stage managing with kids

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 6/4/08 at 1:16pm

I have stage managed a lot of shows, some with one or two kids in them but I think I might be unprepared for my latest project - our local theatre is doing Cheaper by the Dozen this summer which consists of 14 kids from ages 7 to 18.

HELP!

What tips or tricks or recommendations can anyone give me on how to adjust my sm style to fit both the adult actors and the kids. And what special challenges am I going to face with all those kids????

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/4/08 at 1:50pm

My advice is: don't ever work with animals or kids. Ever! Just say no!!

But if you have to:

Don't allow parents backstage. Designate a place where they can drop off and pick up their kids. And make sure you are very direct about what time they can be picked up. Example: "The show is over at 10pm. The theater doors are locked at 10:15. If your child is not picked up, Child Services will be called and you will be reported as an abandoning parent". If you aren't strict, parents will use you as a babysitter.

It would be helpful for you to have an assistant who just dealt with the child. I did a production of "A Christmas Carol" and we had a woman in her late 50s in charge of the children. This worked well because the parents felt very safe leaving their children with an older woman.

You've got to establish order from the beginning. Kids have a tendency to go running off or wander around. This can be very dangerous, especially during Tech Week when sets are being moved in. Designate areas they can be in: green room, dressing room, etc. and areas they can't. When I worked on "A Christmas Carol" one little girl ran across the stage at the time that a trap door was being lowered and fell in. She wasn't hurt but it was a difficult explaining to the parents.

The buddy system: assign each kid a buddy. Make sure if they are in the wings waiting for an entrance that their buddy is right next to them.

Parents are very worried about their children changing their clothes around strangers. I would suggest that the dressers for the show meet the parents (a woman for the girls; a man for the boys). Maybe even give the parents a backstage tour that shows where their children will dress.

Keep an up to date contact list of the parents and always have it right with you. Sometimes rehearsals have to be cancelled and you'll need to call them quickly.

When calling parents, always say "Is this Susie's parent?". Never say "Is this Mrs. Smith?" Because the child's last name is not always the same as the parents.

Updated On: 6/4/08 at 01:50 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/4/08 at 2:07pm

Updated On: 1/23/09 at 02:07 PM

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 6/4/08 at 2:15pm

I hatehatehate stage managing with kids. During one production of The Velveteen Rabbit, a wayward toy found a can of glue and a paintbrush and proceeded to wreak havoc on the bathroom walls. That... was a fun one.

Just don't take crap from anybody.

I'm sure you know the "If you leave your costumes on the floor, they go in the freezer" trick.

Once the kids have signed in, make sure they know that they are NOT to leave a previously designated area.

If some of them will be spending a significant amount of time offstage, get some Legos and coloring books and keep them somewhere accessible. This really does work wonders.

And if you have an ASM or someone else who's supposed to be assisting you, MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING IT. (I once ended up taking over the SM post for this woman who would come to the show hung-over or otherwise incapacitated, and would spend the entire time either vomiting in the back bathroom or talking with her friends. By the end of the run, I was so close to just snapping and giving her a piece of my mind. I was talking to a friend of mine before the final show, and the phrase "I love theatre and all, but stage managing this show has been a nightmare" escaped my mouth. She overheard, marched over to me, and said very loudly, "You DO know you're just the ASSISTANT stage manager, right? I've been doing the majority of the work here." I let it go and forever wish that I hadn't.)

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 6/4/08 at 2:30pm

[Tag]

Posted: 6/4/08 at 4:11pm

A lot of good advice above.
Definitely hire a child wrangler. In your case I would hire 2 because you have a significant amount of kids. Look into hiring people from university/college education programs as they would benefit from the experience as well. The wranglers should supply/facilitate many games (boardgames, cards, etc) ONLY to be played in dressing rooms or greenroom. Also if the children are not needed onstage, DO NOT let them hang out backstage. They should be in their dressing rooms/greenroom with the wrangler until you page them to the stage.

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 6/4/08 at 4:24pm

Whatever you do, do NOT hire the parent of one the children in the cast to be a wrangler. It causes a myriad of problems...accusations of favoritism being one of them,

On the 1st day of rehearsal with the kids...have a list of do's and don'ts and go over it with them and their parents. After that, keep the parents out of the process. And stick to your list...don't let the rules slide...because eventually, they will all be challenged. And if one gets away with breaking the rules...then they all will feel entitled.

I HATE working with kids, but even more I HATE working with their parents. Keep them on a short leash as well.

Updated On: 6/4/08 at 04:24 PM

[bwaychae5192]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 12:30am

I wouldn't bring games. Kids tend to get REALLY loud when playing games because of arguments, etc. (and most of the time, you have to be quiet in the dressing rooms as well, so others can hear the monitors and such) - coloring books and crayons could work instead. I know of adults that still being those backstage for themselves and they also keep kids really quiet.

I know that the professional theatre I work with allows two parents backstage (one for boys, one for girls) and they're usually different parents every show night. And it's all volunteer, too. You might even want to ask the adults and older children to sort of look out for the younger kids as well. Also, the theatre fines people (no matter WHO it is) $1 for every costume piece that's not put up so it's a really good incentive for kids to clean up after themselves.

And whatever you do, DON'T yell at them or be rude to them. Be strict but don't make them hate you. Telling them something in a firm but quiet tone usually works the first time. I mean, if they're being loud, you can talk at a sort of high volume but kids hate being yelled at. It could even make them cry. They may be children but they deserve as much respect as the adult actors do, and they can tell when they're not getting the respect they deserve.

Many younger kids I've worked with have been angels, but be patient with some of the others. They may have problems such as ADHD or they may not want to be there in the first place.


(I may only be sixteen, but I've been in professional theatre since I was eight and I'm normally the one managing the kids, so I guess I have a bit of experience in that area)

[KrissySim]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:26am

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:41am

Write down the rules and tape them up around the theatre. Keep the parents far far away. And be respectful and civil to all the kids, or they'll not want to do what you say.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 10:24am

"Write down the rules and tape them up around the theatre."

Write down the rules and tape them to the kids' foreheads.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 10:49am

Duct tape

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:25am

[DBillyP]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 12:04pm

It also might be helpful to gain the trust of your older youth actors who can assist you with the younger ones. The younger kids hopefully will look up to them and be more inclined to follow their lead.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 12:25pm

Advil ... lots and lots of advil for working.

Booze ... lots and lots of boooze for afterwork.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:16pm

"Advil ... lots and lots of advil for working.

Booze ... lots and lots of boooze for afterwork."

That goes without saying. This is part of the stage manager's preparation kit for any show (with or without kids). I think there's even a whole chapter about it in Lawrence Stern's book. The Yale MFA requires you to take a course "Booze, Aspirin, Cigarettes and Horse Tranquilizers"

Updated On: 6/5/08 at 02:16 PM

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:42pm

I think a tazer to use on the stage parents is a must too.