Roles and Responsibilities in Theatre

Unit 2 – Planning for a Creative Event The Roles and Responsibilities in Professional Theatre
In order for me to recognise the roles and responsibilities that I and the rest of the group members will be performing throughout unit 2, I will need to research information that will educate me on the rolls which are relevant for our event. The information that I discovered about the different rolls are presented into the following table:

Role/Production Area

Responsibilities
Stage Manager
The role of a theatre manager embraces many responsibilities whose intention is to produce a successful theatre production. The main The main responsibility that a theatre manager has to perform is management which takes control of; rehearsals, actors, directors, designers, props and costume fittings. Another element of the job is to communicate with the front of house staff so that they are also aware of the performance and what they have to take control of in terms of their role. A crucial element of having the role of a stage manager is to take control of the safety measures in order to create a protected environment for everyone involved in the theatre production such as; making sure the rehearsal space and staging is safe for all performers and staff, check that all fire exits and fire extinguishers are in use in case of a fire.

Several key responsibilities involved with a production that a stage manager has to commence are:

Scheduling and running rehearsals
To record all of the lighting and sound cues, prop and costumes changes and the entrances and exits performed by performers on stage at rehearsals Calling the cues and entrances for the performers onstage during the performance Taking the roll of being key communicator to transmit the director’s requirements Overseeing the whole show each time that it is
performed

The stage manager is in control of creating rehearsals and is to make sure that everyone involved with the production is notified with all the details of the rehearsal. During rehearsals the stage manager has to:

Mark out the dimensions of the set in the rehearsal space
Make sure that all props and set are in use when needed for rehearsals Make sure that everyone involved in the production attends all rehearsals Notify everyone about any changes that may happen to the production

A book that a stage manager has to write all the lighting, staging, sound, blocking cues and a master copy of the script, is called a prompt book. The prompt book has to be updated by the stage manager at every rehearsal which allows them to run technical rehearsals as the cues determine precisely how the technical appliances need to be in coordination with the action on stage. During set changes it is the job for the stage manager and the technical director to propose a plan that can be easily read by the stage crew to follow during set changes. Also, any props or setting that is needed onstage is to be drawn out precisely by the stage manager and technical director so that the stage crew know where to place them at the beginning of scenes and in the wings so things can be easily carried on and off when needed.

Assistant Stage Manager
An assistant stage manager is mostly needed in large productions when the roles and responsibilities are too much to take on for the stage manager alone. Often, the assistant stage manager is positioned offstage to provide a method of communication between the stage manager and the actors on stage. Support is provided by the assistant stage manager when help is needed with set changes, offstage quick changes and preparing for a performance/the production as a whole. Marketing Officer

The role of a marketing officer isn’t easy to define because within different theatre companies the role can be parted into numerous responsibilities
taken on by more than one person. The work involved in marketing involves either managing or assisting the promotion of the production, services and the face of the theatre company therefore it is important that if you want to be part of marketing your aim is to work hard in order for the theatre company to become successful. Publicity

Sound – Designer, Operator or Technician

Lighting – Designer, Operator or Technician

Set Designer

Costume

Script Writer

Wig Maker

Director

Think about salary, job qualifications to perform that job role, how they can get into the job – the requirements.