Alternative Approaches to Stage Management in Bali
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publisher
Black Swan Press
Faculty
Faculty of Education and Arts
School
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) / Centre for Research in Entertainment, Arts, Technology, Education and Communications
RAS ID
17482
Abstract
The first state of the art 'mega-theatre' opened in Bali in 2010 with the production of a large-scale epic show. This paper explores approaches to stage management in the context of this intercultural production. Can an altered style of traditional theatre bring a transformation in the method in which a production is stage managed? In this instance, local stage managers were employed and trained both on the job and through an intensive one-month program. The production, a Balinese legend with a cast of more than 150 Balinese artists and a menagerie of animals was designed and directed by an international team. At the same time, the production's staging techniques draw on technologies of western influence. As a teacher of the craft as well as a practitioner, I would like to discuss the notion of synthesizing techniques to best suit a production. Can there be a combining of stage management approaches that respects both cultures' interpretations of the role of the stage manager? This case study will examine the evolution of a stage manager in Bali.
Comments
Studham, S. F. (2013). Alternative approaches to stage management in Bali. In Changing facts, changing minds, changing worlds (20-33). Perth, Australia: Black Swan Press.