How about we acknowledge our stage managers?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 1:06pm

Was just thinking... no Tony award for them?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 1:09pm

Most shows have more than one. Why not best stage hand? Or best Sound Board technician? The Tony's award the CREATIVE talent, and generally, the stage managers don't have much input as to what the show will be.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 1:10pm

No, they just work their butts off and deserve some recognition.

[Pippin]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 1:14pm

here's to all the stage managers!!! Salud!

on another note, I think that they get some recognition when their shows win something, just as the ensemble gets recognition when the show they are in wins best musical.

[respeck]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 1:16pm

How would the voters know who was the best though? Go back stage to every show and follow them around?

[Katt]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 1:36pm

Hah. That would be funny if someone followed them around with a notepad taking notes about them.

But we do work hard. I've staged managed and so has my friend, and those were just for high school/middle school plays. The middle school plays are just so much fun because no one wants to listen to you. Updated On: 1/26/06 at 01:36 PM

[AugustusGloop]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:04pm

Stage managers are, in fact, often considered part of the creative team. They're truly the glue that holds the show together. Once a show is open and the creative team leaves, it's the stage managers who maintain the artistic integrity of the show from day to day. They work longer hours than anyone and are rarely recognized for it. So they're by far the unsung heroes of the theatre world.

(So what if I happen to be dating a stage manager...I still think they deserve lots of praise.)
Updated On: 1/26/06 at 03:04 PM

[Zenachick]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:11pm

The run crew isn't even listed in most playbills-it is fun, but they never get recognized

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:27pm

I was a stage manager for awhile. I think if there was an award, most people would go "Huh? What do they do?" The Tonys are only meant to reward the "glamorous" jobs in theater.

The Tony for Best Usher goes to...

Wilhemina at the Lunt-Fontanne

[Tag]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:31pm

Reading this thread and most of your comments offends me as I am a stage manager.

"How would the voters know who was the best though? Go back stage to every show and follow them around?"

Umm if cues are called at the right time? If the lights come on? If the show starts? If the overture begins? If the sets don't kill actors? If the cast is on time?
Just a couple thoughts...

[Katt]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:35pm

Yeah but a lot of times there is more than one.

[Tag]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:38pm

It could depend on what type of show it is and what type of SMs there are. Is it just one SM and 2 assistants, etc.
Or the production SM could be singled out for an award.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:42pm

"How would the voters know who was the best though? Go back stage to every show and follow them around?"

The award goes to the Stage Manager least screamed at by Miss Patti LuPone

[AugustusGloop]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:47pm

And a lot of times there is more than one playwright or composer or producer, but that doesn't stop them from getting awards.

Tag is absolutely right about being able to see what the stage manager is doing. I'd like to think that Tony voters are smart enough to a) know what a stage manager is, and b) know that someone has to control the lights and sets that they give awards to. But these are also the people who gave Millie a Tony for best musical, so I guess I could be wrong.

I'm not saying there's any practical way to give them an award, but in a perfect world they would at least be ackowledged for the hard work that they do.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 3:51pm

Stage managers rock my socks! I followed one from Mama Mia around and Avenue Q and they just rock. I think in response to ushers, stage managers and behind the scenes, there could be a seperate and smaller award ceremony. Anyways, I just wanted to appreciate!

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 4:00pm

Oh man,

Stage Managers are the sanity in the insane world of theatre. Every good stage manager i have worked with has become a best friend of mine. They are just put through so much during a show, and always handle it with a smile.

While I do agree that it would be hard for Tony voters to vote for the "best" stage manager, i do think it would be cute if the casts and crews of the shows do a little vote thing at like Gypsy of the year or something.

Akiva

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 4:04pm

While I agree that the stage managers deserve recognition, I would like to see the BEST SOUND DESIGN category first. It seems to be the missing design Tony.

[Tag]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 5:01pm

I think it also needs to be understood that an SMs job is very much the same (if not the same) as an actor's job that is seen on stage.
Every aspect of running/calling a show is choreographed and rehearsed. And as I'm sure everyone has heard before, for many productions, every one thing that is happening on stage, ten things are happening backstage. A stage manager is in charge of ensuring the success of ALL those eleven things.

[Taryn]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 5:36pm

The production stage manager at my university pretty much LIVES at the theatre. It's amazing how well he keeps everything running and how much work he actually does.