About the Book:

The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management is the most widely used manual for aspiring and veteran Stage Managers.

The next best thing to shadowing a Broadway stage manager, this detailed, behind-the-scenes book has been revised and brought completely up to date. First published in 1991, The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management is widely used and has been lauded as the most comprehensive, educational book on stage management available. From pre-production planning and first rehearsals to opening night and final strike, all the essentials of the profession are presented here in a friendly, engaging style.

Blending how-to information with anecdotes from his own career, veteran stage manager Thomas A. Kelly explains the entire theatrical process, including:
• Organizing all rehearsals and performances
• Maintaining the working script, cue sheets, and daily records
• Supervising the technical aspects of the show
• Running shows outdoors and at other non-theatrical venues
• Dealing with performers and crew members on all levels

This fully updated and expanded 3rd edition reflects all the latest developments and innovations in the industry and adds a totally new chapter on opera stage management, complete with an in-depth breakdown of the challenges this style of production presents. The text is supported by sample documents, diagrams, and charts that straddle time-honoured approaches with what can be generated by today's computer software. All the latest stage machinery is discussed, along with tips on finding employment. The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management remains the first choice for anyone who works in any branch of the profession, whether amateur, educational, or professional.

About the Author:

Thomas A. Kelly has been a professional stage manager and production manager for over forty years. He has worked as Production Stage Manager for New York City Opera and before that on Broadway and major production venues in New York City and nationally. He has taught Stage Management at Rutgers, SUNY Purchase, and Columbia University and is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from USITT.

Sir Peter Hall (1930-2017) was an internationally celebrated stage director and theatre impresario, whose influence on the artistic life of Britain in the 20th century was unparalleled. The former director of the National Theatre and founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he directed over two hundred productions, including the world premiere in English of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, and the premieres of most of Harold Pinter's plays. Knighted in 1977 for his service to the theatre, he was a vociferous champion of public funding for the arts.