SMStage Manager
SM
Career

Stage Manager

By the numbers
Typical pay
$90,360 / yr
Education to start
Bachelor's degree
Future demand
+4.9% by 2034
People in this job
143K
Figures shown for ·1 O*NET occupation
The work
A day, hour by hour

No two productions are identical — here's a day during active rehearsals with an evening performance:

10:00
Pre-rehearsal prep

Send daily schedule, confirm props are set, prompt book updated.

10:30
Rehearsal opens

Call the room to order; keep the director and cast on the clock.

11:00
Blocking notation

Track every actor's movement in the prompt book — nothing gets lost.

13:30
Notes relay

Translate the director's rehearsal notes into tasks for each department.

14:30
Tech problem call

A set piece won't fly on cue — decide: fix now or flag for tonight?

17:30
Pre-show checks

Walk the stage; every prop, costume piece, and set mark confirmed in place.

19:00
Calling the show

Live on headset, calling every light, sound, and scene-change cue precisely.

21:30
Post-show wrap

Note what broke, what drifted, what needs fixing before tomorrow night.

Things you do
  • Call every lighting, sound, and scene-change cue live during a show.
  • Run rehearsals and keep the whole room on schedule.
  • Write down every actor's movement so the blocking is never lost.
  • Relay the director's notes to every department after each rehearsal.
  • Build and update the prompt book, the master bible of the production.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Is this the right moment to call the cue, or do I wait one more beat?
  • Should I flag this conflict between the director and designer, or let them work it out?
  • Is this backstage problem serious enough to stop the show, or do we push through?
  • Do I tell the cast about this last-minute change now, or wait until I know more?
  • Is the rehearsal falling behind because we need more time, or because I need to speak up?
Education Pathways · how you get there
75 in 100 went the college route · 25 in 100 found another way in Less than 5 years, typically
Education mapped from O*NET:Producers and Directors · 85% related