Production and Stage Management
Stage Managers play an integral role in the realisation and running of a production. It is a demanding but highly rewarding profession, for which the skills of communication, organisation and leadership need to be highly developed.
During the first year students will learn in great detail the role and responsibilities of the Assistant Stage Manager (ASM), Deputy Stage Manager (DSM) and the Stage Manager (SM). Students will also learn the core skills needed to undertake these roles to a high level, such as prop making, score reading, scheduling, budgeting, how to complete risk assessments, how to create a prompt book, how to prompt actors, block rehearsals and cue a show, how to run a technical rehearsal, and how to research, source and haggle for props, to name but a few.
In the second year students will get to put these skills into practice by undertaking show roles on Mountview's public student productions. Students will gain valuable experience working as an ASM, DSM or Stage Manager, alongside freelance professionals. Students also have the opportunity to gain experience in other related show roles such as Assistant Production Manager, Event Manager and Floor Manager.
Mountview presents over 20 productions a year. These vary from large to small scale, in different types of venues from proscenium arch theatres to in-the-round studio spaces. Students get a well-rounded knowledge of different types of theatre and the challenges faced through the various staging configurations and scale of the shows.
The course is fast-paced and challenging, reflecting the industry. Mountview students are given a lot of responsibility, preparing them for the demands of their chosen career.
