Remote Learning for Stage Management Students

For any stage management students sent home or unable to attend classes:

Practice Taking Blocking Notes on Single Set TV Shows!

Any TV Show that primarily uses the same set can provide some AMAZING blocking note practice!

  1. Pick a TV Show! TV shows that regularly use the same set are USUALLY sitcoms, try:

    • Friends (Rachel & Monica’s Apartment)

    • The Big Bang Theory (Leonard & Sheldon’s Apartment)

    • Cheers (the bar)

    • Fraiser (Fraiser’s Apartment)

    • Golden Girls (their house)

    • Full/er House (the living room)

    • and many more…

  2. Obtain the Ground Plan

    • Some shows ground plans are easily obtainable online - check out this AMAZING ground plan art

    • Draw your own! Break out the papers, pencils, and rulers!

  3. Make a blocking KEY

  4. Watch the show and take those blocking notes!

Practice Calling a Show

This one works best if you have TWO THINGS:

  1. A recording of a show

  2. A copy of the calling script

Then, just follow along and practice making all the calls on time!

CONSIDER: Recording yourself so you can hear how you sound over headset!

Have a Paperwork Exchange

Sharing ideas for paperwork format & content is ALWAYS fun (to stage management nerds) - find some people to exchange paperwork with and use those ideas to improve yours!

Actually Read the Textbook

Or read the ones from other schools…

Learn Useful Skills

Many skills will make you a better SM!

  • Learn to read music
    It will expand the jobs you can work - musicals, operas, dance!

  • Learn Basic ASL

  • Focus on a specific theatre tech element to learn more about (lighting, sound, projection, props, scenic, etc.)

Take Internet Courses

Stage Management is COMPLEX and there are a lot of courses that apply to stage management!

FREE ONLINE CLASSES

Coursera

edX

FEMA Online Courses

Watch Videos

Read… More

Theatre Industry

Business & Leadership

PLEASE NOTE: This post includes affiliate links.

Have more ideas? Comment below!

New Store Page & Website Updates!

Check out the NEW Store page, including updated paperwork downloads & personalized resume feedback!

In addition, there are updated/new FREE paperwork examples where they’ve always been, under ‘Resources.’

Last, but not least, there is now extensive information on the different theatre cities in the United States under the ‘Careers’ tab! (Want your city on the list? Contact us!)

Happy stage managing!