This webpage was created as a companion document to Stage Management Paperwork Through the Centuries: A Virtual Exhibition. The presentation was curated by Jennifer Leigh Sears Scheier and Erin Joy Swank first for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, then updated (including adding this webpage) for the Stage Manager’s Association’s 2020 National Collaborator’s Conference. We thank both the SMA and USITT for the opportunity to share our compilation, and Tina Shackleford and David Grindle for encouraging us.
Please note, all of this is shared for educational purposes. No copyright infringement is intended, and this companion webpage is expressly created to help cite all sources….so that you can go look them up further yourself!
If the images can be found online, we have embedded what is possible, and included a clickable source link, for you to explore in more detail.
If you want to jump around, here are the major sections, with time stamps. Within each section we also list details of each archival item.0:30 Intros and Earliest Representation of a Stage Manager
5:31 Oldest known promptbook (1501)
6:53 EXPLANATION OF THE ROLES OF STAGE MANAGER TYPES PRE-1870
7:55 Blocking & Promptbook Examples from 1632 to 1767
13:03 Drury Lane Diaries (1813-18) – Reports, Company List, Summary of Plays
16:35 Script & Paperwork Examples from 1821 to 1860
24:25 1870s-1930s TRANSITION #1 OF THE ROLE OF THE STAGE MANAGER
30:54 Examples from 1902 to 1930, includes pre-printed forms, typewritten reports
38:03 1930ish TRANSITION #2 OF THE ROLE OF THE STAGE MANAGER
39:10 Examples from 1932-1980
49:28 Entering the Digital Age – Examples from 1986 to Present
56:36 Year of the Stage Manager 2020 (and Final Thoughts from the Curators)
0:30 Intros and Earliest Representation of a Stage Manager:
Late 1400s – PAINTING: The Martyrdom of St Apollonia – Jean Fouquet / Public domain
Featured, on the right hand-side of the painting, a monk (prompter) is feeding lines and actions to the “actors” onstage.
5:31 Oldest Known Promptbook – Le Mystere de la Passion
Year Created: 1501
Source: altmarius.ning.com
Instructions for the actors are on the left and lines on the right
6:53 Explanation of the roles of stage manager types Pre-1870
PROMPTER = Person who holds the book.
‣Term dates back to at least the late 1400s, thought to be earlier
‣Stood behind cast and whispered lines and blocking, later in front
‣Eventually wrote out parts, recorded show information in book, called all cues
STAGE MANAGER = “Stage Director,” also called the “Actor-Manager”
‣Term dates to Shakespeare’s time (~1600)
‣Often chose the shows each night (except benefits, whole different story)
‣When casting choices were needed, the stage manager made them
‣Provided loose blocking and entrance/exit information to cast
BONUS: Check out Jennifer’s blog post Defining Stage Management.
DRAWING/PRINT
Year Created: Unknown
Source: Public Domain – Artist Unknown (found on Wikipedia “Prompter” page)
7:55 Blocking & Promptbook Examples from 1632 to 1767
BLOCKING – Richard the II, Covent Garden
Year Created: 1632? 1738?
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library, Digital Collection8:51 PROMPTBOOK – The Mock Astrologer
Year Created: 1661
Source: Internet Archive
10:08 – PROMPTBOOK
Handel’s Radamisto (Original), King’s Theatre, London
Year Created: 1720
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Check out the museum’s blog post on this promptbook, another mention of it in one about opera, and a third.11:21 PROMPTBOOK – David Garrick’s The Country Girl
Year Created: 1767
Source: HathiTrust12:40 CAST LIST – Adelgitha; The Fruits of a Single Error, Covent Garden
Year Created: 1806
Source: Internet Archive
13:03 Drury Lane Diaries (1813-18) – Reports, Company List, Summary of Plays
REPORT March 23 – April 6th, Drury Lane
Year Created: 1813
Source: Drury Lane Diaries:1810–1818, Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
REPORT October 26 – 30th, Drury Lane Theatre
Year Created: 1815
Source: Drury Lane Diaries: 1810 – 1818, Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
COMPANY LIST Drury Lane Diaries
Year Created: 1817
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
REPORT – April 24-27, Drury Lane Theatre
Year Created: 1818
Source: Drury Lane Diaries, Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
SUMMARY OF PLAYS – Drury Lane Diaries
Year Created: 1818
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
16:35 Script & Paperwork Examples from 1821 to 1860
PROMPTBOOK – Charles Kean’s Tempest
Year Created: 1821
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
Notes: Marked by George Ellis, prompter
17:58 PROMPTBOOK – Othello
Year Created: 1838
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library, Digital Collection18:30 PROP LIST, SCENIC PLOT, & COSTUME PAPERWORK – William Burton’s Tempest
Year Created: 1839
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
Notes: Marked by John Moore, possible prompter
19:50 PROMPTBOOK – Samuel Phelp’s Tempest
Year Created: 1849
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]20:34 PROMPTBOOK – Macbeth
Year Created: 1852
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library, Digital Collection20:55 PROMPTBOOK – Edwin Forrest’s Hamlet
Year Created: 1860
Source: Internet Archive
BONUS: Learn more about the Astor Place Riots involving Edwin Forrest.22:01 CALLING SCRIPT – The Corsican Brothers
Year Created: 1860
Source: Rare Books Library at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]22:58 PROMPTBOOK & SCENE PLOT – London Assurance
Year Created: 1860
Source: Rare Books Library at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
24:25 1870s-1930s Transition #1 of the Role of the Stage Manager
‣Introduction of the Director
‣Second Industrial Revolution
‣Increase in Spectacle
LED TO
‣Stage Manager became “Technical Director” (of a sort…)
PHOTO
Year Created: 1929
Source: Theatre Magazine, “The First Woman Stage-Manager” [Scanned from a copy of the article, owned by curator Erin Joy Swank]
BONUS: Check out Jennifer’s blog post on women in stage management.29:46 SCENE PLOT – Henry V
Year Created: 1875?
Source: NYPL, Digital Collection (Note: As of October 3, you can see the search for the image, but the image itself won’t pull up.)
Check out the NYPL blog “The Mystery Shakespeare Plot” on the research to date this archive item.
30:54 Examples from 1902 to 1930, includes pre-printed forms, typewritten reports
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY – Hamlet
Year Created: 1902
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library Digital Collection31:14 REHEARSAL REPORT – Going Some
Year Created: 1909
Source: Shubert Archive
First pre-printed form we have found32:09 STAGE MANAGER’S REPORT – Charles Dillingham’s Company, Fulton Theatre
Year Created: 1914
Source: NYPL, Charles B. Dillingham Collection33:00 PROMPTBOOK – Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe
Year Created: Circa 1922-1939
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Notes: Marked by J. M. Gordon, D’Oyly Carte stage manager
Check out the museum’s blog post on the D’Oyly Carte Archive, including this item.33:33 STAGE MANAGERS PLOT
Merry Wives of Windsor
Year Created: 1925
Carnegie Institute of Technology – Theatre Department
Source: Carnegie Mellon University Archives [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]
Typewritten report; this section of video also discusses report distribution.35:42 CONTACT SHEET – Florenz Ziegfeld/ Gershwin’s Show Girl
Year Created: 1929
Source: Facebook post by Mel Miller
36:10 PROMPTBOOK – Paul Robeson’s Othello
Year Created: 1930
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library, Digital Collection
38:03 1930ish Transition #2 of the Role of the Stage Manager
Transition #1 changes coupled with:
‣Actors’ Equity Association formed in 1912/1913
‣College Programs began in 1914
LED TO
‣Technical Director-Stage Manager became ”Production Stage Manager,” overseeing process.
‣Prompter became Assistant Stage Manager
PRINT: Prompt Corner
Year Created: 1947
Source: The theatre at work; a glimpse behind the scenes by James Cleaver (Archive.org, Public Domain)
39:10 Examples from 1932-1980
SCENE BREAKDOWN – Merchant of Venice, Carnegie Institute of Technology Theatre Department
Year Created: 1932
Source: Carnegie Mellon University Archives [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]39:36 TIME BREAKDOWN SHEET – On the Town (Orig. Broadway)
Year Created: 1945
Source: Library of Congress – Peggy Clark Collection; Photo submitted to the exhibition by Ben Walsh
40:08 PROMPTBOOK – Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (Orig. West End)
Year Created: 1952
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
View several pages of the script as well as the museum’s blog post on conservation measures for their scripts, and more on the play itself.41:15 PROMPTBOOK, GROUNDPLAN, & PROPERTY PLOT – Much Ado About Nothing, American Shakespeare Festival Theatre and Academy
Year Created: 1957
Source: NYPL – Katharine Hepburn Papers
Flip through the entire digitized script online.42:22 COSTUME PLOT – Tenderloin, Broadway (original)
Year Created: 1960
Source: NYPL – Billy Rose Theatre Division, Ruth Mitchell Papers
42:48 SIGN-IN SHEET – Zorba, Broadway (original)
Year Created: 1968
Source: NYPL – Billy Rose Theatre Division, Ruth Mitchell Papers
43:12 STAGE MANAGER’S GUIDE – Bye, Bye Birdie rental script
© 1958-1962
Source: Published rental script by Tams-Witmark, shared by Tina Shackleford; Photos taken by curator Erin Joy Swank
44:55 PROMPTBOOK – Pippin (Orig. Broadway)
Year Created: 1972
Museum of the City of New York, Ephemera and Correspondence series of the Phil Friedman papers
View the blog “Managing the stage: the Phil Friedman papers, 1936-1987” containing this image.
BONUS: Check out the Stage Manager Survey that was discussed in this section and the webinar where we “unpacked” the results.46:20 PROMPTBOOK – Othello, Circle in the Square
Year Created: 1964 (Yes, we got this one out of order in our presentation!)
Source: NYPL – Billy Rose Theatre Division
Flip through the full digitized script online.
Here’s a slight primer on a bull switch, also called a company switch.47:08 STAGE MANAGER’S REPORT – Love’s Labour’s Lost, Folger (DC)
Year Created: 1974
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library [Images taken for research/educational purposes in person, and not available online]47:35 PROP PRESET – Much Ado About Nothing, Royal Shakespeare Company
Year Created: 1976
Source: RSC archive © RSC (Educational)
Photo is included in this RSC page about past productions.
Field templates, those green stencils for theatre lighting and other images, are still available for purchase.47:55 PRODUCTION SCHEDULE & FOLLOWSPOT CUESHEET – Sweeney Todd (Orig. Broadway)
Year Created: 1978, 1979
Source: TheLightingArchive.org
This schedule is among Lighting Designer Ken Billington’s documents in The Lighting Archive website.48:54 PROMPTBOOK – Butley, Lyceum Theatre (Edinburgh)
Year Created: 1980
Source: Gail Pallin, ASM [Image submitted to the curators for this exhibit.]
BONUS: Check out the Stage Managers’ Association webinar that Erin hosted, comparing British and US stage management.
49:28 Entering the Digital Age – Examples from 1986 to Present
PROMPTBOOK – Also Egmont, Bitte, José Limón Dance Company
Year Created: 1986
Source: Steve Shelley
This is possibly Erin’s favorite piece of paperwork in the exhibit, especially with the Bird icon for the fly cues. She first learned of it in this comment of the Archiving Technical Theatre Facebook group, and later got Steve’s permission to use it in this exhibit.
Steve Shelley created the Field Templates used in theatrical lighting and groundplans.50:12 PRODUCTION CALENDAR – The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway (Original)
Year Created: 1987
Source: NYPL – Billy Rose Theatre Division, Ruth Mitchell Papers
50:21 WEEKLY REPORTS – Sweeney Todd, (Broadway Revival)
Year Created: 1989-90
Source: NYPL – Billy Rose Theatre Division, Circle in the Square Papers
Both weekly and daily reports from this production are available online.51:15 SCENE BREAKDOWN – The Phantom of the Opera (Orig. Broadway or Tour)
Year Created: 1990?
Source: NYPL – Billy Rose Theatre Division, Ruth Mitchell Papers
51:53 TEMPLATE REPORTS – The Stage Management Handbook by Daniel A. Ionazzi
Book Copyright: 1992
1996 Use Examples from Rachael Homan Worsley, 1913: The Great Dayton Flood, Wright State University [Submitted to the curators for this exhibit]
Daniel A. Ionazzi’s The Stage Management Handbook
Barbara Dilker’s Stage Management Forms & Formats: A Collection of Over 100 Forms Ready to Use52:41 PERFORMANCE REPORT – Death of a Salesman, PCPA Theaterfest
Year Created: 1994
Source: Christopher Sadler [submitted to the curators for this exhibit]
53:01 FOLLOW SPOT CUE SHEET
The Lion King (Orig. Broadway)
Year Created: 1997
Source: TheLightingArchive.org
LD Don Holder, ALD Jeanne Koenig, ALD Martin Vreeland, Programmer Aland Henderson
There are many great examples throughout the Lighting Archive website linked above.53:17 WEEKLY SCHEDULE & FOLLOWSPOT CUESHEET – The Royal Hunt of the Sun, KCRep
Year Created: 1998
Source: Sadie DeSantis and students at University of Missouri – Kansas City [submitted to the curators for this exhibit]
53:47 SWING SHEET – The Sound of Music (Broadway Revival)
Year Created: 1998
Source: Unknown (internet)
Stage Manager Ira Mont has claimed this as his sheet.
54:05 CONTACT SHEET, RUN SHEET, & LINE NOTES – Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, KCRep
Year Created: 2002
Source: Sadie DeSantis and students at University of Missouri – Kansas City [submitted to the curators for this exhibit]
54:38 PROP PRESET – Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Year Created: 2005
Source: Erin Joy Swank (curator)
55:00 CHARACTER BREAKDOWN – Mall*Mart: The Musical, Curious Theatre
Year Created: 2007
Source: Erin Joy Swank (curator)
55:17 LINE NOTES – Our Town, University of Southern Indiana/ New Harmony Repertory Project
Year Created: 2017
Source: Erin Joy Swank (curator)
55:38 CALL SCRIPT – The Nutcracker, Nevada Ballet Theatre
Year Created: 2017
Source: Erin Joy Swank (curator)
56:04 CALL SCRIPT – Scalia/Ginsburg, Opera Naples
Year Created: 2020
Source: Erin Joy Swank (curator)
56:36 Year of the Stage Manager 2020
Discussion about the Year of the Stage Manager, the 100 year anniversary of Equity acknowledging stage managers [includes image of AEA Executive Meeting Minutes of February 16, 1920].
Jennifer wrote a brief blog post about this back in January.
WRAP-UP
If you have anything to contribute (including those who aren’t stage managers, especially in different genres), we’d love to see it.
Find either of us on Facebook, via the Year of the Stage Manager 2020 Facebook group – Erin Joy Swank and Jennifer Leigh-Sears Scheier.
Use the contact form on this website.
Look for more in Jennifer’s Stage-Directions.com Stage Management History Blog.
BONUS for getting this far: Check out the History of Stage Management Webinar that Jennifer and Erin did in 2019.