About me

Hello! I’m Jara Hilmarsdóttir, a stage manager from Reykjavík, Iceland, currently based in

Guildford, Surrey, where I am pursuing a master’s degree in Stage and Production Management at GSA. I did my bachelor’s degree in Opera Performance at the Music University in Cologne,

Germany, but after moving back home and working backstage at the National Theatre of Iceland and within the independent opera scene—and loving every minute of it—

I decided to shift my focus to stage management.

 

Over the past few years, I’ve gained broad experience in both large institutions and freelance productions. At the National Theatre of Iceland, I worked on ten productions as an ASM

and stage technician, including Frozen by Disney and the world premiere of Marius von Mayenburg’s Ex, Ellen B & Egal. I also worked within the props department, crafting, sourcing, and maintaining props across five shows—one highlight being my work with puppet maker Charlie Tymms on Draumaþjófurinn, where I later took over puppet maintenance throughout the run.

I’ve held roles as a flyman, stage computer operator, set maker, and painter, developing strong technical versatility.

 

In the independent scene, I’ve stage-managed productions like Hänsel und Gretel for the

Chamber Opera in Reykjavík, where I operated over 150 LX cues directly from the score. I’ve also worked at the Icelandic festival Opera Days,taking on roles as assistant director, SM, and DSM

at Harpa Concert Hall—including leading the headline day of performances in

the 1,600-seat Eldborg Hall.

 

Thanks to my training at GSA, I’ve expanded my skills in cueing to music, rehearsal room markup, QLab programming, LX board op, follow spotting, props work, and paperwork across SM, DSM,

and ASM roles. Most recently, I DSM’d Alice by Heart, an actor-musician production featuring

19 castmembers, each playing multiple instruments.

 

I am fluent in Icelandic, English, and German, with good knowledge of Danish and basic

knowledge of Spanish and Italian—an asset in international productions.

 

I am always eager to take on new challenges and bring adaptability, positivity and creativity to every project I work on.