When watching a movie or play, the focus and praises are typically directed towards the actors, but those behind the camera, curtain, lights or construction of the production are sometimes left out of the congratulatory applause. Those who aren’t center stage and lurk in the shadows of backstage are just as important to the success, and failure, of any production just as much as the spotlight stealing actor on stage.
This isn’t Marcus Godbee’s first time being a part of the backstage crew at Theatre AUM. He has directed scenes for Theatre AUM’s Liberty & Justice and was the Assistant Director for Woyzeck. Marcus is currently working on the brand-new play Weightless, written by Meghan Reimers and directed by Neil David Seibel as the Stage Manager and Sound Designer; roles he has never tackled before.
Both jobs are extremely important in any production and come with their own difficulties, but according to Marcus, “Stage Manager is the most important role in a play production apart from the director.” Being stage manager means being in charge of every single person in the production. If anything in the show is being compromised because of someone in the production, the stage manager must be notified and must handle any and all issues regarding it, “I act as a middle person between the director and the everyone else essentially.” The stage manager is the first one to arrive at rehearsals and shows, and the very last one to leave. That can be extremely difficult, but according to Marcus that isn’t the most difficult part about being the stage manager, “hardest part of being stage manager is oddly enough, writing the rehearsal reports. Imagine having to write a two to three-page paper everyday five days a week.” Rehearsal reports are like notes you would take in class, but they have to be extremely detailed because actors depend on these reports to memorize what they are directed to do every single moment while they are on stage. Any blocking made during rehearsals, blocking is any sort of stage movement, any props that need to be added or taken away, any changes to actor’s costumes, or anything that happens or needs to happen on stage must be documented and then a report must be made and then distributed throughout the entire production crew. Marcus explains, “It’s an interesting job because during the rehearsal process I mostly take a backseat to the director, but when the play opens, I take over the show. The director doesn’t need to be there. I’m responsible for the success or failure of it.”
Luckily, Marcus’s second role isn’t as grueling as stage manager. Marcus describes, “The job of sound designer is a lot simpler than stage manager. I work with the director and go through the script to see what kind of music and sound effects are appropriate for each moment. I think about what kind of emotions I want to evoke from the audience, or what a certain character is feeling and try to match the sound cue to that emotion or feeling.” As sound designer, Marcus is allowed to have creative freedom to some point, unlike other production roles. While he enjoys this freedom he also describes it as being the more difficult part of the job, “The hardest part of sound design is easily the creative part of it, and the insecurity. Sometimes I choose a song to layer over a sequence and immediately hate it. Other times, I find a song that fits perfectly with what I’m trying to do. So, the hardest part is really the trial and error aspect of it. I spend a lot of time sitting in front of a laptop listening to music, or in the car, or when I’m walking. Whenever I can.”
Every single person in the production of any play or movie has an extremely important role in the specific project. The next time you go to a play or the movies, of course pay attention to the acting and story, but also pay attention to what is surrounding the actors, and don’t forget to give a congratulatory applaud for those who lurk in the shadows backstage.
By Olivia Crutchfield
