Built From the Floor Up
Who We Are
Creative Labor Management Services is a New York City–based union entertainment labor provider supplying skilled, certified professionals for theatre, concerts, television, corporate events, fashion productions, and large-scale festivals throughout the tri-state area.
"This isn't management from a desk. It's leadership forged on job sites."
We build crews on merit. Merit builds strength. Strength builds diversity. And diversity builds better productions.
Sean Saphire, Founder
Sean Saphire is a New York–based production leader with more than twenty years of experience across theatrical productions, concerts, television, fashion, music festivals, and large-scale corporate productions.
A third-generation IATSE Local 4 stagehand whose grandfather and father worked the same stages that shaped New York's entertainment industry — that lineage is the foundation of how CLMS approaches every call.
A member of IATSE Local #4 since 2009 and Local #1 since 2021, Sean has served as Crew Chief, Production Carpenter, Production Rigger, and Staging Supervisor on hundreds of union productions throughout NYC and nationwide.
- IATSE Local #4 — Brooklyn/Queens, Member since April 2009
- IATSE Local #1 — NYC Theatrical, Member since March 2021
- IATSE Local #4 Executive Board (2014–2017)
- Union Education Committee Instructor (2019–2023)
Operational Leadership at Kings Theatre
During his tenure at Kings Theatre (2015–2023), Sean served as Crew Chief and Head Rigger for his final six-plus years, working directly with touring productions and venue management on the full operational spectrum.
Production Management
- Show advancing & pre-production planning
- Labor staffing strategy & crew selection
- Budget forecasting & cost analysis
- Payroll & benefits oversight
- Post-production efficiency & financial transparency across payroll and logistics costs
- Departmental coordination across all calls
Systems & Infrastructure
- Designed production advancing & payroll infrastructure built to exceed industry-standard operational requirements — a benchmark other crews have since tried to recreate
- Counterweight arbor system operation & maintenance
- All venue rigging operation
- Direct liaison between labor, management, and touring production
Balancing union compliance, crew morale, venue interests, touring demands, and real-world operational logistics required calm decision-making, financial clarity, and trust from every department involved. That's exactly what CLMS brings to every production partnership.
A Network Built on Respect
Over two decades of working across premier venues — Kings Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Studio 54, New York City Center, Beacon Theatre, Capitol Theatre, Sesame Workshop, Barclays Center, and Arthur Ashe Kids Day — has allowed Sean to build one of the most trusted stagehand networks in the city.
His professional relationships span major rigging, staging, lighting, and A/V vendors; production managers for national events; Broadway production technicians; and talent, labor, and executives across several legacy television productions. Job by job, call by call — that network is the backbone of CLMS.
Current Productions
- The Rocky Horror Show — Studio 54 (show deck carpenter)
- New York City Center — construction carp, deckhand, flyman
- Beacon Theatre — stagehand/rigger/show crew for concert and comedy productions
- Sesame Street & The Not-Too-Late Show — Sesame Workshop (2008–present)
- US Open Fan Week — Arthur Ashe Stadium (annual, since 2019)
Notable Events
- US Open Fan Week — Arthur Ashe Stadium (Crew Chief since 2019)
- IMG New York Fashion Week — Carpentry Staging Supervisor (2019–2024)
- Staging Supervisor — Mike Birbiglia's The Good Life, Netflix (2025)
- Key Rigging Grip — New York After Dark, Peacock (2024)
- Production Carpenter — Robin Hood Gala (2018–2024)
- VP Harris Final Campaign Event — Philadelphia (2024)
- CMT Awards (2022–2023), Apple WWDC (2019)
- Jesus Christ Superstar for NBC (2018)
Leadership Philosophy
Union Excellence
We don't just hire union professionals — we respect the principles that ensure fair wages, safe conditions, and professional standards on every call.
Safety First
Every production prioritizes safety for crew and audience. All staff are trained, certified, and held to rigorous protocols. No exceptions.
Technical Authority
ETCP-certified, OSHA 30-trained, and built from hands-on disciplines: rigging, carpentry, automation, spotlight, A/V, and full production coordination.
Accountability
We deliver what we promise. Your crew shows up on time, prepared, and focused on your production's success. That reputation was built one call at a time.
Credentialed Teams
We don't just bring our own certifications — we build teams of discipline-specific specialists. ETCP-certified electricians, AVIXA-certified AV technicians, and other credentialed professionals are hired for the roles that demand their expertise.
Beyond the Stage
Brooklyn-born and Long Island-raised, Sean lives on Long Island with his wife Lauren, a New York City special education teacher, and their two daughters. His leadership philosophy started well before the stage — he has led recreational hockey teams since high school and has run a regular roller hockey tournament on Long Island that has had 36 iterations since 2004.
Outside of production, Sean's interests include DIY home projects, skiing, cooking, travel, and teaching himself tools like Photoshop and AutoCAD — the same systems thinking that shapes how CLMS operates.
Ready to Work Together?
Whether you need a full crew for a concert, theatrical event, corporate general session; specialists for consoles and consulting; or anything in between for stage and theatrical labor... CLMS brings the experience, the network, and the accountability your production demands.
Request Your Crew