Stage management and show calling
A run of show that holds when the night doesn’t.
The show starts at 8. Who’s calling it?
Most shows don’t go wrong in one big moment. They drift: a long changeover, a late walk-on, a cue nobody called.
- Changeovers that run long and push every set after them?
- Audio, lights, video and talent each working off a different timeline?
- Nobody with the authority to hold a cue or cut a segment?
- A weather or curfew plan that only exists in someone’s head?
Why it hasn’t been fixed yet.
It’s rarely effort. Owners in this business work harder than anyone. It’s usually one of these.
Production as a second job
The producer is also the stage manager
The person talking to the client or the artist manager can’t also be calling cues. Something gets dropped, usually the timing.
Vendors running their own piece
Each department runs its own clock
Audio, lights and video each follow their own cue sheet. Without one caller, the transitions are where the show slips.
Production planned last
The run of show is written the night before
When the run of show isn’t locked early, changeovers aren’t rehearsed and every department guesses.
What I do
What the work includes
- Run of show with every segment, walk-on, cue and transition timed
- Changeover plans for each artist or segment, with stage positions and crew assignments
- Comms plan: who’s on which channel, and who can hold or cut
- Show calling for audio, lighting, video, cameras and talent
- Weather, lightning, evacuation and curfew plans agreed with the venue in advance
- Show report after every day, so tomorrow runs better
What changes
A show that starts on time, moves cleanly and ends before curfew.
Scoped to your event. On the first call we go through the date, the venue, the talent and the budget, and decide how much of the production you want me to run.
Proof
Shows I’ve sold and project managed.
Concerts, festivals, tours and brand activations from my time at production companies. They’re my experience, not clients of this business.
- County Line Music FestivalConcert or festival
- Deep Roots FestivalConcert or festival
- REVOLT WORLD 2024Concert or festival
- Robin Thicke TourConcert or festival
- Skillet ConcertConcert or festival
- Atlanta Wine & Jazz Festival 2023Concert or festival
- Pacific Feats Festival 2024Concert or festival
- Kentuckiana Pride FestivalConcert or festival
- Toyota Music Den 2024Fan event
- Credit One Credit Tip Off College TourFan event
- Atlanta United 2023 Block PartyFan event
- New York Fashion WeekLive show
Most production help sells you gear. I’ve worked every side of the show.
I’ve worked every side of a show, from the loading dock to the sales desk. That’s how I know where a production goes wrong, and why I work for you, not the vendors.
Devon RaceManaging Director, Event Production Partner
Outsiders: A run of show sees a timeline.
I see the stagehands, the cable changes and the riser moves behind every transition, because I’ve done them.
From the crew, as a stagehand
Outsiders: A producer sees segments.
I see cues, comms and the person who can hold them, from running shows as project manager.
From the show, as project manager
Outsiders: A client sees a start time.
I see the curfew, the overtime and the fines behind it, from negotiating those contracts at the sales desk.
From the sales desk, as head of sales and marketing
The production mistakes that cost events the most
I’ve watched each one happen from inside the company. You get the lesson without the bill.
Where I saw it: StagehandLoad-ins, audio, LED and staging
The mistakeApproving the stage before anyone has walked the site
What it costs
A rebuild on show day, with the crew on overtime
What to do instead
Check ground, power, access and the load-in window before the design is final
Where I saw it: Warehouse managerInventory, prep, trucks and returns
The mistakeTaking the lowest bid without checking what’s in it
What it costs
Cable, power and labor added back later at full price
What to do instead
Bid one scope and equipment list, and compare line by line
Where I saw it: Project manager$500K+ projects, crews and clients
The mistakeLeaving the artist advance until show week
What it costs
Backline bought in a rush, and a soundcheck that runs into doors
What to do instead
Advance every artist as soon as they’re confirmed
Where I saw it: Head of sales and marketingScaled companies from $750K to $3M+
The mistakePromising the client a look before it’s costed
What it costs
Your margin pays for the difference
What to do instead
Get a production budget before the pitch or the deal is signed
Relevant experience and expertise are the top criteria buyers use to evaluate potential service providers.
Took production houses local to regional to national. Built client relationships with Fortune 500 brands.
Common questions
Stage manager for concerts, festivals and live events
What promoters, agencies and brands ask about this before the first call.
What does a stage manager do at a live event?
The stage manager runs the stage during the show: the run of show, changeovers, talent and stage cues, and communication between audio, lighting, video and the artists or presenters. On show day, they’re the person who keeps the event on time.
Devon
What’s the difference between a production manager and a stage manager?
The production manager plans and builds the show: budget, vendors, venue, crew and schedule. The stage manager runs it once it starts. On smaller events one person can do both; on larger ones they’re separate roles, and I can fill either.
Devon
Do you call corporate general sessions as well as concerts?
Yes. A general session, an awards night and a festival stage all need the same thing: a timed run of show, clean transitions and one person calling cues.
Devon
What happens if weather hits?
The weather and lightning plan is agreed with the venue and the staging company before the event: who decides, when the stage is cleared, where people go and how the show resumes. On the day, it’s followed, not improvised.
Devon
Keep reading
More of the production I run
- What I run for youStage design and implementationTurn the creative vision into a stage that can actually be built, on budget.Read more
- What I run for youVendor procurement and biddingBids you can compare line by line, from vendors who can deliver them.Read more
- What I run for youArtist liaison and rider procurementEvery rider advanced, sourced and confirmed before the artist arrives.Read more
Start with a conversation
Let’s talk about your next show.
- A 15-minute callBy video, about your company
- A short written planWithin three business days
- You decideNo packages, no pressure