The stage manager is the glue between the tech world of theater and the acting and directing world.

Sophomore, Clem Dorsey, is the stage director for “She Kills Monsters.” The cast will have several performances of the show ranging Wednesday through Sunday. Dorsey is counting down the minutes until the show premieres.  

Dorsey, has been helping director Lindsey Mantoan organize and schedule the cast throughout the entire production.

“You start off at the beginning of the show with the director in auditions. For this show I helped the director print out the scenes that we wanted the actors to audition with. I also took down their information and availability,” Dorsey said.

During rehearsals, Dorsey is in charge of recording the blocking that Mantoan adds to the script.

“This show has been difficult because there is a lot of fight scene blocking to record and go over with the actors,” Dorsey said.

She says she hopes to enter her prompt book in next year’s Kennedy Center American Theater Festival, which is a week long festival in which any one involved in a theater production is able to compete within their skill set.

As stage manager, Dorsey must communicate with the stage designers and ensure that everyone has a common understanding of what the set should look like.  

Dorsey also completes rehearsal reports after each show. These reports are intended to document what scenes were practices and when they were practiced. In addition, to recording any notes or tech information necessary.

On Saturday, the cast and crew had a tech day. “This is the biggest day that any production will have. It is usually the weekend before the run week. And that is when you put all the tech and cues together and decide where you want it to go and how you want it to look,” Dorsey said right as she went into the sound booth for tech day.

Tech day requires a great deal of patience from cast and crew members because they are constantly stopping and starting.

Dorsey’s assistant stage managers or “ASMs” as she calls them, are extremely appreciative of the work she does

Kat McCann, Freshman ASM said she has enjoyed working with Drosey because, “She has made me much less stressed than I would have been.”

In fact, it appears Dorsey is an extremely calm and collected stage manager who does a fabulous job managing the pressure of her responsibilities.

“She keeps me on task and anticipates what I want or might need,” said Mantoan. She appreciates the relationship she has been able to develop with Dorsey because she feels as though it has only enhanced the production experience.

Dorsey has been a stage manager in high school, but recognizes that college play stage managing has brought on an entirely different set of responsibilities.

She started off as light board manager last year as a freshman. Then was promoted to assistant stage manager. And finally, rehearsal stage manager.

“That was a lot of fun, I pretty much came to Linfield knowing I wanted to be a theater major,” Dorsey said.

Despite the extra responsibility that comes with being a stage manager, D

Dorsey has enjoyed working with the “She Kills Monsters” cast and crew.