Published August 06, 2026 · EasyStagecraft

How to Build a Running Order for a School Concert (2026)

A concert running order is the master sequence document that lists every item in the show — in performance order — with timing, stage requirements and transition notes. Getting it right means the audience stays energised, your crew isn't scrambling between acts, and the night finishes within five minutes of schedule. Build it before you finalise rehearsals, not after, and it will drive every other production decision you make.

Why the Running Order Is Your Most Important Production Document

Teachers often treat the running order as an afterthought — a printout handed to the MC on the night. In reality it is the spine of the whole show. It tells the lighting operator when to fade, the stage manager when to clear the deck, the MC how long to talk, and the principal when to stop worrying. Every other document — cue sheets, crew schedules, risk assessments — flows from it. Start here.

Step 1 — Gather Your Raw Material

Before you can order anything, you need a complete inventory of items. Collect:

• Every performance item with confirmed duration (time it in rehearsal, not from the score)
• Ensemble or class responsible for each item
• Stage configuration required (chairs, music stands, risers, microphone positions)
• Number of performers entering and exiting
• Any special technical requirements — playback tracks, lighting states, AV slides

Be honest about durations. A Year 7 band piece that runs 2:30 in the music room will run 3:45 once you add applause, conductor bows, and the drummer who drops a stick. Add 20–30 per cent to every timed item as a working estimate.

Step 2 — Design for Energy and Flow

A concert running order is not a playlist — it is a dramatic arc. Audiences arrive cold, peak around two-thirds through, and tire in the final stretch. Use that physiology deliberately.

The Classic Arc Structure

• Opener (items 1–2): High energy, large ensemble, familiar sound. Gets the room warm and sets expectations. A full stage band or combined choir works well.
• Build (items 3–6): Alternate between large and small groups. Vary dynamics — a quiet Year 10 string quartet after a loud senior rock band gives ears a rest and creates contrast.
• Pre-interval peak: Schedule your second-best item here. Audiences remember the last thing before the break. Do not bury a showstopper at item four.
• Post-interval re-entry: Restart energy with something upbeat. Audiences drift back slowly; a slow ballad opener in the second half loses half the room.
• Closer: Your absolute best item. If you have a combined ensemble finale, this is where it lives. Finish loud, finish together, finish on time.

Practical Contrast Rules

• Never run three large ensembles in a row — the stage resets become chaotic and the audience stops noticing the difference
• Never run two slow ballads consecutively
• Separate groups that share a large number of performers — they need time to move offstage, change, and re-enter

Step 3 — Map Your Set Changes and Transitions

This is where most school concerts unravel. A 90-second set change that nobody planned for multiplies across 18 items and adds 27 unscheduled minutes to your show. For each transition, document:

• What comes off stage (chairs, stands, risers, instruments)
• What goes on stage and who carries it
• Crew positions and roles
• Whether the MC fills the transition live or whether walk-in music covers it
• Target transition time (realistic: 60–90 seconds for a simple change, 3–4 minutes for a riser reconfiguration)

If you are using risers for a large choir, consider locking them in place for the whole second half and building your running order around them rather than striking them between items. For complex stage configurations, a stage plot tool lets you pre-visualise each setup and catch conflicts before bump-in day.

Step 4 — Write Your MC Links Into the Document

MC links are not decoration — they are transition cover. A 90-second introduction gives the crew exactly 90 seconds to finish the reset unseen. Write the approximate word count into the running order (150 words ≈ 60 seconds at a comfortable pace). Brief your MC on which links need to run long and which can be short. Never leave link duration to improvisation on the night.

Step 5 — Time the Whole Show

Add up: item durations + applause allowances + transition times + MC links + interval. A typical school concert should run 90–110 minutes total including one interval of 15–20 minutes. If you are over 120 minutes, cut an item — not transitions, not the interval. A tired audience is an unkind audience.

Target timings per segment: first half 40–50 minutes, interval 15–20 minutes, second half 35–45 minutes. If your school hall has a hard curfew (cleaning staff, venue hire end-time, late buses), work backwards from that deadline and build in a 10-minute buffer.

Step 6 — Build the Running Order Table

Here is a working template. Adapt column headings to your show. Your stage manager and lighting operator should each have a printed copy — this is also what feeds your stage management cue sheet.

Step 7 — Build In Contingency

Things that will go wrong: a performer doesn't arrive, a playback track fails, a riser wheel jams. Contingency is not pessimism — it is professionalism. Build these safeguards in:

• Float items: Identify one or two items that can be dropped or shortened without breaking the arc — usually a solo item mid-show rather than an ensemble piece
• Hold sequence: If a transition runs long, the MC holds with an extended link. Agree a signal (a raised hand from the stage manager) that tells the MC to keep talking
• Tech failure protocol: If playback fails, does the item proceed acoustically or get pulled? Decide this before the show and note it on the running order
• Late-start recovery: If the show starts 10 minutes late, which item gets shortened first? Name it now

EasyStagecraft's EasyScheduler lets you assign durations and transition buffers to each item and recalculates your end-time automatically when you move items around — useful when you are juggling 20-plus acts in the week before the show.

Safety and WHS Considerations

A running order that has performers or crew moving in blackout is a WHS issue, not just a production problem. Under Safe Work Australia's model WHS legislation (adopted across all Australian states and territories), schools have a duty to manage foreseeable risks for both staff and students. Ensure your running order flags any transitions that occur in low-light conditions, and cross-check your stage configuration changes against your school musical risk assessment. If you are performing in a hired performing arts centre, confirm emergency egress routes are not blocked during set changes.

Final Checklist Before You Lock the Running Order

1. Every item has a timed duration from a real rehearsal, not an estimate from the score
2. Total show time (with interval) is under 115 minutes
3. No two consecutive large ensemble resets without an MC cover link
4. Transition times are realistic and have been physically tested on stage
5. MC link durations are written into the document
6. Float items are identified and the decision-maker on the night knows what they are
7. Stage manager, lighting operator, sound operator and MC each have a printed copy
8. WHS risks from low-light transitions are flagged and mitigated

Lock the running order no later than the week of dress rehearsal. Changes after that point cost you more in crew confusion than they gain in artistic polish. A well-built concert running order is the single clearest sign that a production is in professional hands — and your students, their parents, and your principal will feel the difference, even if they never know why.