Published July 30, 2026 · EasyStagecraft

Stage Management Cue Sheet: Template & How to Call a Show

A stage management cue sheet is a line-by-line record of every technical event in a show — lighting changes, sound cues, fly cues, automation moves — listed in the exact order they happen, with the precise script line or action that triggers each one. It lives inside the prompt copy (your marked-up script) and is the document you read aloud from when calling the show. Without a clean, accurate cue sheet, your operators are guessing; with one, they can execute a 200-cue musical with surgical precision.

What Goes Into a Stage Management Cue Sheet

Before you can call a show, you need to understand what a cue sheet actually contains. Think of it as four interlocking pieces of information:

• Cue type and number — the prefix tells operators which department is being called (LX for lighting, SQ for sound, FLY for flying, SPOT for follow spots, AV for video). Numbers are sequential within each type: LX 1, LX 2, LX 3, or LX 1, LX 1.5, LX 2 if you've inserted a late addition.
• The standby line — the script moment (dialogue, lyric, or action) at which you warn operators to put their finger on the button.
• The go line — the precise word, beat, or physical action that triggers the "go" call.
• Notes — fade time, scene change context, or anything unusual ("slow crossfade, 8 sec", "operator 2 only").

If you're also responsible for designing the cue structure, read how to read a lighting plot first — understanding what the LD has programmed makes your cue numbering decisions far more logical.

Building Your Prompt Copy

The prompt copy is the physical or digital script from which you run the show. Every cue is marked directly onto the script page so you can track dialogue and call simultaneously without losing your place.

Marking the Script

1. Print the script double-spaced and wide-margined, or use a PDF with annotation layers.
2. Write each standby in the left margin, two to four lines before the go cue — enough lead time for operators to get ready without the gap being so long they drift.
3. Mark the go with a vertical line through the exact word or stage direction, with a circled cue label in the right margin.
4. Use consistent colour coding: yellow highlighter for LX standby, pink for SQ standby, green for FLY standby, orange for the go mark. Any scheme works — consistency is what matters.
5. Never mark the original — always work from a copy so you can reprint a page cleanly during tech.

Cue Numbering Conventions

Australian school productions typically run 80–250 cues for a full musical. A sensible numbering system prevents chaos when the director adds a cue on day two of tech:

• Start each act fresh: Act 1 LX 1–99, Act 2 LX 100–199. That way a late insertion never forces a full renumber.
• Leave gaps during paper tech: LX 5, LX 10, LX 15. Fill LX 7 or LX 12 as cues are added.
• Decimal cues (LX 14.5) are fine for last-minute additions but try not to go beyond one decimal place — LX 14.25 signals a messy process.
• Never reuse a deleted cue number mid-run. Delete LX 22, mark it "DELETED" in the sheet, leave the gap. Operators who've memorised the flow will thank you.

Stage Management Cue Sheet Template

Below is a working template for one page of a school musical cue sheet. Copy the structure into a spreadsheet or your stage management software — EasyStageManager has a built-in cue sheet module that syncs cue labels directly to your prompt copy PDF, which is worth exploring if you're managing a production with multiple departments.

The Standby–Go Discipline

This is where student stage managers most often come unstuck. The standby–go protocol is not conversational — it is a formal, two-step command structure and every syllable matters.

How to Deliver a Standby

Say: "Standby LX 10, FLY 5." — calm, measured, over comms. Operators respond with their name or a single click of the talkback button to confirm. If you don't hear confirmation, ask again before you reach the go line. You need 5–15 seconds between standby and go, minimum.

How to Call a Go

Say: "LX 10… go." The pause between the cue label and "go" is deliberate — it gives operators a moment to anticipate. "Go" is always the final word. Never say "go" mid-sentence for any other reason during a show ("Can you go check the…" will fire a live cue). When two cues fire simultaneously, call them as a stack: "LX 10, FLY 5… go."

When a Cue Misfires

Stay calm. Say "hold" clearly, call the board op by name, and instruct the fix. Never yell, never apologise over comms in a way that cascades panic to the cast. Your voice is the room's thermostat.

Calling Etiquette on Comms

• Identify yourself once at the top of the show: "Stage manager on comms, checking positions — LX op confirm, SQ op confirm, fly op confirm."
• Keep non-cue chatter off the main comms channel. Use a secondary channel for crew coordination.
• Never eat, never whisper — mumbled cues cause misfires.
• If you're calling a musical with a conductor, agree before opening night exactly which cues are triggered by the downbeat versus the stage picture. Document this in your notes column.
• For large pit orchestras, coordinate with the pit — see how to lay out a 70-player orchestra for sightline and monitor considerations that affect your SQ cue timing.

Pre-Show and Intermission Checks

A cue sheet is only useful if your systems are ready. Run a pre-show check list every performance:

1. Confirm all LX states are in the correct starting preset — walk the stage.
2. Fire SQ 1 in isolation and confirm front-of-house levels match last night.
3. Check fly bar positions and confirm with fly op verbally.
4. Run a comms check with every operator position, including the follow-spot box.
5. Confirm props and set pieces are in their Act 1 positions — a props and costume inventory tied to your scene breakdown prevents mid-show scrambles.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Vague go lines — "at the end of the speech" is not a go line. Find the last word and mark it exactly.
• Standbys too late — if your operator sounds flustered on the confirm, move your standby mark earlier on the next run.
• Cue sheet not updated after tech changes — use a single master document and version-stamp it (v1, v2, v3). Distribute the new version before every rehearsal, not after.
• Missing notes on complex cues — a fly cue with no travel time or direction noted is a safety risk. Refer to your school musical risk assessment when documenting any flying or automation cue — the notes column of your cue sheet is part of that safety record.

A well-built stage management cue sheet is the single document that converts weeks of rehearsal into a repeatable, safe performance. Build it carefully, mark it precisely, call it with discipline — and your operators will trust every word that comes through their headsets.