Calling the show means you execute all the cues in the show. These could be light, sound, rail, deck, followspot, automation, projection, etc. Whatever is necessary to get through your production. The assembling of these cues take many paths and many shapes. For Rail Cues you are responsible to figure out, along with the director and the scenic designer, the order in which rail cues will happen. After you have the information you enter the cues into your script. With light cues you may do a paper tech. A paper tech is when you sit down with the director and sound and lighting designers and discuss the cues, the cue placements, and what the cue is expected to accomplish. With deck and rail cues you may elect to do a dry tech. A dry tech is when you shift through the deck transitions with the crew but without cast or lights. You may need sound if the transition is tied to the length of the sound cue.
Depending on the show you may need a separate script to call the show. While on some simple shows I have been able to use the blocking script to call the show, complex shows, especially musicals, may require more room. One of the reasons we type in our scripts here is so we can manipulate the space on the page to suit our purpose. With a calling script I manipulate the margins so I have more room on the right side of the page where I write my cues. With my left handed students we discuss putting your script in the left side of your binder so you can write your cues without having to stretch your arm across the clips that hold the paper. You should decide yourself how you need to lay out your calling script but in the right hand margin on the right hand side of the binder works for me.
The calling script should be routined the same way that the Routine Sheet is used for the deck stage manager. So, for example, when I am calling the show I insert the pages necessary to accomplish what I need to accomplish - in order - prior to the show starting or the downbeat of the Overture. As with the deck stage manager it usually begins 1:30 minutes prior to the start of the show. The stage manager and the assistant stage managers should work as teams. They should have assigned tasks that are repeated every night. If you are calling the show then normally you would be responsible for the half hour call and all the calls leading up to the show starting.
Some may find it odd that I say the calling stage manager rather than just the stage manager. I will discuss this in more detail but it is very difficult in long running shows to call every show. It is very advisable that the assistants learn to call the show as well. This way you can stay on top of all the paper work that is associated with a long running production. Especially touring productions. Plus different contracts have different rule books. At Radio City we would do six shows a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Christmas Spectacular. Calling all of those would be very exhausting indeed. On shorter running shows it is unlikely you will have the time to swap out callers. Again, you should make the determinations that are right for your production. Use what is useful here but your show and circumstances will differ.
It would be typical for me, if I were the stage manager on the show, to sit down with my assistants and discuss how we were breaking up pre and post show responsibilities. Once decided I would then begin my routine sheet. It may look something like this:
-1:30 Check in with doorman on days activities at theatre
Check phone machine
Print new sign in sheets
Check notes from last night
Check supplies, order new ones as needed.
-1:00 Check with Crew Heads, notes, new people etc.
-0:35 Take stage from Deck Stage Manager
Final visual check of house and stage
-0:30 House Lights in
EQ1 - Curtain Warmers On
Line Set 1 - Grand Drape IN
Open House
Call Half Hour
Notes
-0:15 Call Fifteen
-0:10 Call Ten Minutes
-0:07 Call Five Minutes
Crew to Places
Orchestra last call to places
Maestro Places Call
Headset Check
Light Board
Sound Board
Spot Ops
Rail Crew
Check in with Deck SM's, announce five minutes
Check with House Manager
-0:03 If House Manager says it's a GO, Call Places
If there is a house hold, announce.
Actors in Place? CLEAR from Deck Stage Manager
Maestro in Place? CLEAR from Deck Stage Manager
WARN:
Sp1 on Conductor
House to Half
House OUT
EQ 2-7
Conductor QL ON
CUE Conductor On
VISUAL
See Conductor Sp1/GO
After Applause Sp1/FADE
Cross fade to Conductor Special (2) EQ2 /GO
When Ready Conductor QL/OFF
VISUAL
Watch Baton!!!!
On down beat START WATCH!! EQ3/GO
House to Half/GO
OVERTURE
WARN:
RQ 2
-Red QL ON (#1-Grand Drape Out)
Notice in this section the sequence of events. Note the double check of cast, crew and orchestra to places. The clears from the deck SM's. The check in with the House Manager before you start the show. Even all the way back to checking the notes from the night before and checking in with your crew heads on their calls. Then when everyone is geared up to start the show you put in your warnings and away you go. Some older stage managers may remember when there was a warning, then a standby, then a go. With the world turning digital there is no need for the standby anymore. Some sequences in the modern day musical could have you warning many cues if there is no time to insert a warning later. One show I warned the light cues from 2-64. They all took place in the first two minutes of the show. Other shows I have warned the first act. Each show will have different requirements.
Also note that this looks very nice and neat. All typed up! It never looks like this in tech nor should it. Tech is when you place cues where you think they should go, watch the cue, reassess and move the cue. If you tried to do all that in your computer you would hold every one up. A Pencil is still the stage managers friend. I type the calling script up once the show opens. I actually get a little jinxed if I type up my calling script prior to opening.
As a rule, I indent my Warning's and make sure my GO's go to the edge of the page. I do this consistently so that one, there is no chance of me being distracted and mistaking one for the other, and two, this allows me to get in and out of the paper and watch the show taking place. That is after all one of the real strengths of a good stage manager - to be able to call the show and still maintain the integrity of the show. Watching the cues and your show develop is all part of the job.
Here is another opening of a different show. The opening of Singin' the Moon Up, the Story of Jean Richie. This is just the top of show cues and not the preshow routine.
TOP OF SHOW
EQ 1 Black out Check before house Opens
Sound and Music Together EQ2/ Preset
Preshow music SQ 1/GO
(EQ 3 is an auto follow)
Actors in Place?
Start Watch!!
Jump to Jean Ritchie SQ2 /GO
“Deludinous” send Jon on (6/12) EQ 5/GO
When Jon starts to play the banjo (6/9) EQ 5.2 GO
Old Daddy Grumble
On her turn downstage (2) EQ 7/GO
SUSIE:
There were 14 children born to Balis and Abigail Hall Ritchie in the Cumberland Mountain village of Viper Kentucky. May, Ollie, Mallie, Una, Raymond, Kitty, Truman, Patty, Edna, Jewel, Opal, Pauline, Wilmer, and Jean Ritchie. It was little surprise to Abigail and Balis that if a woman had a baby in her 40th year it would be her last. Abigail had Wilmer when she was 40 and she settled back to raise her 13 young uns without any more interference. But when she was 44 Jean came along. It was hardest on young Wilmer. He had been all set to be the baby of the family and when Jean was born, they found him all alone out behind the house leaning against the old June-apple tree crying his eyes out because he thought that he would never get to sleep with Mommy no more.
You can be sure that Abigail took Wilmer into the bed with her new little one Jean, and sang to them:
[MUSIC #1] SONG: DARBY’S RAM
I WENT DOWN TO DARBY’S HOUSE
ON A MARKET DAY,
THERE I SPIED THE FINEST RAM
THAT EVER WAS FED ON HAY. WARN EQ 8-15
FOL LOL DAY,
FOL LOL DIDDLE LOLLY DAY.
THE WOOL ON THE RAM’S BACK
IT REACHED TO THE SKY,
THE EAGLES BUILT THEIR NESTS THERE,
YOU COULD HEAR THE YOUNG UNS CRY.
XFOL LOL DAY, Guys join in (6)EQ 8/GO
FOL LOL DIDDLE LOLLY DAY.
THE MAN WHO HAD THE MEAT
WELL HE MADE A THOUSAND PIES
THE MAN WHO MADE THIS SONG
WELL HE TOLD A THOUSAND LIES
FOL LOL DAY,
FOL LOL DIDDLE LOLLY DAXY. Focus on Peter (2) EQ 9/GO
PETER:
I learned this song from my mother, Jean Ritchie, who
learned it from her mother, Abigail,and Abby
learned it from her mother Patty Hall. on "learned" Focus on Jon (2) EQ10/GO
JON:
It was sung to all the babies
when they were sleepy or hurt on "sleepy" Focus on Kenny (2) EQ 11/GO
KENNY:
Singing in the Ritchie family was just like breathing or walking.
It was just something you did. on "something" Focus on Susie (2) EQ 12/GO
SUSIE:
And these songs will live on as long as there are Mother’s to teach them and children to sing them. This is the heritage that Jean was born into and she carries it on in every performance she has ever given. This is her treasure, this is her voice.
They play dulcimer (5) EQ 15/GO
[MUSIC #3] SONG: TURN OLD JUBILEE
In this example the cues have been color coded but the concept remains the same. It shows you what instigates the cue, the length of the cue, and the cue number. I color coded this show for two reasons. The first reason was as an experiment. In this case I actually never used a printed script. The show was an original piece, 99% of the show were songs loosely strung together by some dialogue. Act II hadn't been finished when we started rehearsal, there were only four people in the show and they all played multiple instruments. Every day we played with the order of the show. I don't think we finalized the order until opening night. In this case I called the entire show from a laptop backed up to a palm pilot 3C. During the run of the show I actually crashed my computer but kept calling the show on my palm pilot just to to show it could be done. One of the most exciting thing about education is continually pushing envelopes to see what can and can't be done.
These are just the openings of shows. Internally there are cues as well. Remember those dance counts that you did in rehearsal? Well, the same example is used below. This time with cues.
From the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
IT HASN'T SNOWED A SINGLE FLURRY
BUT SANTA DEAR WE'RE IN A HURRY Stage QL / OFF
Transition
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 26 / GO
Marching Band
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 REWARN:
box brigade Stage QL - ON
2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 27 / GO
3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Stage QL / OFF
Lids off boxes.........
4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
5 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 28 / GO
spins
Toy Band
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
kazoos
2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
end kazoos
4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 30 / GO
Dancing Puppets
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Cheers.............................
2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 32 / GO
4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
^ ^
5 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
^ ^
6 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Cheers.............................
7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
8 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 34 / GO
9 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
La la's WARN:
10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 35-37
La la's
11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
La la's
12 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EQ 35 / GO
NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS NOW....
In this example, the cues are embedded in very specific places and on very specific counts. A cue called on the 5 of the 12th 8 is always on the 5 of the 12th 8. Note how the markers are different from the sections. The markers help you keep your place. The sections define the section of the dance you are in.