UC Irvine

The term “stage management” is misleading when trying to fully understand how someone functions in this role. The term in itself allows one to believe the primary function is to manage the stage and those involved. Saying that stage managers simply manage the stage, while accurate, is not the whole truth. One must not only be a manager, but also be a leader. A stage manager must act as a leader in varying degrees and at different points throughout the process of a production. With exploration of what constitutes a manager and a leader, I determine that one needs to understand and utilize both management and leadership in order to be a successful stage manager.