A call to diversify those calling the cues R. Christopher Maxwell, who earned an Master of Fine Arts in stage management, at work during a scheduled preview of a play at the Repertory Theater of St. Louis, May 28, 2021. New initiatives aim to broaden the pool of stage managers of color and introduce antiracist practices into graduate training. Neeta Satam/The New York Times. by Jeremy Fassler (NYT NEWS SERVICE) .- Perhaps the hardest-working people in theater, stage managers oversee all aspects of a production. They work closely with the director to mark down every piece of staging from where the actors and sets are placed, to the sound and lighting cues. During tech week, when a show loads into a theater, they run the rehearsal process to ensure that technical aspects of a production flow smoothly before opening night.