DMR Adventures provides professional performing arts training FROM the professionals. Our high-caliber instruction is designed to inspire passion, discipline, confidence, and commitment in every student we serve. At DMR, education and mentorship go hand in hand. Students learn not only performance skills, but how to collaborate, lead, and contribute meaningfully to an artistic community. Whether a student is stepping onstage for the first time or preparing for advanced training, DMR Adventures offers a welcoming, challenging, and professionally grounded environment.

Youth Musical Theatre Stage Manager & Student Mentor

2026–27 MainStage Season

DMR Adventures is seeking organized, dependable, and collaborative Stage Managers for our 2026–27 productions in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Founded in 2009, DMR Adventures is an award-winning performing arts academy specializing in musical theatre education and performance opportunities for young artists.

Our planned 2026–27 MainStage season includes:

• Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS
• Legally Blonde JR.
• Annie JR.
• How to Train Your Dragon JR.
• Seussical KIDS
• One additional production to be announced
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Applicants may apply for one production or indicate an interest in being considered for multiple productions during the season.

Position Overview

The Stage Manager supports the organization, communication, safety, and day-to-day operation of the rehearsal and performance process.

This is a highly collaborative and communication-focused position requiring regular interaction with students, families, creative team members, production staff, student leaders, volunteers, and DMR Adventures administration.

The ideal candidate can maintain a calm, positive, and structured environment while managing schedules, production information, rehearsal needs, backstage operations, and professional communications.

At DMR Adventures, the rehearsal process is educational as well as artistic. The Stage Manager helps students learn appropriate rehearsal etiquette, backstage procedures, theatrical terminology, personal responsibility, communication, preparedness, and respect for the collaborative production process.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities may include:

• Serving as a central communication link among the creative team, production staff, students, families, and DMR Adventures administration
• Attending designated rehearsals, production meetings, run-throughs, technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and performances
• Helping rehearsals begin and end on time
• Maintaining accurate attendance records
• Tracking performer conflicts, absences, and scheduling information
• Recording blocking, transitions, scene changes, and production notes
• Preparing and distributing rehearsal reports, performance reports, call sheets, run sheets, and other production documents
• Maintaining current contact sheets, calendars, cue sheets, and production paperwork
• Supporting the Director, Vocal Music Director, and Choreographer during rehearsals
• Tracking relevant costume, prop, scenery, sound, lighting, projection, and technical needs
• Communicating production needs and unresolved concerns to the appropriate staff members
• Coordinating backstage traffic, entrances, exits, scene changes, and performer readiness
• Establishing and reinforcing backstage procedures
• Coordinating or calling lighting, sound, projection, and scene-change cues, depending on the needs of the production
• Supervising or coordinating student assistants, run crew members, and backstage volunteers when applicable
• Reinforcing rehearsal etiquette, backstage safety, and production expectations
• Supporting student sign-in, dismissal, and other supervision procedures as assigned
• Communicating concerns promptly, accurately, and professionally
• Helping create a calm, respectful, inclusive, and encouraging environment for young performers
• Following all DMR Adventures safety, supervision, and communication policies

Communication

The Stage Manager may be responsible for preparing and sending production communications to families, staff, and creative team members.

Communications should be professional, timely, organized, welcoming, and easy to understand.

Responsibilities may include:

• Sending rehearsal plans, calls, schedule updates, reminders, deadlines, and performance information
• Ensuring that communications include accurate dates, times, locations, expectations, and action items
• Preparing and distributing rehearsal reports and production updates
• Communicating directly and respectfully with students during rehearsals and performances
• Reinforcing expectations in a calm, clear, and age-appropriate manner
• Responding professionally to routine questions from families, staff, and creative team members
• Keeping the creative and production teams informed so that everyone is working from the same current information
• Directing questions or concerns to the appropriate DMR Adventures staff member when they fall outside the Stage Manager’s role
• Communicating absences, conflicts, safety concerns, behavioral concerns, and production needs promptly
• Maintaining appropriate confidentiality when handling student, family, or personnel information
• Following established communication procedures and including appropriate DMR Adventures staff members in relevant correspondence
• Maintaining a professional and solution-oriented tone during stressful or changing circumstances

Candidates must be able to adjust their communication style appropriately when working with children, teenagers, families, teaching artists, administrators, volunteers, and production staff.

Youth Leadership and Mentorship

DMR Adventures provides youth leadership and production-training opportunities. Depending on the production, the Stage Manager may work with one or more student stage-management or production assistants.

These students may be learning about:

• Rehearsal organization
• Attendance and check-in procedures
• Production paperwork
• Blocking notation
• Backstage operations
• Props and scene changes
• Run crew responsibilities
• Cueing and performance procedures
• Professional theatrical communication

The Stage Manager should be comfortable:

• Assigning clear, age-appropriate responsibilities to student leaders
• Explaining stage-management procedures and terminology
• Modeling professional written and verbal communication
• Teaching students how to prepare reports, track information, and support rehearsals
• Demonstrating organized and safe backstage practices
• Providing constructive feedback and appropriate supervision
• Helping students develop confidence, independence, accountability, and sound judgment
• Teaching students when to make a decision and when to ask an adult staff member for assistance

The professional Stage Manager remains responsible for the overall organization, communication, safety, and successful operation of the production.

Educational Approach

The Stage Manager is not expected to serve as the production’s primary acting, music, or dance instructor. However, the Stage Manager plays an important role in helping young people understand how a theatrical production functions.

Stage Managers should be prepared to:

• Explain rehearsal and backstage procedures clearly
• Teach students how to check in, prepare for rehearsal, remain attentive, and follow calls
• Reinforce punctuality, preparedness, quiet backstage behavior, and respect for shared spaces
• Introduce and reinforce appropriate stage-management and production terminology
• Encourage age-appropriate independence and accountability
• Model calm, clear, respectful, and professional communication
• Correct behavior constructively and consistently
• Help students understand how every member of the company contributes to the success and safety of the production

The goal is not only to complete a successful performance, but also to help students become more responsible, informed, and collaborative theatre artists.

Qualifications

Ideal candidates will have experience in educational, youth, community, collegiate, or professional theatre settings.

We are especially interested in applicants who are:

• Organized, dependable, prepared, and detail-oriented
• Calm and effective under pressure
• Strong written and verbal communicators
• Able to write clear, professional emails and production communications
• Comfortable communicating with children, teenagers, families, teaching artists, administrators, and production staff
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities and changing circumstances
• Confident working with children and teenagers
• Able to maintain structure while remaining patient and encouraging
• Familiar with rehearsal procedures, backstage operations, and theatrical terminology
• Able to create and maintain accurate production paperwork
• Comfortable using email, shared documents, calendars, spreadsheets, and other production-management tools
• Able to give directions and corrections clearly without being dismissive or unnecessarily harsh
• Able to determine which information should be communicated, documented, escalated, or kept confidential
• Committed to maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
• Committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment
• Able to exercise sound judgment and escalate concerns appropriately
• Comfortable mentoring and supervising student assistants or emerging theatre artists

Previous stage-management experience is strongly preferred. Experience with youth theatre, Broadway Junior®, or Broadway KIDS® productions is especially helpful.

Selected candidates must be willing to complete any required background screening before working with students.

Scheduling

Stage Managers will receive the complete rehearsal, technical rehearsal, and performance calendar before making a final commitment.

Attendance expectations vary by production. The Stage Manager will generally be expected to maintain a consistent presence throughout the rehearsal process, with increased attendance as the production approaches run-throughs, technical rehearsals, and performances.

Attendance will be required for designated production meetings, major run-throughs, technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals, performances, and other identified production dates.

Reasonable conflicts may be accommodated when disclosed and approved in advance, but continuity, reliability, and consistent communication are important for this position.

Compensation

This is a project-based, stipend-paid position.

Compensation ranges from $500 to $1,500 per production, depending on the production schedule, length of the commitment, rehearsal and performance requirements, and scope of responsibilities.

How to Apply

Please submit:

• A résumé
• A brief cover letter describing your interest in working with DMR Adventures
• The production or productions for which you would like to be considered
• Professional references
• Any known scheduling limitations or recurring conflicts
• Relevant work samples, such as rehearsal reports, run sheets, cue sheets, call sheets, or other stage-management paperwork, when available

Please highlight any experience:

• Working with children or teenagers
• Stage managing youth, educational, community, collegiate, or professional productions
• Coordinating backstage operations
• Preparing professional production communications
• Calling performances
• Supervising run crews or volunteers
• Mentoring student assistants, interns, or emerging theatre artists

Selected applicants will be contacted to discuss production schedules, responsibilities, availability, communication expectations, mentorship responsibilities, and stipend details.

DMR Adventures welcomes applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, identities, experiences, and perspectives.