Except for a few people, “light cue five go” means nothing. To me, it means the start of another night’s show.

A night’s show to me is different than that of an actor or actress. Instead of worrying about lines or blocking, more commonly known as movement on stage, I worry about when the music comes up, when the lights go down, and when set pieces move.

At precisely 7 p.m. my work starts. I am “on book’”throughout the whole show, which means up in my high booth, I follow the script to give cues and ensure the show runs exactly how it is intended.

The worst part of being stage manager is that I do not see many people face to face, and the only time I do is when I am telling them what to do and what not to do.

In addition, I am in charge of the cast and crew during the actual show. My job is to make sure all of the props and furniture are in exactly the right place at precisely the right time. Another thing I do is make sure that the runners, the people that move the furniture items, know what to do and that they do it right, or else it is my fault.

There are both positives and negatives to being a stage manager, and it takes a special person to do it. I feel that I do it rather well, and would not trade it for anything.