Schedule
Free templateRun of Show template
Updated
The plan for the day, line by line: what happens, when, where, who leads it and what the sound, lights and screens need to do.
When to use it: Start a draft a month out. Lock it two or three days before and send everyone the same version.
Event details
Key contacts
Scroll the table sideways to reach every column.
| Role | Name | Phone | On site from |
|---|---|---|---|
Schedule
Scroll the table sideways to reach every column.
| Start | End | What happens | Where | Lead | Sound, lights and screens | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Before you send it
Free to use and adapt for your own events. Check it against your venue’s rules and the laws where your event takes place.
How to write a run of show
A run of show is the plan for the day written as a timeline. Each line is one thing that happens, with a start time, a place and the person who makes it happen. On the day, the show caller works down the list and everyone else knows what comes next.
It works for conferences, dinners, launches, weddings and anything else with a schedule. Type straight into the template above, start from the awards dinner example, or download it as a spreadsheet and work on it there.
Step by step
Start with the times that can’t move
Venue access, doors, catering service and the curfew go in first. Build everything else around them.
Work backwards from doors
Setup, sound checks and rehearsals all have to finish before guests arrive. Give each one its own line and its own lead.
Give every line one lead
A name, not a company. If two people think they own a moment, neither of them does.
Write down the cues
If the sound, lights or screens change, say what changes on that line. Your AV team will plan their night from this column.
Add buffers between the big moments
Speeches overrun and rooms take longer to turn than anyone expects. Five or ten spare minutes before each big moment saves the evening.
Version it and send one copy
Put a version number and date at the top. When it changes, send the new version to everyone and say what changed.
Mistakes to avoid
- Planning the evening to the minute and forgetting load out. Venues charge for every minute past the curfew.
- Mixing time formats. Pick the 24 hour clock or am and pm and use it everywhere.
- A run of show only the organiser has read. Walk your suppliers through it before the day.
- Nobody named to call the show. If two people give instructions, the crew follows neither.
- Printing it too small. Backstage is dark. Print it large and leave a copy at the sound desk.
Common questions
What is the difference between a run of show and an agenda?
An agenda tells guests what to expect. A run of show is for the people running the event: it adds setup, cues, room changes and who is responsible, minute by minute. Guests never see it.
Is a run sheet the same as a run of show?
Yes, in most teams. Run sheet, running order and show flow all mean roughly the same thing. A cue sheet is usually narrower: the sound and lighting detail only.
How detailed should a run of show be?
Detailed enough that someone who missed every planning meeting could run the day from it. A conference stage may need five minute steps. For a wedding, fifteen minutes is usually enough.
Who should get a copy?
Everyone working on the day: your team, the venue, every supplier lead, the host and the speakers. Speakers usually only need their own slots and when to be ready.
When should the run of show be final?
Lock it two or three days before. Late changes still happen, so keep one person in charge of the master copy and send every change from there.