Stage management is a sub-discipline of stagecraft. Although a somewhat fluid line of work, in essence the stage management team (which can consist of a production stage manager, several assistant stage managers, and any number of production assistants) is responsible for organizing the production, communicating across different disciplines (e.g., between the director and the backstage crew, or the actors and production management), and keeping everything running smoothly. This refers not only to seamless management of the technical aspects of a production, but of the human aspects as well.

There is a profound lack of information regarding the history and evolution of stage management. Most stage management books are reference or how-to manuals describing the process of stage management , with little or no reference to the history of the field. The modern stage manager descends from the actor-manager of the Renaissance and into the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; these actors took upon themselves the handling of finances and general directorial duties.

In the introduction of his book, professional stage manager Larry Fazio says, "In the final stages of putting this book together, I realized that I wanted to include a section on the history of SMing. In my research, I found only one SMing book that briefly described the evolution of the SM, which started in the 17th century during Shakespeare’s and Molière’s time...by [this] time, the actor and/or playwright was well established as the director of the show and putting together a production had become more civilized and organized. More props were used and special costumes were needed to portray the characters.

It wasn’t until the eighteenth century in England that the term stage manager was used instead of director. This was the first time a person, separate from the actors and playwright, was hired to direct or manage the stage. With the advent of elaborate sets, multiple costume changes, mechanical scenery and devices, gas lighting, and the lime-light spotlight, the SM’s job was split into the two positions as we know them today—the director and the SM." There is little more information than this to be had anywhere; passing references in theatre history texts, and the oral history from early twentieth century stage managers themselves.

The written history of stage management seems to go no further.

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