The World of Theater

Broadway Stage Manager

2/11/25

In this episode Mirav sits down with Billy, a retired Broadway stage manager. Billy worked for 30 years on Broadway (and longer off Broadway) as a professional stage manager for shows like Hello Dolly, Art, and Master Class. His passion for theater began in high school as a performer and a crew member and carried on through college.

Billy talks with Mirav about the ins and outs of the fast paced world of Broadway theater. For those with a passion for theater, stage managing can be a rewarding career, but not without its challenges–a demanding schedule, managing lots of moving pieces (literally and figuratively), and coordinating many people to bring together a whole production. Interested in stage managing? Tune in to find out more!

Topics
00:27 - Introduction
00:51 - How did you get into stage managing?
04:11 - What does a stage manager do?
10:37 - What shows have you worked on?
11:17 - How much money can you make?
13:11 - How does someone get started stage managing?
14:45 - What skills do you need?
18:02 - What are some of the challenges?
19:09 - What are the rewards?

More resources about stage management
Berklee College of Music
American Association of Community Theater
Backstage.com - How to Become a Stage Manager

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation