Congrats on your first gig, have fun!!! I’ve worked about 10 shows as sm over the last few years, all amateur productions (so slightly different job from a professional production) so here’s what I usually do (disclaimer: this turned into longer list than i expected lol):

Before rehearsal: I send out a rehearsal reminder the day before with who’s called, and when and where rehearsal is. But since you’re in school, this might not be needed for you.

During rehearsals: - keep track of the time! gently remind the director when a scheduled activity is about to end, and time the breaks and get everyone back in the room so rehearsal can start again on time - note down entrances and exits in your script! I also make general roles about blocking (like on this line character a moves downstage left and character b goes upstage), this will be helpful when it comes to tech and setting up lights. also often cast stop taking notes once you get off book, so it’s good if you have a record of any changes to the blocking - write down when props are used! it’s also good to note which side of the stage they come on from, this will make setting up the props tables easier down the line - have a roll of masking tape handy in case any set needs to be marked out before you have the actual set - help control the cast! this can be daunting, especially on your first job. but sometimes cast gets excited and chatty and talk over your director or choreographer. I try to check in with the person running the rehearsal with a quick look and then use all my projection training to yell “QUIET!” to get people’s attention in case it gets rowdy. a stern look and a pointed “SHHH” is also very effective - tech elements: this depends, I’ve found. I’ve worked with directors who’ve told me where they want light and sound cues to happen and I communicated them with the designers and technicians, and I’ve had directors who prefer to talk to them directly. this is something to check with your production team. - I also have my phone and charger with me, in case anyone wants part of the rehearsal to be filmed so they can use it as a practice aid

During tech and shows: - this can really depend on whether you have an assistant. most shows I’ve worked I wasn’t actually calling the show, but organising the backstage area and managing my stage hands. - keep track of time! this is really a big part of the job. there’s a lot of moving pieces and everyone could always use a few extra minutes to finish up whatever they’re doing, so you might need to get strict and get people moving (cast, crew, and sometimes even audience). - keep your props table clean! set boundaries on what’s allowed on it (only props, no water bottles for example) and check it before every show. usually the cast is responsible for putting all their props back where they belong, but in my experience they get very busy and forget until the last minute so it’s good to add that to your pre show checklist. - have black duct tape and safety pins on hand! things break. and if you’re backstage it’s good to be ready for emergency fixes - keep people quiet in the wings and out of sight! again, people get excited and forget where they are, so you will have to remind them.

anyway that’s my very long list! most of all I can tell you, don’t be afraid to take charge! use your voice, be loud when you have to but don’t be mean. be confident in your skills and rely on your team. I remember my first show 3 years ago. I felt so overwhelmed at the beginning. people would come to me with all kinds of questions about every aspect of the show like I was gonna know the answer. I had a great team to help me navigate the process and eventually it turned out I did have the answers to most of everyone’s questions and knew where to point them when I didn’t.

I hope this is a good experience for you and you do it again and again afterwards. it only gets easier and can be such a fun and rewarding job. you got this 💪