introducing...
Stage Management Foundations
Your reputation is only as strong as your stage managers. In most community theatres and educational programs, stage managers learn the job by doing it. Under pressure. Without a roadmap. That gap shows up in your rehearsal room, your tech week, and whether talented people come back. This course fixes that.
36 lessons. 6 modules. Everything they need.
Pre-production, paperwork, and production calendars
Running a rehearsal room with confidence
Blocking notation, line notes, and rehearsal reports
Leading tech week and calling a show
Backstage leadership and crew management
Communication, conflict, and leadership under pressure
Who This Is For
Who Belongs in the Room
aspiring stage managers
You may know the role, but you want to actually know how to do it. 5 to Places gives you a complete foundation: the systems, the paperwork, the communication skills, and the professional instincts most people only learn through trial and error.
Educational Theatre
Your students are expected to stage manage productions that nobody taught them how to run. 5 to Places gives them a professional foundation from day one — and because it covers leadership and communication alongside the craft, it's some of the most practical professional development you can offer.
Community Theatre
Volunteer environments are hard to manage when everyone's working from a different playbook. 5 to Places gives your whole team a shared foundation and a common language, so the chaos of "nobody told me" stops derailing your productions.
Course Curriculum
Learn how this course will benefit your organization
Introduction
pre-production
- The Stage Manager's Role
- The Production Team and Chain of Communication
- Professionalism, Neutrality, and Mindset
- The Prompt Book: What It Is and How It Works
- Understanding Theatre Culture and Leadership Presence
Module 1
- Script Breakdown Fundamentals
- Building a Production Calendar
- Early Paperwork: Contact Sheets, Prop Lists, Schedules
- Preparing the Rehearsal Space
- Running Pre-Production Meetings
Module 2
Foundations of Stage Management
- Daily Prep and Running the Start of Rehearsal
- Blocking Notation: Clean and Clear Marking
- Line Notes: Language, Diplomacy, Accuracy
- Running the Room: Focus, Timing, Collaboration
- Writing and Sending Rehearsal Reports
- Conflict Management and Behavioral Leadership
- Keeping Momentum and Prepping for Tech Early
rehearsal management
Module 3
- What Tech Week Looks Like and How to Lead It
- Cue Notation and Calling Script Prep
- How to Call a Show
- Backstage Leadership and Crew Management
- Run Sheets, Deck Tracks, and Backstage Organization
- Maintaining Performance Quality
- Safety Protocols and Risk Management
tech & performance
Module 4
- Professional Communication (Email, Text, Parent/Volunteer Dynamics)
- Running a Production Meeting
- Collaborating with Designers and Technical Staff
- Delegation and Training Crew Members
- Leadership Skills: Trust, Calm, Clarity
- Equity, Inclusion, and Respectful Theatre Culture
production & leadership
Module 5
- You Are Ready for This Role
- Thinking Like a Stage Manager
- “You’re the Stage Manager Now” Scenarios
- Your First 30 Days as an SM
- Common Mistakes and Professional Recovery
- Professional Identity and Next Steps
readiness, judgment, & professional confidence
Module 6
Drew Lenox has stage-managed and directed in some of the most demanding production environments in the country, from live broadcast television at HSN to large-scale themed entertainment at Walt Disney World to regional theatre at venues like the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and Peninsula Players.
He has worked across theatre, musical theatre, opera, dance, puppetry, stunt shows, parades, pyrotechnics, live television, concerts, and symphonies. If it happens on or near a stage, there’s a good chance he’s run it.
He holds an MFA in Stage Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has built his career in environments where preparation is essential and the show cannot stop. He has also worked in higher education as a Production Manager, where he saw talented people step into stage management roles without real training and have to figure it out alone.
This course is built to change that.
Everything here comes directly from professional practice. Real systems, habits, and instincts that allow stage managers to lead with clarity under pressure. Not theory. The real work, structured so you can use it from day one.
Who’s Calling the Show
Meet Your Instructor
includes:
Tier 1
Pricing
Up to 5 users
Full access to all 36 lessons
All 6 modules (6.5 hours of content), self-paced
Downloadable templates
1 Onboarding/Coaching call with Drew
Downloadable templates and resources
Completion tracking and progress reports
Single annual invoice
includes:
Tier 2
Up to 10 users
Full access to all 36 lessons
All 6 modules (6.5 hours of content), self-paced
Downloadable templates
2 Onboarding/Coaching call with Drew
Downloadable templates and resources
Completion tracking and progress reports
Single annual invoice