Introduction to Stage Management

A young person wearing a plaid shirt sits at a desk in front of a control panel with colourful buttons. They are looking at a screen.

Our Introduction to Stage Management course runs online and at the National Theatre, on London’s South Bank. It offers an in-depth and free introduction to the art of stage management, led by our in-house teams.

On this course you’ll have the chance to go backstage at the National Theatre, work with our stage managers and try out the huge variety of jobs they undertake.

This course is open to those aged 16+.

Applications are currently closed.

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How it works

The Stage Management course is a hybrid course that introduces participants to the role of the stage manager. Sessions will include:

The role of the stage manager during every stage of the production process
How to get ready for rehearsals, including marking up the set and preparing the props
Managing rehearsals, including production and creative team meetings
Running the show, including management of the company, team, set and crew
What a Deputy Stage Manager does
Observing a technical run of a National Theatre production

A group of four people are gathered in a room with wooden paneling. One person is seated, smiling, interacting with a control device on a table. The others stand nearby,watching.

Recruitment

The National Theatre is committed to diversity and access. Therefore, we concentrate our recruitment on people from groups underrepresented in stage management including:

young people from the global majority;
young people from working class backgrounds;
and d/Deaf, neurodivergent and disabled young people.

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Our funders

Young People’s Programmes are supported by Bank of America, The Eranda Rothschild Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, The Maurice Hatter Foundation and the Richard Radcliffe Trust. With thanks to the MAP Fund.

The Mohn Westlake Foundation supports nationwide Learning programmes for young people.

Nationwide learning is supported by Buffini Chao Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation, Crevan O’Grady & Jane McClenahan, MFPA Trust Fund for the Training of Disabled Children in the Arts, The Kartik Foundation, The Alchemy Foundation, and Behrens Foundation, Marlow Trust, Cleopatra Trust, and The Andor Charitable Trust.

Find out more about supporting our work