Career Advancements: A Stage Manager’s Story
I love talking about my stage management journey. Moving from scrapping pennies to being financially comfortable transformed my career too. Splurging on quality work supplies is now a possibility.
Let’s talk black pants – a hot debate amongst female stagehands. They can be costly but are essential for the job. I’ve tested several pairs over the years and loved Old Navy’s cargo pants, but they weren’t durable enough. My go-to pants used to be Kohl’s black boot cuts. That changed when I found an awesome pair in Express during their semi-annual sale. I loved them so much, I bought a second pair at full price. Here’s a quick tip: There are several ways to get black pants without busting your budget.
On another note, I fell in love with a t-shirt a while back. From Banana Republic, it’s slightly thick and long enough for comfortable tucking in. The price is a bit steep at $20, but the quality is worth the splurge.
A few years back, I noticed the expectation for high-tech accessories in my area. While I disagreed, it was hard to deny the convenience of owning a Bluetooth speaker. Although I initially bought it for personal use, it found its home in my work supplies.
Here’s a funny story. I had several complaints about the poor quality of dance sequence videos I’d take with my smartphone while on the road. It was pretty frustrating because, really, how could I always own the newest phone for crisp videos? Anyway, a friend gifted me a Flipvid one year which was amazing. After about five years, I wanted a new one but found out they’d discontinued them!
Despite my annoyance over the expectation to provide high-quality videos without the necessary equipment, I found having video references invaluable. With my increased income, I splurged on a GoPro. Now I just need to figure out how to store all those videos without crashing my computer!
Talking about splurges, let’s not forget training. Although it might not seem so, it can get expensive. I’ve always ensured to keep my CPR & First Aid certifications up-to-date. My most recent self-improvement initiative is to add at least two new skills to my resume each year. Although there are free options, I find paid classes can offer more focused training.
The scope of a stage manager’s duty has always intrigued me. What do you think theatre companies can reasonably expect from us? Have you expanded your skillset throughout your own careers?