You want a look into the mind of a stage manager mid-show? This is what I wrote during some of my free time Saturday night before the show:
I can handle them making fun of me “behind†my back. I know about it, and bitching is harmless. I can handle the contempt when they speak to me – I’m reminding them of a nagging parent, and nobody likes that. I can handle the flaring tempers – performance people are intense people, and adrenaline makes people touchy. I can even handle them not listening to me; few of them have stage experience and don’t understand why I need to do what I need to do. They’re good people out there trying to have fun and I’m a constant reminder of self-control and discipline. I don’t expect them to like me. But this is my job and this is what I do. It makes me feel good to watch the show work and know it’s because I helped keep things on track. It’s a great show they’re giving, and they’re great people who deserve every ounce of appluase they get. And when I get frustrated with one or two who have more adrenalinie issues than the rest, it’s okay, because I’ve got the other fifty dancers to remind me that they’re all good people who needed me to help out because somebody’s gotta take care of all the bullshit nobody wants to do. On Tuesday, I would’ve said I would never do this again. Today, I’m not so sure.