Stage Manager Event-Day Checklist
Check the latest schedule, production packs, technician links, contact sheets, live view, stale indicators, and crew handover before the programme starts.
Article guidance
Use this checklist before the first performance or briefing. It is designed for event managers, stage managers, production office, and anyone responsible for making sure the live programme is working from current information.
Before crew briefing
- The latest running order is published and the Versions panel reflects the intended schedule.
- Conflicts and publish blockers are clear, or any accepted exceptions are understood by the team.
- Stage specs, day windows, stage manager contacts, access routes, curfew, power, PA, lighting, monitor, and noise details are current.
- Lineup rows have current contact details, availability, rider notes, structured technical profiles, files, production owner, and review status.
- Call-time, accreditation-change, and production-review reminders that need to go before the event are queued with usable recipient details.
- Production packs, contact sheets, and change logs have been generated from the correct version, stage, and day scope.
Before sharing with crew
- Production recipients are current, stage/day crew assignments are clear, and quick-fill details are correct.
- Technician links are scoped to the right event, stage, day, and department.
- Passcodes, expiry dates, revocation, and regeneration choices match the sensitivity of the information.
- Unsent production packs, stale production-pack deliveries, and stale technician links have been reviewed.
- Recipients without email or phone have a manual follow-up plan if provider-backed updates are needed.
During the event
- Use stage focus in live view so operators see current and next items for the stage they are managing.
- Switch the live view between stage manager, FOH, artist liaison, and production office modes when each team needs a tighter queue and its own quick actions.
- Record performer arrival/check-in before ready side-stage, then update on-stage and finished status as the programme moves.
- Use delayed or cancelled status when the live schedule changes, and add typed live notes for useful incident, delay, change, or information context.
- Use the accreditation desk history for on-day pass edits, reprints, and desk handovers instead of relying on loose notes.
- Check technician links if read-only crew say they cannot see current or next live status.
- If the running order itself changes, update the schedule, publish the new version when appropriate, and follow stale crew-material indicators.