3 books to read while we’re waiting to get back to work! Whether you are learning the ins-and-outs of stage management, or you’re a seasoned professional looking to refresh your skills, these books are great to have in your personal library.
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My personal stage management journey has been unique. My education in stage management prior to college was largely self-taught, and even though my degree is in theatre, we had no stage management faculty in the department, which meant more self-teaching and learning from my peers. I would say 80% of what I know about stage management I learned either on the job or from a book. While I’ve read just about every stage management book out there (and gotten frustrated by how outdated they are), these three are the ones I keep going back to:
1. The Stage Manager’s Toolkit
by laurie kincman
I love this book because it is the most in-depth reference for stage management paperwork. The Stage Manager’s Toolkit gives you examples for every piece of paperwork that you might create during your process. Even more importantly, Kincman explains in detail the purpose of each checklist, spreadsheet, and report so that when you find yourself needing to tweak your templates to fit a production, you know how to do so in a way that keeps the integrity of the paperwork. If you are a paperwork junkie, definitely pick up this book!
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2. The Backstage Guide to Stage Management
by thomas a. kelly
Considered a Holy Grail for stage managers, The Backstage Guide to Stage Management provides all-inclusive information for stage managers. What I appreciate about the 3rd edition (the latest version) is that it includes updates to the technology a contemporary stage manager may use. The book also contains an entire chapter on getting a job as a stage manager, including great resources for young stage managers to use to expand their training and look for contracts. The Appendix also includes an extensive collection of helpful paperwork samples.
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3. Stage Manager: The Professional Experience
by larry fazio
This is one of my stage management books from college and it’s been one of my favorite references in my stage management library. While the structure is similar to The Backstage Guide to Stage Management, Fazio’s books has an emphasis on relationships within a production or theatre company, which may prove helpful to early-career stage managers. He also includes personal (and sometimes very dramatic) stories from his time in the field. Fazio’s lessons in this book remind us that stage management is just as much about our relationships with the people we work with as it is about our organization and communication skills.
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