Stage Management Teams: Forum Discussion

These Stage Managers are all former members of the same SM team who worked together in Macau, China. Together they talk through how they worked together (and maybe how they didn’t) on a long term resident show.

They share their individual perspectives on the same team and work though topics such as expat living, adapting to different cultures, cast changeover, SM team changeover, show calling, safety, technical issues, show stops and team dynamics.

Watch forum if you wish to learn more about:

Running resident shows from an SM perspective
Stage management team structures
Working on large scale acrobatic / aquatic shows
International work
Onboarding, cast changeover, standard operating procedures, show calling, show stops and emergency planning.

About the Hosts:

Dean Jewel

A London born, Australian citizen, living in Toronto Canada, Dean is currently the General Stage Manager for ‘Luzia’ by Cirque Du Soleil. Dean has nearly 30 years of experience in Live Theatre and Special Events. Career highlights include: Master Schedule Manager, Show Movement Director & Stadium Operations Show Caller for London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, Doha 2006 Asian Games, Manchester 2004 Commonwealth Games and Sydney 2000 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Stage Management for ‘The House of Dancing Water’, ‘The Lion King’, ‘Miss Saigon’, ‘Cats’, ‘The Phantom of The Opera’, ‘Billy Elliot’ along with a host of other Theatrical Productions and Live Events. Dean recently achieved a career goal by calling Cirque Du Soleil’s ‘Luzia’ into the Royal Albert Hall, a venue that Dean is the 3rd generation of his family to perform in.

Nathan Grimoulas

Nathan has worked in the entertainment industry for 10 years, traversing through many disciplines including crewing, radio production, not-for-profit fundraising, live music and art events, theatre and finally circus. Currently he is the General Stage Manager for Cirque du Soleil’s touring show Kooza.

Anna Robb

Anna is an experienced Producer/Production Stage Manager. Her 20-year work history spans Asia Pacific, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. She has worked for companies such as Cirque du Soleil, Franco Dragone Entertainment Group, Christie Digital Systems and The Sydney Opera House. Anna was an integral part of the research and development, training and formation, creation and operation of the 250 million dollar aquatic show, The House of Dancing Water in Macau. She also maintained the daily operations of this complex show as the head of Stage Management for 7 years. She is passionate about her work and the evolution of the is industry.

Madison Burkett

Madison has just finished an 18-month international tour as the Deputy Stage Manager of GWB Entertainment’s production of School of Rock – The Musical. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2012, with a Bachelor of Dramatic Arts (Production). She spent three and a half years in Macau working on Franco Dragone’s The House of Dancing Water at the City of Dreams Casino, starting as Assistant Stage Manager and finishing as Senior Stage Manager. One of the highlights of her time at THODW, was stage managing an episode of The Amazing Race, that was filmed in the theatre for their 27th season. After winning her US green card, she made the move to Las Vegas in May 2016, where she was a Stage Manager at Le Reve – The Dream at the Wynn Casino. Madison returned to Australia, after a five-year hiatus, and has been working on touring musical theatre shows such as Gordon Frost Organisation’s production of Rocky Horror and shake & stir’s production of Green Day’s American Idiot.

Rebecca Rees

Currently Deputy Stage Manager, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Melbourne, Australia. Previous experience includes Artistic Manager and Stage Manager of The House of Dancing Water, THODW Cast Changeover and creation, Leviathan (Circa), The Phantom of the Opera (Really Useful Group), The Importance of Being Earnest (Ridiculusmus), Oedipus, The Venetian Twins (Queensland Theatre). Other experience includes Event Manager (Orient Unlimited and Imagine Believe Hong Kong), Site Manager, The Last Supper (Melbourne International Arts Festivaol and The School of Arts Regional Tour (Queensland Theatre) and Production Mentor (Creative Industries, QUT), Tour Producer (ArTour).

WATCH HERE

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