Talk:Stage management

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Can someone tell me where exactly the theatre director fits into the general scheme of stage management? Does he have a function entirely different from a stage manager? Should the two articles not be linked, if not merged? --Dieter Simon 23:34, 19 Apr 2004 (UTC)

No, they shouldn't be merged. The Director makes the decisions about the play, such as the blocking, etc. and are in charge of the "feel" of the show, and once the show actually opens, the state manager takes over and runs the actual show, putting what the director wanted into motion. --Dan 10:49, 23 July 2005

Ok, Dan, thanks for the gen, have noted. Dieter Simon 22:50, 24 July 2005 (UTC)

To expand on that, A *Director* is an artistic post, whereas *stage manager* (and Company SM, Assistant SM, Deputy SM, etc) are all operational posts during each performance. In practice (ime!) very few Directors will watch more than the first couple of actual performances once the show is running. --Vamp:Willow 23:44, 24 July 2005 (UTC) (ex-SM and CSM)

That really makes thingsclear. Many thanks. Dieter Simon 23:41, 25 July 2005 (UTC)

To put the roll of the director in easy terms...He/She is the artist, and decides what the feel of the performance should be, and how HE/SHE wants it. And the SM and DSM/ASM is only the tools for him to do this. In Pre-production the director has a roll, from opening night onwards he is just another audience member.(the director only gets paid up to opening night)From here onwards the SM (stage manager)only runs the show, but soes not alter it, he/she only sees to it that the show stays in the same way the director wanted it.be it blocking cues, lighting design and so on. hope this helps you understand it better. Francois(Stellenbosch)