Creating a Pre-Show Checklist

Before the performers arrive at the performance space, the student technicians are already there and hard at work. For the purposes of this article, “student technicians” refers to the entire performance crew: stage management, sound and lighting operators, costume and props team members, set and backstage crew, box office team members, front of house staff (ushers, concessions, and house managers, and assistants of all kinds. It takes many people to make a show run smoothly, and having a strong, trustworthy crew makes that process much easier. Here is a list of 10 general tasks that student technicians should complete during their pre-show time. Each technician will have their own responsibilities that are specific to their department, but this is a good overview for the full crew. Print this page out and post it backstage, as well as in the various technical theatre workspaces. Feel free to adjust or omit any tasks as appropriate to your production. 1. Come to the theatre dressed appropriately for work. Technicians should wear black pants, a plain, long-sleeved black shirt, black socks, and comfortable black closed-toe shoes (no sandals, flip flops, or Crocs). These clothes should be easy to move in and close-fitting, so they don’t get caught up in any equipment (especially if you’re moving large set pieces). Depending on your role, you might need to wear protective gloves or steel-toed safety shoes. Front of house team members may also wear black, but a more elevated version, for example, a black dress shirt, dress pants, and smart shoes. Regardless of your role, if you have long hair, keep it tied back away from your face. 2. Arrive on time, which is actually a few minutes before your call time. Different technicians will have different call times for various reasons. SIGN IN on the attendance form, and get to your workspace. Don’t expect the stage manager to chase you down or have to text you to find out where you are. 3. Review any notes or updates that have been sent out or posted from the director and/or stage manager. Make note of them, ask for clarification if necessary, and review and practice any changes or adjustments before the house opens. 4. Tidy your workspace. Make sure the area is clear of debris and garbage. Sweep and/or mop as appropriate. 5. Do a safety check of your workspace and equipment. The specific tasks will vary from position to position; each department should have their own pre-show checklist and technical manual. If any of the equipment is damaged or malfunctioning, report it to the stage manager right away and follow the appropriate protocol for getting the item repaired, whether that is following a list of troubleshooting tasks to fix the equipment yourself, or calling the head technician to do the repair. 6. Make sure small technical items and safety/emergency equipment are readily available and in good condition, such as batteries, flashlights, glow tape, safety pins, and first aid items. Student technicians should also know where the closest fire extinguisher and nearest emergency exits are, just in case. 7. Complete any technical checks or run-throughs, with or without cast members present, as needed for the show. This could include doing microphone checks, adjusting band levels, reviewing lighting cues or set changes that are dependent upon cast members to do or say something, or practicing any special effects that need to be practiced prior to showtime (e.g., during fight call). Again, this will vary from position to position and show to show. 8. If you are on headset for the show, do a sound test to ensure you can hear and be heard by the rest of the crew. 9. Pitch in and help other crew members with their pre-show tasks. Many hands make light work. If you aren’t specifically asked to help, check in anyway and see if you can lend a hand. Otherwise, stay calm, cool, and out of others’ way. Stay out of the backstage area unless your workspace is back there; there’s already enough chaos backstage without additional bodies around. 10. Check in with your fellow technicians and see how they’re doing. If you’re an apprentice technician, check in with your mentor and ask for feedback or tips to improve your work. If you’re mentoring a new technician, give them some positive reinforcement to boost their spirits, or share your best practices and advice to help them grow. Get yourself into the theatre mindset — try to leave any worries or issues at the door and focus on the task at hand, which is putting on an incredible show.

The hour before a performance starts is always an exciting and potentially nerve-wracking time. Everyone is feeling their feels, there are many moving parts and tasks that need to be completed in a limited amount of time, and everything needs to be done as calmly and efficiently as possible. But some students don’t know exactly what they’re supposed to be doing when they get backstage, and inadvertently add to the chaos. For those students who need a little guidance, here are 10 tasks that student actors should complete prior during their pre-show time. Print this page out and post it backstage. Feel free to adapt/eliminate any tasks as appropriate to your show. 1. Know when your call time is. Different performers may have different call times for a variety of reasons. Always arrive a few minutes before your call time and SIGN IN on the attendance form. Don’t expect the assistant stage manager to chase you down or text you to find out where you are. 2. Review any notes or updates that have been sent out or posted from the director or stage manager. If the notes have been posted backstage, initial the sheet next to your notes to indicate that you have read them. If you need clarification on what the note means, be sure to ask the appropriate person (stage manager, director, costume or props team, etc.). 3. Stay hydrated. This will help you maintain your vocal health and keep you feeling well. Only drink plain water when you’re in your costume, because you don’t want to accidentally spill anything and stain it. Make sure your water bottle is labeled with your name, and be sure to take the water bottle home with you after each performance (water bottles are one of the most frequent items left in the backstage area). Never leave your water bottle on the props table. 4. Keep the backstage tidy. The backstage crew members are not your servants and should not have to pick up after you. Keeping the backstage area clean and tidy demonstrates respect to everyone involved in the show, and keeps the chaos level to a minimum. Pick up your garbage, clean up any spills immediately, hang up your costume neatly, stay away from the props area unless you’re checking to ensure your prop is in the right place, and keep your personal items to a minimum and out of the way. 5. Check in with your scene partners and see how they’re doing. Communicate and let each other know if anything has changed or needs adjusting prior to showtime. 6. Warm yourself up physically and vocally. Participate in group warm-ups and show circles, as they’re important not only for actually warming up, but for also community bonding. But also do your own warm-ups; you know your body and voice best, and you may need to do additional physical or vocal work to get your body prepared for showtime. That may involve additional stretching, running in place, jumping jacks, shaking your limbs, humming, scales, vocal exercises, checking in with your vocal director — whatever you need to do to be physically ready. 7. Warm yourself up mentally. If you’ve had a bad day, or you’re feeling tired or nervous, or you’ve got a test the next day, you have to do your best to set that aside for a couple of hours until the performance is done. There are exceptions to this rule; for example, if you’re genuinely sick or injured, or if there is a family or personal emergency, then you need to let your director and/or stage manager know as soon as possible so they can put a backup plan in motion. Otherwise, you need to get into the actor mindset and get ready to perform. You might prepare by meditating or doing breathing exercises, listening to some music that pumps you up, doing a silly dance with your castmates — again, whatever works for you to be mentally ready, that doesn’t interfere with anyone else’s pre-show preparation. 8. Do your own personal pre-show checks. The backstage crew will have tasks and checks assigned to them to complete, but mistakes may occasionally happen and things can be missed, so it’s always best to ensure that anything you personally wear or use is in place, for your own peace of mind. Make sure your costume is clean and complete (all accessories and both shoes accounted for), all your props are where they need to be, and everything is in good working order. Don’t touch anyone else’s stuff. If a problem arises, notify the appropriate person immediately; don’t wait until it’s too late to do anything about it. 9. Complete any special requirements for pre-show, such as fight call, lift call, intimacy check-ins, microphone checks, or special hair and makeup application. Do these as quickly and efficiently as possible and get off the stage. 10. Be a great team player. Respect your cast and crew mates by staying out of others’ way and remaining calm and cool backstage. Everyone has their own way of preparing for a performance, and their own tasks to complete prior to showtime. Don’t add to the stress and chaos. Avoid things like monopolizing the bathroom or the makeup mirrors, don’t run around backstage, stay out of the way of technicians and crew members trying to do tech checks and sweep the stage, and help each other out. You’re all working together to achieve the same goal: putting on a fabulous show. The more you can do for each other, the better the show will be.

Creating pre-show rituals and routines is so helpful for students. It clears their minds and gets them into their “theatre brains” – the mindset needed to leave their personal issues at the door and concentrate on the task at hand: performing to the best of their abilities and create a fabulous show. Pre-show routines and rituals create a sense of calm and focus. They pump students up and energize them, without getting them to a point of silliness. It’s a focused energy, and a way to bring the cast and crew together as a cohesive unit. One of my favourite and most effective pre-show routines is very simple. First, I get the cast and crew together for a physical and vocal warm-up. I try to leave enough time between this routine and opening of the house for the students to also do their own warm-ups and pre-show preparation as they desire. During the group warm-up, I let the students choose a song to listen to (lately it’s frequently been Disney songs or songs from the Hamilton soundtrack), and we stretch out and dance. This helps the students to warm up their bodies, shake out their nerves, raise their energy, and get the “sillies” out. Sometimes a student will lead the warm-up, which is a lot of fun and gives them the opportunity to grow their leadership skills. After the physical warm-up, we run a vocal warm-up, which can involve humming, scales, and arpeggios for musicals, and tongue twisters and breathing exercises for plays – or even a combination of the two. Then we gather into a show circle for a little pre-show chat. For my last two productions, I had the cast choose three key words to focus on that would drive us forward as a cast. These three key words would then be part of our pre-show ritual during the show circle. For my production of Disney’s High School Musical 2 Jr., we chose the key words patience, teamwork, and confidence as our focus. During the show circle I lead the students in a simple breathing and movement exercise (almost like a set of yoga moves) to help us focus our minds. We included a triangle hand gesture that the students decided would represent the three key words. This pre-show ritual was great because it calmed the students while energizing them at the same time. For my production of Peter and the Starcatcher, we chose the key words volume, diction, and tell the story. Starcatcher is a fast-paced, text-heavy show, and features a lot of storytelling techniques with actors quickly switching roles. Focusing on theatrical basics helped the students to concentrate on making the story clear and the jokes land. We kept the show circle ritual simple – a quiet chat and review of the key words was all this cast needed. Each show and cast is different, and through the rehearsal process it will become clear what your students will need from you, the director and leader, to succeed as a team. Some casts need reassurance and a boost of confidence; some casts need to be pumped up with a burst of energy; some casts are already wired with energy and need calm and focus; and some casts can be cliquey and need to be brought together as a group. Whatever your cast needs, try selecting three key words (or short phrases) to help steer your pre-show routines and create special rituals just for that particular group. And be prepared to change and adapt from show to show and group to group – what worked for one cast may not be right for another. Whatever your group uses to get them in the theatrical mindset, having a special pre-show routine will help bring the students together as a team – and that’s what they need to succeed in the theatre.