stage-manage

[ steyj-man-ij ]

verb (used with object)

, stage-man·aged, stage-man·ag·ing.

1. to work as a stage manager for:

   When he wasn't acting, he stage-managed a repertory theater.

2. to arrange or stage in order to produce a theatrical or spectacular effect:

   The clients were most impressed with the way she stage-managed the whole presentation.

3. to arrange or direct unobtrusively or in secret:

   He stage-managed Mediterranean black-market operations from his secluded villa on the Riviera.

verb (used without object)

, stage-man·aged, stage-man·ag·ing.

1. to work as a stage manager.

stage-manage

verb

1. to work as stage manager for (a play, etc)
2. tr to arrange, present, or supervise from behind the scenes

   to stage-manage a campaign

Word History and Origins

Origin of stage-manage¹

First recorded in 1875–80; back formation from stage manager

Example Sentences

Mort Engelberg, a movie producer behind such hits as “Smokey and the Bandit” and “The Big Easy,” who drew on his Hollywood expertise to stage-manage appearances for politicians, notably a bus tour for Bill Clinton and Al Gore following the 1992 Democratic convention, died on Saturday at a hospital in Los Angeles.

From New York Times

Carlson in January 2022 described Epps as a person who "helped stage-manage the insurrection."

From Salon

Carlson told viewers in January 2022 that Epps was a "central figure" in the attack and "helped stage-manage the insurrection," according to the lawsuit.

From Reuters

The complaint spells out how over the next several months, Mr. Carlson referred to Mr. Epps repeatedly on air, saying that he was “the central figure” in the Capitol attack and claiming that he had “helped stage-manage the insurrection.”

From New York Times

While Mr. DeSantis was largely able to stage-manage his media appearances in Florida, he may need to branch out to reach a larger audience as a presidential candidate.

From New York Times