“The Roller Coaster Journey of a Stage Manager”
Hey there, 2017 was the most bizarre ride in my career as a stage manager. You ever ponder, “How did I end up here?” Me too, numerous times, while wandering around the circus.
Dreaming of a career in stage management? Know this, it’s hardly a straightforward path. Imagine building a large bag of skills over time, and with each job, your bag grows, offering more resources to draw upon.
I’ve been reflecting on this bag of skills lately as I recognize that, despite having more to learn and improve, I already possess to a great extent the skills needed for my job.
In this role, I frequently use knowledge gained from my time working on cruise ships. From scheduling templates to safety training (thanks to the overly-cautious OSHA), it’s all useful here. Even things that once drove me mad, like unpredictable equipment inspections, aren’t so bad now because I dealt with similar situations on cruise ships.
Working on the ships also taught me how to collaborate with various teams – from procurement to maintenance and even the food and beverage staff. Similarly, some skills I honed during my stint at a circus come into play too.
As a stage manager, dealing with difficult performers is an integral part of my job. In those moments, I refer back to how I resolved similar issues in the past. When we’re understaffed and inundated with tasks, I draw from my college experiences, as well as those underpaid odds-and-ends gigs. Amazingly, even the least impressive jobs from my past have later proven useful in my career.
2017 was a year of highs and lows. It kicked off with the completion of “FAME”, a touring musical, and successfully ticking off a goal from my career bucket list. But this high was soon followed by a hard crash when a well-paying tour fell through just 12 hours before departure.
Being jobless for two months was a low phase, but then things picked up with small gigs—a musical in South Carolina and assistant stage managing an opera in Virginia.
Another bucket list gig came through with “Sleep No More”, but sadly, the experience was far from enjoyable. However, fortune favored again when I fortuitously landed a circus job that I absolutely love and where I earn well!
So, 2017 stands as the wildest ride in my stage management career. If you’re currently struggling with a career low, remember that the tides can turn in a matter of months. That’s the life of a stage manager—unpredictable yet rewarding!