Joining as a Stage Manager

A Stage Manager is central to the organization and communication of a production. They support the creative process in rehearsal, ensure the well-being of the team, coordinate all departments, and make certain the show runs safely, smoothly, and consistently from first rehearsal to final performance.

An artist pursuing a career as a Stage Manager within Equity’s jurisdiction is eligible to join as a member by virtue of their training as a Stage Manager and the experience they gain working on Equity contracts, through permits, apprentice credits, or a combination of both.

Check your eligibility to join Equity as a Stage Manager

Pathways to Membership

To join Equity as a Stage Manager, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and meet the qualifications below.

Option 1 — Permits

You can join Equity as a Stage Manager after earning four permits, working on an Equity Stage Manager contract governed by an Equity agreement (i.e. Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, Stratford Festival Addendum, Equity Second City Agreement, or any of our negotiated ballet or opera agreements).

How permits work

A permit consists of 12 workdays on a production. For shorter duration contracts, workdays on multiple productions can be combined to earn a permit.

Remounts or tours of the same original production, provided you are engaged in the same position, constitute a permit. No more than one permit can be earned from a single production, regardless of its length.

Option 2 — Apprentice credits

You can join Equity as a Stage Manager after earning either:

Six apprentice credits as an Apprentice Stage Manager, if the credits have been earned working for at least two different Engagers
Eight apprentice credits as an Apprentice Stage Manager, if the credits have been earned working for a single Engager

In both cases, at least two of your credits must be earned under an Equity agreement. You can earn apprentice credits for the following:

Work under an Equity scale agreement

At least two apprentice credits must come from engagement on a production governed by an Equity agreement (i.e. Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, Stratford Festival Addendum, Equity Second City Agreement, or any of our ballet or opera agreements).

Work under an Equity engagement policy

You can earn an apprentice credit when engaged as an Apprentice Stage Manager on an eligible production under an Equity engagement policy such as the DOT Policy, INDIE, or Festival Policy. To be an eligible production, over 50% of the participants must be Equity members, including:

Two-thirds of the Performers
The Stage Manager
The Director

Education and training

You can earn one apprentice credit for each of the following:

One apprentice credit for completing stage management training as part of a recognized theatre program or for work done as a stage management apprentice on a professional production within that theatre program
One apprentice credit for completing a certificate training program through SMArts | Stage Managing the Arts

Work outside of Equity’s jurisdiction

You can submit an application to Equity for recognition of your stage management experience on productions outside of Equity’s jurisdiction. If approved, you will earn a “body of work” apprentice credit.

Applications for education and training and body of work credits should be submitted through the Apprentice Credit Registration Form in your myEquity account.

Please note: Education and training and body of work credits do not count as “different Engagers” when determining whether you need six or eight apprentice credits.

Apprentice credit limits

To help ensure training opportunities for emerging Stage Managers, there are limits on the number of apprentice credits you can earn in Equity’s jurisdiction.

Work with a single Engager: you can earn a maximum of eight apprentice credits

Work with multiple Engagers: you can earn a maximum of ten apprentice credits

Once you’ve earned the maximum number of credits, you are no longer eligible to be engaged as an Apprentice Stage Manager. You can continue to work as a Permittee, at Equity’s discretion.

Learn more about Apprenticeship

Option 3 — Combination of apprentice credits and permits

To join Equity as a Stage Manager, you can combine permits and apprentice credits to meet the required total six or eight credits you need (depending on the number of Engagers).

Please note: A permit counts towards your total apprentice credits, but a credit does not count towards your total permits.

Application Process

Once you’ve met the criteria to join Equity as a Stage Manager, Equity’s Membership team will contact you to invite you to apply for membership. You’ll also find the following forms available in your myEquity account:

Member Application Form
Member RRSP form

At the same time, we’ll let you know the remaining balance of your initiation fee.

Some artists choose to wait before joining. If you don’t join immediately, the Membership team will contact you again when any filing fees you’ve accumulated are enough to cover your initiation fee.

Once you’re eligible, you can complete the forms in your account and begin the application process at any time.

Fees

Joining fee

The joining fee is a one-time initiation fee of $1,200, plus the basic dues for the current billing period ($100, a half-year of basic dues), for a total of $1,300.

A portion of the applicable filing fees you have paid will be applied towards your initiation fee, thereby reducing the amount of the one-time payment. Any remaining portion of the initiation fee owing, plus current basic dues, must be paid when you apply to join the Association.

Apprentice credit fee

The Apprentice Stage Manager credit fee is $75 each. When working under the Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, or Stratford Festival Addendum, the theatre is required to pay this fee on behalf of the artist

A portion of each stage manager apprentice credit fee ($62.50) will be applied towards your initiation fee.

Apprenticeship

Working as a Permittee