Character Tracking

Page numbers

Act and scene number

Location

Any songs

Character names and/or actor names

All entrances and exits- entrances are marked +X, then have Xs for the duration of the pages the character is onstage, then X- for exit. For characters that enter and exit on the same page, use +X-.

A key explaining your notation

Check your work a few times and make sure all your entrances and exits line up

Make sure you look over your spelling!

Consider whether you want actor names, character names, or both––this depends on the type of show you’re doing. For a big musical, maybe ensemble members are actor names but leads are character names. For a one act, maybe it’s easier to just have characters. It’s up to you and your show!

For the initials, you can either do Xs for all characters, or the first letter of a character’s name. This is especially helpful if you are tracking an actor who plays multiple characters, or a play within a play like Kiss Me Kate (see examples).

Play with Google sheets settings––you can change the vertical, diagonal, and horizontal orientation, alignment, etc. of text.

Remember, it’s better to have a sheet go over and down than down and over––no one wants to scroll right.