Anyone who’s worked in live events and performance will tell you that it’s what goes on behind the scenes that makes all the difference. Every seamless scene change, every perfectly timed cue, every moment where chaos is quietly held together… That's stage management.
JMC Academy is proud to introduce the Diploma of Stage Management, a reimagined, industry-led program designed for creatives who want to run the show behind the scenes. Delivered in Sydney, this Higher Education Diploma is the only stage management qualification of its kind in Australia (huge!!), built around real productions, real venues and real industry practices.
This is not theory in isolation. It’s live performance, end to end.
Learn Stage Management by Doing
At JMC, stage management isn’t something you study from the sidelines. It’s something you live, production to production.
Across a full performance year, students follow the journey of JMC’s Acting and Music Theatre departments, working on more than 100 live performances annually. From first rehearsals through to technical weeks and live shows, your learning mirrors the rhythm and responsibility of professional stage management and the development of a live production event.
Students gain hands-on experience across:
- Singing performances with live sound
- Scene study and in-studio productions
- Cabaret and student-devised works
- Small-scale and full theatrical productions
- Large-scale musicals on campus and at external venues
- A multi-media Shakespeare production in JMC’s Auditorium
- JMC’s exclusive Actor as Creator immersive production
- You don’t just simulate production cycles, you're running them.
Unmatched Industry Access
Fact: JMC’s production scale opens doors that can’t be replicated in a traditional classroom setting.
Stage management students work alongside a faculty and creative community that includes theatrical directors, musical directors, production designers, theatre technicians, production managers, event coordinators, and film and digital creators. Collaboration is constant, expectations are professional, and the standards reflect real-world practice.
Students also gain exposure to prestige industry environments, including:
- Graduate productions at Belvoir Street Theatre, where JMC is Youth and Education Partner
- Showcase performances at the Sydney Opera House
Imagine being able to say you’ve worked in some of Sydney’s most iconic venues before you’ve even finished studying! These experiences build credibility, confidence and industry fluency long before graduation.
Where Theatre Meets Technology
Today’s stage managers operate at the intersection of tradition and innovation… a reality that is reflected in this Diploma.
Students explore how emerging technologies integrate into live performance, including vision systems, live feed, animation and multimedia production. This future-facing approach prepares graduates for contemporary theatre, festivals, events and hybrid performance environments where technical literacy is essential.
A Clear Pathway Forward
Graduates complete the program with a Higher Education Diploma, creating opportunities to articulate into Bachelor degree programs at JMC Academy.
Whether your next step is further study or stepping straight into the industry, you graduate with practical experience, professional credits and a deep understanding of how productions actually run.
So Why Stage Management at JMC?
- The only Diploma of Stage Management of its kind in Australia
- Industry-led, production-based learning (no generic training packages)
- Over 100 live performances per year across theatre and music theatre
- Real venues, real productions, real responsibility
- Integrated collaboration with performers, creatives and technicians
- Exploration of emerging technologies in live performance
- Clear academic and career pathways
