"It’s hard work and anti-social, but I don’t think anything beats the feeling of achievement you get"

Hometown
I was born in Taunton, Somerset and now live in Exeter, Devon

What do you do?
Stage manager at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter

How long have you been at it?
Nine years

What was your very first role in theatre?
Before going to drama school I volunteered as a followspot operator

After drama school, assistant stage manager (ASM)

What have you done in theatre?
I was DSM (deputy stage manager) at Northcott before I made stage manager. Prior to that, I was ASM (assistant stage manager) at Birmingham Repertory Theatre ; Swan Theatre, Worcester; Northcott Theatre, Exeter; and Oldham Coliseum.

I also worked as volunteer crew at Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton.

Do you have qualifications?
Despite my dyslexia, I’ve got BTEC national diploma in performing arts, and did a two year stage management course at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which resulted in a BTEC higher national diploma in technical theatre. It was the course that was important though, not the qualification.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A children’s nurse

What do you do all day?
There’s no such thing as a typical day, that’s what makes it such an interesting job. But the following describes a day last week. (I’m currently in rehearsals for an outdoor community show).

9am Got to the theatre, checked and dealt with post and emails. Produced and circulated notes from the previous night’s rehearsals. Then spent the morning finding and arranging to borrow a 1930s bus steering wheel. The actors needed it in rehearsals, so luckily it was nearby and I drove out to collect it. I spent most of the afternoon finishing making a period newspaper, ready to send it off to be printed onto newsprint.

5.15pm Attended and made notes for the progress meeting

6pm Set the props and furniture ready for the rehearsals, and turned the urn on (for tea!)

7pm Rehearsals. Made sure everyone turned up and dealt with any problems that came up.

10pm End of rehearsals. Made sure the cast knew when they were next called and then locked the building.

What’s the best thing about your job?
Variety and creativity. I also like the problem solving.

And the worst?
It’s very difficult to have a life outside of work

What’s your dream job in theatre?
Don’t really have one, too busy working in it

Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
* Get as much experience backstage as you can get. Doesn’t really matter what it’s doing, as you will make a better stage manager if you can understand and appreciate what everyone else’s jobs involve.

* Complete a stage management course at a drama school that is registered with the National Council for Drama Training. As it is a vocational job it is (in my opinion) far more beneficial to do vocational training than an academic course at a university.

* Go into it with your eyes wide open. It’s hard work and anti-social, but I don’t think anything beats the feeling of achievement that you get when you find the prop you never thought you’d find, or at the end of the first night when three days before you thought the tech would never end!