Your studies will include production assignments, classroom instruction, and weekly individual meetings with the Head of Stage Management. Just as there is no one way to stage manage a production, each stage manager enters the program with different training, experiences, and career goals. Your plan of study will be reviewed each semester and tailored to your individual needs (a minimum of 69 semester hours total):

The stage management faculty support students taking additional electives, particularly if students enter the program with limited experience in areas such as Musical Theatre.

Each year, stage managers are involved in over 25 theatrical productions, most of which are new works. Stage management faculty help select each season, based on the needs of our students. In addition, our graduate students regularly stage manage dance and opera productions.

The theatre world is a small world, and who you know is as important as what you know. Our annual graduate stage manager trip rotates between regional and touring productions in Washington, D.C., commercial Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in New York City, and other theatre hub cities.

This three-year rotation serves to expose our students to different kinds of work opportunities in the industry and to broaden their professional networks.  Students typically shadow three to four productions and tour at least two other venues. Many of these advanced shadowing opportunities allow the students to observe pre-show and performance and to have lengthy career discussions with PSMs, SMs, and ASMs.

Your academic work, including your own teaching or research assistant work, will be reviewed at the end of each semester. At the end of your second year of study, you will participate in a comprehensive review of your academic and production work. During the exam the stage management faculty committee will review material including student performance evaluations, academic record, and the student’s personal statement.