stage manager

American  

noun

stage managers plural

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.

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stage manager British  

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• stage managership
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stage managers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stage manager

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stage manager

In 1967, he met Mary Tyler Moore while serving as an assistant stage manager for a production of “Holly Golightly,” which turned out to be a flop.

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026

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

All of which might suggest the cosmic stage manager also likes playing a bit by ear.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

In 1949, she won a scholarship to the Old Vic Theatre School and - two years later - secured a position as an assistant stage manager.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2025

As they walked, she wondered which of the theaters was the one where Simon’s stage manager acquaintance would have let them in to watch a rehearsal.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood