What are the best ways to get up to speed as a new team manager in Theatrical Production?

As a new team manager in theatrical production, you might feel overwhelmed by the complexity and diversity of tasks you have to oversee. From coordinating rehearsals and technical aspects to managing budgets and contracts, you need to be on top of everything and ensure a smooth and successful show. How can you get up to speed quickly and effectively as a leader in this creative and dynamic field? Here are some tips to help you out.

1 Know your team

One of the first things you should do as a new team manager is to get to know your team members and their roles. Theatrical production involves many different professionals, such as directors, actors, designers, technicians, stage managers, and marketers. Each of them has their own skills, responsibilities, and expectations. You should familiarize yourself with their backgrounds, strengths, and challenges, and communicate with them regularly to establish trust and rapport. You should also clarify your own role and expectations as a team manager, and how you can support them in their work.

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Robert McGhie

Entertainment Production & Lighting Programmer
Know everything about the venue that you can learn. Get to know the team and their skill levels. Lead the team actively. Respect all feedback. Be flexible. And always empower members of the team to make decisions, because they want to succeed just as badly as you do. Step up and recognize their success and give them credit for each. Share their accomplishments with the team. Build them up but also always absorb the failures that will inevitably come along the way. Take your breaks with the team. Ask for their feedback, and be prepared to make changes to improve working conditions or project timelines based off of what you hear. Just do what’s right for your team, and they will appreciate and respect you for it.
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2 Learn the process

Another essential step to get up to speed as a new team manager is to learn the process of theatrical production. This means understanding the different stages and milestones of a show, from pre-production to post-production, and the tasks and deadlines involved in each. You should also be aware of the resources and tools available to you and your team, such as scripts, schedules, budgets, contracts, equipment, and software. You should also familiarize yourself with the policies and procedures of your organization and the venue, and ensure compliance with any legal or ethical requirements.

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3 Plan and prioritize

As a new team manager, you need to plan and prioritize your work and your team's work effectively. You should set clear and realistic goals and objectives for each stage of the production, and break them down into manageable and measurable tasks. You should also assign roles and responsibilities to your team members, and delegate tasks according to their skills and availability. You should also monitor and evaluate the progress and performance of your team, and provide feedback and guidance as needed. You should also anticipate and mitigate any potential risks or issues that might arise during the production, and have contingency plans in place.

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4 Collaborate and communicate

One of the most important skills for a new team manager in theatrical production is to collaborate and communicate well with your team and other stakeholders. You should foster a positive and respectful team culture, where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their ideas and opinions. You should also facilitate effective communication among your team members, and with other parties involved in the production, such as the venue staff, the sponsors, the media, and the audience. You should use appropriate channels and methods of communication, such as meetings, emails, phone calls, or online platforms, and ensure that everyone is on the same page and updated on the status of the production.

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5 Be flexible and creative

Finally, as a new team manager in theatrical production, you need to be flexible and creative in your approach. Theatrical production is a dynamic and unpredictable field, where things can change quickly and unexpectedly. You should be ready to adapt and adjust to any changes or challenges that might occur, and find innovative solutions to overcome them. You should also encourage and embrace creativity and experimentation in your team, and support them in exploring new possibilities and opportunities. You should also be open to feedback and criticism, and use them as opportunities to learn and improve.

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Amanda Louise Jesson

Owner at Workshop Media
Be patient, there will always be someone who wants to do it their way and it will go wrong, don't assign blame or tell them they should have listened, just focus on how you are going to solve the problem together. As long as the audience doesn't know something is not going right, then what's the problem!? If in doubt, get the gaffer tape out! 😂
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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Natasha Yayoi Marich

Freelance Stage and Tour Manager and Emergent independent producer
LISTEN…. ( and for the sake of having to write one hundred and twenty five characters… I feel it’s very limiting to have to express unnecessary things when really it’s much simpler than that)
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What are the best ways to get up to speed as a new team manager in Theatrical Production?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your team

2 Learn the process

3 Plan and prioritize

4 Collaborate and communicate

5 Be flexible and creative

6 Here’s what else to consider

Theatrical Production

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What are the best ways to get up to speed as a new team manager in Theatrical Production?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your team

2 Learn the process

3 Plan and prioritize

4 Collaborate and communicate

5 Be flexible and creative

6 Here’s what else to consider

Theatrical Production

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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