Tips for Stage Management Portfolios

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I recently attended the Texas Thespian State Festival in Grapevine as part of a recruiting trip for Otterbein University. While I was there, I had the opportunity to teach a couple of workshops, one of which I debuted earlier in 2024 at the Virginia State Thespian Festival: Do’s and Don’ts of Stage Management Portfolios.

I had many great conversations with students, parents, and theatre teachers during my few days in Texas, but one conversation, in particular, stuck with me. It was with a student whose journey closely mirrored my own. This student mentioned having a background in the arts, dabbling in a bit of everything before discovering stage management and finally thinking, “Yes, this is for me.” Much like I was at their age, this student was eager to learn, and after the workshop, they stayed behind to ask even more questions about stage management portfolios.

That student’s thirst for knowledge reminded me of why I started this blog in the first place—to provide valuable information to young stage managers. In an effort to make this information more accessible, I’m sharing the highlights here for young stage managers who aren’t able to make it to these large state thespian festivals. So, without further ado, here are some key pointers for creating a standout Stage Management Portfolio:

Do’s:

  • Use high-quality photos of the shows you’ve worked on.
    Even if you didn’t design the scenery or costumes, these photos still reflect the level of production you’ve been a part of. Don’t worry if you’ve only worked in a high school black box theatre—if your set is made of cardboard, as long as the cardboard is cut straight, I can tell what kind of standards you’re working with. Photos can also show cast size and the scale of productions you’ve worked on.

  • Credit the playwright and the creative team.
    Your portfolio is a great opportunity to name-drop the directors, choreographers, designers, and other collaborators you've worked with. I’ve seen many materials that mention people I know personally. This gives me insight into the work you’ve done—and I might even check in with those colleagues to learn more about your work ethic.

  • Use proper spelling and grammar, especially when listing titles.
    I once passed on a portfolio that referred to Twelfth Night as Twelve Night. Attention to detail is critical, and getting the title of the play right is one of the easiest ways to make a good impression.

  • Highlight your role in a concise, clear manner.
    Provide a few bullet points summarizing your responsibilities on the show. Share a challenge you faced and how you overcame it. Keep it brief—avoid long paragraphs, as they are likely to go unread. I need something I can quickly scan and understand.

Don’ts:

  • Don’t include photos or materials that you feel the need to apologize for.
    Your portfolio is a chance to showcase your best work. If the photo from your best show isn’t great, use a good photo from your second-best show. Only show the work you’re proud of.

  • Don’t submit an entire prompt book.
    Instead, include a few pages that highlight your most complex blocking notes and/or cueing. Also, provide examples of other paperwork you’ve created—like a daily call, rehearsal report, or any documents that show how you run the backstage operations. I want to see how you organize and communicate information.

  • Don’t submit a show’s contact sheet.
    These often contain private information like emails and phone numbers for minors, which is not necessary in your portfolio. In fact, contact sheets in larger productions are often kept within the stage management team for privacy reasons, so it’s best to leave them out altogether.

While these tips are by no means exhaustive, they should help guide you as you build your own stage management portfolio. I’ve attached an example page to show how I might present my work on a recent production. You’ll even notice that I’ve redacted contact information on the example daily rehearsal schedule.

Remember that your portfolio is a tool to show me who you are and how you work - be the best version of yourself and you’ll set yourself up for success.