[4] Manson has been responsible for the direction, co-creation, set and media design of Big Art Group's productions since its initial original work, CLEARCUT Catastrophe in 1999.
[5] Manson's work is characterized by its intense visual spectacle, savvy blending of video and live acting to produce self-reflective commentary on its own genre, and technical sophistication.
"[6] Big Art Group's unique integration of live acting and video, known as Real Time Film, was pioneered and titled by Manson himself, and has remained a characteristic element of the artist's work, revisited and developed in new productions.
[8] Manson's work seeks to actively engage and challenge its audience and to confront expectations constructed by traditional theatre: "Unlike traditional theatrical performance, Big Art Group's extended mediated performances reposition viewers into active editors, challenging audience members to problem-solve complex issues of sexuality, race, narrative and truth as a theatrical mirror to the process of navigation through contemporary society.
Formerly the head of the John Wells Masters in Fine Arts in Directing at Carnegie Mellon University,[18] they are currently the Director of the Graduate and Undergraduate Theatre Program at Sarah Lawrence College.