stage manager

American  

noun

1. a person responsible for the technical details of a theatrical production, assisting the director during rehearsal, supervising the lighting, costuming, setting, prompting, etc., and assuming full responsibility for the stage during a performance of a play.

---

stage manager British  

noun

1. a person who supervises the stage arrangements of a theatrical production

---

Other Word Forms

• stage managership
  noun

Etymology

Origin of stage manager

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

He’s been a studio sound engineer, a studio manager, a stage manager, a drum tech and a crew chief.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

Birmingham-born stage manager Kevin Rowe shows us around the dark corridors beneath the stage, where the crew have stashed secret reserves of Gatorade and iced coffee to help them survive the sticky Miami heat.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2025

“Hello, bands,” shouts an impatient stage manager, “Who is playing with the London Symphony Orchestra?”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2025

At DanceAfrica, N’Goma is a stage manager; Normadien is assistant stage manager.

From New York Times • May 23, 2024

With a wave of his hand and a few whispered words, the stage manager handed her off to the wardrobe mistress.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood