developed a more cynical look on things with time. I mean, who wouldn’t be a bit worn down after a decade managing stages?
This “squirrel” is incredibly energetic. She would willingly run up and down the stairs a thousand times for anything, while my approach is different: if an actor forgets something upstairs, they can go get it. Maybe that’s why the actors seem to prefer her – totally understandable.
I remember my own “squirrel” days as a fresh-out-of-college stage manager. It was a time of self-discovery, to be honest. Everything took longer because I was still learning. After trying to explain my role to countless people, I’ve kind of given up on it.
So, what does a stage manager do?
1. We’re the show’s secretaries – keeping track of everything and reporting to the bosses.
2. We’re the show’s counselors – assuring performers they look fantastic in their costumes, reassuring them of their talents, or giving them a gentle shove towards the stage if they need it. On top of it, we’ve to deal with the range of personalities – from performers to producers.
3. We’re the air traffic controllers – coordinating scene shifts and ensuring cues fire on time. Most importantly, we try to prevent accidents.
4. And finally, when accidents do happen, we turn into first aid responders.
At 22, you’ve got energy pulsing through you to try countless methods when something goes wrong. By 31, experience arms you with the knowledge to solve the problem more swiftly. Sure, it might take a try or two, but the process is much simpler than it was a decade ago.
Finding work as a “squirrel” requires a lot of hustling, while as a “badger”, sure there are struggles, it’s often easier with years of networking. And with emergencies, having repeated first aid training multiple times gives an upper hand compared to a once-trained 22-year-old.
Sometimes, despite society’s idolization of youth, getting older equals getting wiser, or at least, developing a greater flair for ‘faking it till you make it’. Don’t you all find this truth unfolding in your careers too?
*(P.S. Fun Fact: I recently discovered that badgers sometimes eat squirrels! Who knew?)