Sessions for 2026 - It's all about EXPLORING

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•   Immersive Broadway

  • We kick off with Immersive Broadway where the audience is part of the action. Join stage managers from Maquerade and Here Lies Love discussing the challenges of managing show that are integrated with the audience! Karyn Meek, the PSM of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 leads this panel. We may get a visit from a stage manager from Cats: Jellicle Ball too, so look out for felines, they pop up unexpectedly.

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• What a Circus!

  • What, a Circus on Broadway? Yes, Circus and Cirque performers have been appearing on Broadway. There was the Pippin revival (remember Andea Martin on a trapeze!) and more recently Water for Elephants. Both featured incredibly talented humans, but their needs and methods are different than classically trained actors. These stage managers share what they learned to support and work with new types of talent - and integrate that into our process. This session is moderated by Anna Robb, one of the founders of StageLync.

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• TBD 

  • TBA session - annoucement will coming soon.

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• EXPO CONTEST 

  • Explore all the booths, Online or in NYC and win prizes! Free stuff! Giveaways! All for just learning about our partners and the products and services they have to make your work and life better.

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• The T-Ruth with Ruth E. Kramer 

  • After lunch we return for a heartfelt conversation between Del Hughes Honoree Ruth E. Kramer and her former assistant, Broadway veteran, Ken McGee. Ruth tells you the T-Ruth about creating a successful, fruitful career as a stage manager, without Broadway! She hasn't work on Broadway, but many of her assistants have. We'll see what pearls of wisdom and lessons they learned from her, and how she built an incredible life and career. Get your questions ready!

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• Studying Our Mental Health

  • We wrap Day 1 with an insightful discussion about stage managers who are Studying Our Mental Health! Moderated by Marriage and Family Therapist (and stage manager) Larry Smiglewski, this session presents research studies by student stage managers who also study psychology. They both have formal research projects to share and I'm really looking forward to hearing their process, conclusions, and gaining a better understanding about how my brain works!

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• SEE A BROADWAY SHOW

  • ONLINE: Stream the Broadway hit, American Utopia at home and chat with PSM Julie DeVore in our online breakout room! Learn what really goes on backstage, in rehearsals, in tech, and get stories about the run.

  • IN NYC: You have the option to see a Broadway show live and have a Q&A with the stage managers afterwards! Always a great time in the theater together.

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• Live Video on Broadway

  • ​Day two begins with Live Video on Broadway. This is a new department and technology for stage managers to navigate. The West Side Story and Sunset Boulevard revivals made live video an integral part of the design and story telling. Last season's The Picture of Dorian Gray took it to a whole new level. We'll learn the challenges, tips, and strategies these stage managers used to navigate this new work flow.

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• Calling The Who's Tommy: Then and Now

  • ​This year we're doing a new twist on our Calling Session exploring both the original and revival productions of The Who's Tommy. You'll see how the stage managers execute the intense cueing and technology from this rocking show. All the stage managers involved (including myself) learned from original Tommy PSM and Del Hughes Honoree Frank Hartenstein, so this session is dedicated to his memory.

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• Broadway in Korea

  • Broadway is big around the world. Recently Broadway in Korea has exploded with Beetlejuice, Hadestown, and most recently The Great Gatsy playing to great success in Seoul. The stage managers behind these productions (Matt DiCarlo, Cherie B. Tay, and Brian Bogin) share their experiences: the challenges, joys, successes, and failures that can happen when you're 7000 miles and 14 time zones from NYC!

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• Paddington on the West End

  • Clear-Com once again take us on a unique adventure to the UK exploring the power of comms on the delightful West End production of Paddington. This new show will be making it's way to NYC soon. We're going to get a first look, or rather listen, to the communication tools and strategies behind this highly anticipated production.

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• The Tony Awards!

  • ​The Symposium wraps with an incredible panel exploring the management of our theater super bowl - The Tony Awards! Every year we delight in the broadcast, but how does it really happen? What do the stage managers actually do? What is it like backstage? How do shows prepare? Hear the stories behind the broadcast from managers who have been working on The Tony's for decades! This session will be extra long to field all your questions!

• WRAP PARTIES

  • ​ONLINE WRAP PARTY, sponsored by the Stage Managers' Association. Party like it's 2020 with an online gathering of attendees to be social, make and grow connections.​​​

  • IN NYC WRAP PARTY. We'll come together at a Times Square Broadway hangout to mix, mingle, and enjoy more good times together.