Stage Managers are gregarious, outgoing and thoroughly organised people. As a Stage Manager your 'people skills' are essential as you need to understand and work with actors, directors, designers and all the technical departments in the theatre. In this pathway you will learn about organising rehearsals and performances to a completely professional standard. You will also learn about the closely related area of Costume Management. In each year you will develop your skills across both areas, and by the final year you will be able to negotiate just how much you want to specialise.

What you will study

Year One

Along with all other students in the programme the Stage & Costume Management students take classes in a broad range of core subjects. These include: Theatre History, Period Style, Contemporary Theatre, Health & Safety and Stagecraft & Production Process. Classes are usually project based and wherever possible have a hands-on, practical approach. For example, when studying trends in contemporary theatre we’ll take you to see some shows, and when we’re looking at period styles we’ll take you to galleries and museums to look at examples.

In this year you will also take a core module called Associated Studies, which allows you to take three short courses in other areas of technical theatre such as Prop Making, Lighting, Sound, Event Management, Projection, Scenic Art etc.

Besides the core subjects you’ll be spending a lot of time in classes and working on projects to develop your knowledge of management skills, organising rehearsals, finding and managing props, score reading and cueing to music. In Costume Management you’ll find you use a lot of the same skills in organising costume fittings with actors and designers, sourcing costumes from hire houses, stores or shops and arranging alterations and maintenance of costumes. Classes cover all areas of stage and costume management and give a thorough grounding in preparation for the responsibilities to come.

Year Two

Your second year is entirely practical and you will spend the bulk of your time working as an Assistant Stage Manager on the School’s drama and opera productions. You will spend time in the costume shop where your knowledge of working with actors, directors and designers will enable you to organise the schedules of costume fittings and costume acquisition for each production. 

You will also spend half a term working in one of the areas you studied in Year One Associated Studies.

Year Three

Third Year students spend two terms in leading production roles as Stage Managers, Deputy Stage Managers or Costume Supervisors. You will lead teams of second year students and take responsibility for productions from first rehearsal through to the final performance.

You will also undertake a six week industry secondment and complete a Graduation Project.

"The Guildhall's theatre is a wonderful learning environment for stage managers. Since I graduated, I have worked as a company stage manager at the Rogaland Teater in Norway. My studies at the Guildhall help me in my work everyday." Dagny Moland Saebo, Technical Theatre 2009

See some recent secondment examples

Read about career possibilities after graduation