--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An acting assistant stage manager in a…" description: "\"An acting assistant stage manager in a theater in Canterbury, a rep theater. A small wage but just enough to get by on, and I made props and I walked o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab7/jeremy-irons-10161_acting_an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-t_2872582.jpg" --- # An acting assistant stage manager in a theater in… ![“An acting assistant stage manager in a theater in Canterbury, a rep theater. A small wage but just enough to get by on, and I made props and I walked on, and I changed scenery, and I realized that I just loved it.” quote by Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab7/jeremy-irons-10161_acting_an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-t_2872582.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab7/jeremy-irons-10161_acting_an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-t_2872582.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab7/jeremy-irons-10161_acting_an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-t_2872582.jpg) > “An acting assistant stage manager in a theater in Canterbury, a rep theater. A small wage but just enough to get by on, and I made props and I walked on, and I changed scenery, and I realized that I just loved it.” [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He discovered a passion for theatre through hands‑on work, despite modest pay and varied duties. **In simple terms:** He fell in love with theatre while doing many backstage jobs. Key Takeaway Explore varied roles to find true passion. Themes career discovery theatre hands‑on work Mood reflective inspired Type personal narrative career insight When to use this quote - stage crew work - entry‑level theatre jobs - career transition - skill diversification Key Concepts passion skill development artistic fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What backstage role might reveal your hidden passion? - How can you turn a modest job into a stepping stone? A Different Perspective Limited pay and job stability can hinder long‑term growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Scenery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenery/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage Manager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-manager/) [Stage managers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-managers/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [My very first professional job was with a theatre company in 1965 and the first job they gave me was literally shovelling sh\*t. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-shaw/my-very-first-professional-job-was-with-a-theatre-company-in-1965-and/) [Martin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-shaw/) > [An interesting difference between new and experienced stage managers is that the new stage manager thinks of running the show as the most difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/an-interesting-difference-between-new-and-experienced-stage-managers/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [I dont know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/i-dont-know-how-it-is-now-but-the-assistant-stage-manager-had-to/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [There is a kind of classlessness in the theater. The rehearsal pianist, the head carpenter, the stage manager, the star of the show-all are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kander/there-is-a-kind-of-classlessness-in-the-theater-the-rehearsal-pianist/) John Kander > [Pages were always supposed to be off-camera - we were supposed to be invisible. But I had a moment where I saw a kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sweeney/pages-were-always-supposed-to-be-off-camera-we-were-supposed-to-be/) [Anne Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sweeney/) > [We all know that something is eternal. And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/we-all-know-that-something-is-eternal-and-it-ain-t-houses-and-it-ain-2/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [I suppose it is submerged realities that give to dreams their curious air of hyper-reality. But perhaps there is something else as well, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-suppose-it-is-submerged-realities-that-give-to-dreams-their-curious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I went to drama school but it was very hard to get work until I was made assistant stage manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/i-went-to-drama-school-but-it-was-very-hard-to-get-work-until-i-was/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) > [I got a note from the stage manager one night that someone wanted to meet me. And it was Steven Spielberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-reynolds/i-got-a-note-from-the-stage-manager-one-night-that-someone-wanted-to/) [Corey Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-reynolds/) > [This whole creation is essentially subjective, and the dream is the theater where the dreamer is at once: scene, actor, prompter, stage manager, author,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-whole-creation-is-essentially-subjective-and-the-dream-is-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen to the stage manager and get on stage when they tell you to. No one has time for the rock star bullshit. None…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/listen-to-the-stage-manager-and-get-on-stage-when-they-tell-you-to-no/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I dropped out in middle school. I dropped out in, towards the beginning of the ninth grade. And then I started studying -I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-dropped-out-in-middle-school-i-dropped-out-in-towards-the-beginning/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [Whether you are a writer or an actor or a stage manager, you are trying to express the complications of life through a shared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hall/whether-you-are-a-writer-or-an-actor-or-a-stage-manager-you-are/) [Lee Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hall/) > [There is no definitive list of the duties of a stage manager that is applicable to all theaters and staging environments. Regardless of specific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/there-is-no-definitive-list-of-the-duties-of-a-stage-manager-that-is/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [The cast, staff, and crew of a live theater work together toward a common goal: a good performance. Thus, theater is necessarily a group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-cast-staff-and-crew-of-a-live-theater-work-together-toward-a/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) ## More by Jeremy Irons > [At age 10 or 12 he's going to boarding school in the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight is, of course, down at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/at-age-10-or-12-he-s-going-to-boarding-school-in-the-isle-of-wight/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [I liked the theater. I liked the people. I liked the time that we worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-liked-the-theater-i-liked-the-people-i-liked-the-time-that-we-worked/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [I succeeded on sort of chutzpah and charm. No technique at all, didn't know what I was doing, but it worked and the character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-succeeded-on-sort-of-chutzpah-and-charm-no-technique-at-all-didn-t/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [ I find what I call the \[bleep\] side of the industry very difficult. You won't see me at other peoples' premiers. I mean, I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-find-what-i-call-the-bleep-side-of-the-industry-very-difficult-you/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [I get bored very easily, so I love doing different things, changing, doing a job for a month and then doing another one for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-get-bored-very-easily-so-i-love-doing-different-things-changing/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [To be an actor you need various things. You need to have a head for choosing the roles. You have to be, hopefully, easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/to-be-an-actor-you-need-various-things-you-need-to-have-a-head-for/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [I envy children who know that they're going to become doctors, know they're going to go into the forces or whatever. I think choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-envy-children-who-know-that-they-re-going-to-become-doctors-know/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [Sadly, one's parameters are constantly narrowed by one's success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/sadly-one-s-parameters-are-constantly-narrowed-by-one-s-success/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [One always returns to the fact that there are just too many of us, the population continues to rise and it's unsustainable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/one-always-returns-to-the-fact-that-there-are-just-too-many-of-us-the/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [I'm very glad I'm not a politician. I think it's one step away from the gates of hell, being a politician. I really do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-m-very-glad-i-m-not-a-politician-i-think-it-s-one-step-away-from/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [What Takes Us to the PAST is the MEMORY… What takes Us to the FUTURE is DREAM…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/what-takes-us-to-the-past-is-the-memory-what-takes-us-to-the-future/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [It's just money; it's made up. Pieces of paper with pictures on it so we don't have to kill each other just to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/it-s-just-money-it-s-made-up-pieces-of-paper-with-pictures-on-it-so/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [My next step must be to go to drama school. Well, I get into drama school, so I did that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/my-next-step-must-be-to-go-to-drama-school-well-i-get-into-drama/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [I've always believed that the great strength of the Internet is that it allows us to communicate with each other, it allows debate. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-ve-always-believed-that-the-great-strength-of-the-internet-is-that/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [Never played a video game. Actually, I try to keep them out of my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/never-played-a-video-game-actually-i-try-to-keep-them-out-of-my-house/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) [Explore all 67 Jeremy Irons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An acting assistant stage manager in a theater in Canterbury, a rep theater. A small wage but just enough to get by on, and I made props and I walked on, and I changed scenery, and I realized that I just loved it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeremy Irons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-theater-in-canterbury-a-rep/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-theater-in-canterbury-a-rep/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab7/jeremy-irons-10161_acting_an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-t_2872582.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab7/jeremy-irons-10161_acting_an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-t_2872582.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab7/jeremy-irons-10161_acting_an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-t_2872582.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An acting assistant stage manager in a theater in Canterbury, a rep theater. A small wage but just enough to…” — Jeremy Irons", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jeremy Irons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An acting assistant stage manager in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-theater-in-canterbury-a-rep/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/an-acting-assistant-stage-manager-in-a-theater-in-canterbury-a-rep/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```