The time before rehearsals is the time to get prepared.

The director and designers usually will be having design meetings planning the production, sometimes up to 6 months in advance. In amateur productions these meetings generally happen a few weeks before auditions. The stage manager should attend if possible, to learn about what will be happening during the production, to see the set concept, meet the design team, take notes, and generally learn as much about the production as possible. The stage manager should be able to answer any questions about the production or know where to get the answer.

Auditions

Assuming the show is not pre-cast, there will be auditions. This is a great opportunity to meet the possible cast – get to know actors and note possible trouble makers (which is more of a problem at the amateur level). Often Stage Managers are expected to run auditions, to allow the director to focus on the casting. Running auditions at a basic level includes having audition sheets made up, being prepared to answer questions about the production, being able to get the prospective cast members to the place where they will audition and back again. It tends to be very helpful to have an assistant of some sort. Getting the contact information for everyone involved is critical. The Director will make up the cast, although sometimes they ask for input from the stage manager. When the list is ready, the director may ask the stage manager to post it. Once the show is cast, but before rehearsals begin, a meeting with the director to discuss the rehearsal schedule is mandatory.

Things to ask on an audition sheet: Name, contact information, place of residence, schedule/possible conflicts, height, weight, age, sex, hair color, previous experience, other skills.