Staging physical touch in theatrical productions has a long and complicated history. In 2017, producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women; this sparked what is known as the Me Too movement. This movement called for greater accountability in all areas of life for sexual misconduct, especially in the performing arts sector. These events led to the creation of Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE), an organization that specializes in teaching different practices for theatrical intimacy to actors, directors, and choreographers to ensure that a person’s body feels safe and respected while performing on stage.

My research further expands TIE’s work to help stage managers notate intimacy blocking in the prompt book. It is often the role of stage managers to notate blocking in a way that is easy to read and is repeatable. This holds actors accountable for their blocking and it is the stage manager's job to enforce this. It is imperative to execute the choreography accurately for the safety of the actors and to maintain the integrity of the storytelling. Currently, there is no notation system for intimacy choreography in existence.

Through my observations in rehearsals of an intimacy choreographer, collaboration with other stage managers about their systems for blocking, and specialized training in intimacy best practices, I will assemble a notation system to capture intimacy choreography and provide examples of this notation system in use. This system can be used and adapted by stage managers globally to make theatre spaces safer for everyone involved.