Someone who stays in control so you do not have to
A production with several acts, tight timings, changing riders and a packed audience is no place for improvisation to win. You need someone who knows the schedule, who guards the soundcheck order, who coordinates the changeovers between artists and who directs the crew.
Our stage managers have worked on large productions for years. Reggae Rotterdam Festival at Ahoy with 25,000 visitors. Pal Mundo Festival with Alda Events. North Sea Jazz after-parties at BIRD Rotterdam. International acts at Sportpaleis Ahoy. Festivals on Curaçao and Aruba. They know how a day unfolds and what can go wrong.
What stage management with us involves
Preparation: going through the rider for each artist, drawing up patch lists, monitor setups, line checks. Coordination with the production manager of the festival or event.
Scheduling: tight timetables with buffers, day schedules per discipline (audio, lighting, video, staging), pre-show and show calls.
Soundchecks: coordination of the soundcheck schedule. Start on time, finish on time, room for the artist to rehearse something if it helps.
Changeovers: for productions with several acts, quick changeovers of the setup between artists. Swapping backline, repositioning microphones, adjusting the monitor mix. Sometimes in 15 minutes, sometimes in 5.
Show calls: who is ready for the transition, who plays the intro, who switches the lighting. With the stage direction during the show.
Backstage management: looking after artists, runner coordination, dealing with security and hospitality.
Troubleshooting: when something goes wrong, decide quickly, fix it, carry on. No panicking in front of the audience.
Who it is for
- Festivals with several stages and changing acts
- Multi-act concerts (one headline act with support acts)
- Corporate events with several speakers, panel discussions and performances
- Award shows and TV productions
- International tours passing through the Netherlands or the Caribbean
Examples from practice
- Reggae Rotterdam Festival 2022 Kralingse Bos and 2023 at Ahoy
- Pal Mundo Festival 2015-2019: stage management production (Alda Events)
- Latin Weekender 2015-2022: complete technical production
- Marc Anthony concert Sportpaleis Ahoy 2015: stage management
- Sean Paul + live band The Hague 2014: full production including stage management
- Tabula Rasa Festival 2019, 2020: DJ gear, full production and stage management (co-production Alda Events)
- Caribbean Splash Festival Curaçao: full production and stage management
- Aruba Island Take Over Festival 2018, 2019: production and stage management
How we work
For larger productions our stage manager comes to the table 4 to 8 weeks in advance. Going through riders, drawing up schedules, aligning with the technical crew and production management. For smaller productions or last-minute jobs: direct pre-production the week of the event.
On show day the stage manager is present from load-in to break-down. For multi-day productions we split across several managers with handover moments.
Frequently asked questions
For an experienced stage manager: 600 to 1,200 euros per day, depending on scale and complexity. Pre-production hours we charge separately, by arrangement.
A technician operates equipment (audio mix, lighting, video). A stage manager coordinates people, schedule and the flow of the whole production. For productions with several acts you often need both: technicians on the disciplines plus a stage manager who keeps the overview.
Yes, that is standard. Our stage manager reports to your production manager or festival direction. We take care of the stage and everything on it, you keep the broader production coordination.
Yes. We have worked on Curaçao and Aruba every year (North Sea Jazz, Caribbean Splash, Hake Festival), and with international acts in the Netherlands. English and Spanish are spoken by parts of the team.
Yes, for corporate events too. A corporate award show with 8 speakers, a performance act and changing setups also deserves a stage manager, otherwise the schedule starts to slip. We regularly do stage management for corporate productions.
As standard with headsets (Clear-Com or similar) between stage manager, FOH, monitor position, lighting operator and backstage. For large productions with several stages we work with multiple comms circuits.