# Calling Cues. Traditionally the Stage Manager, but if a show is complex can someone else do it?



## Pete DJPJ (Feb 10, 2020)

I am free lance technical director for various shows. Off and on I have called the cues either in whole or part due to complexity of the show. Has anyone else done this or something similar? Pros and cons. Thank you.


----------



## IanTech (Feb 10, 2020)

Pete DJPJ said:


> I am free lance technical director for various shows. Off and on I have called the cues either in whole or part due to complexity of the show. Has anyone else done this or something similar? Pros and cons. Thank you.



Depends on a tour vs more of a theatrical production, and varies from place to place, but a technical manager usually doesn't call cues. Stage manager does in theater and lighting director (LD) does for large events. A video director, or just director, will call cams, and a producer may also call cues.


----------



## RickR (Feb 12, 2020)

IMHO one person needs to be in immediate control of a show. Whoever is calling (overall) cues probably has the most control and should have the broadest understanding of the show. Titles are flexible, but that's a huge part of what a stage manager does.


----------



## tjrobb (Feb 12, 2020)

Occasionally you'll see the senior operator call spots.


----------



## RickR (Feb 12, 2020)

tjrobb said:


> Occasionally you'll see the senior operator call spots.


Yup! Sub systems; spots, props, wardrobe etc. are often done alone. But there is close contact with stage management!


----------



## Quentin (Cue) (Feb 12, 2020)

I believe it is the Stage Manager who should be calling cues.

However, I work at a community theater where sadly our lighting and sound folks don't have the luxury of having cues called for them, and they have to call the cue themselves. Our "booth" is a small open space in the back of the theater that can only fit two people at a time; Sound operator and Lighting operator. Even if we could fit a third person back there, again, it's an open space and you have audience members directly in front of you and calling cues would disturb their viewing experience.


----------



## NateTheRiddler (Feb 12, 2020)

To add another bit to this: many large complex shows have Assistant Stage Managers (ASMs) to help the SM delegate certain tasks and calls. For very complex shows at our theatre, the ASM stands in SR wing, and calls fly cues specifically. We have this implemented for safety, so that the SM can call show cues. The ASM is often the carbon-copy of the SM, in terms of knowledge of the show, so the duplicity allows for task splitting any way they wish, really.


----------



## TimMc (Feb 12, 2020)

Only the Stage Manager call the master cues. An ASM may call departmental "go" cues but NOTHING happens without the SM calling. It's a safety thing. Spot cues are often called by a master operator to the local operators but the master operator cues solely on the instructions of the SM.


----------



## Ben Stiegler (Feb 12, 2020)

Quentin (Cue) said:


> I believe it is the Stage Manager who should be calling cues.
> 
> However, I work at a community theater where sadly our lighting and sound folks don't have the luxury of having cues called for them, and they have to call the cue themselves. Our "booth" is a small open space in the back of the theater that can only fit two people at a time; Sound operator and Lighting operator. Even if we could fit a third person back there, again, it's an open space and you have audience members directly in front of you and calling cues would disturb their viewing experience.


Well you could have a stage manager not there with you but on headset with an infrared video camera to view the stage and backstage areas.

so that stage manager could call cues from anywhere in the building.

Sometimes audio playback cues are "called" by signal light to an audio engineer who is trying to handle mixing and effects play back all by herself


----------



## Lynnchesque (Feb 12, 2020)

I'm wondering what the context is for this question, as I'd say the opposite is true- On a simple show with few cues, no SM is needed, the operator can handle it without calls. When the show is more complex- you _need_ a SM to tie the department elements together. But that may not be what we're talking about here...

When working as a hired walk-on LD with a highschool, I'll have a student SM call cues while I operate.. but typically I'll have my own book and hit the button at the timing I feel is appropriate, at least until they learn to say Cue 34 GO, instead of GooooO LIGHTS 34. 

That's to say, why don't you trust your stage manager to call a complex show properly, and feel the need to do it yourself? 
In our case, we race to put on full productions in under a week -and while I'd love to train a board op and coach the SM, there is just never enough time. 
Anyway, Pros and Cons?
Pro: You have control over how the show is run
Con: Your role as TD _should_ be one where you get to walk away eventually, and let the show be run in the hands of a capable crew


----------



## RonHebbard (Feb 13, 2020)

TimMc said:


> Only the Stage Manager call the master cues. An ASM may call departmental "go" cues but NOTHING happens without the SM calling. It's a safety thing. Spot cues are often called by a master operator to the local operators but the master operator cues solely on the instructions of the SM.


On one tour, I called all but two cues for two local IA brothers operating spots atop four sections of scaffold based in the first box seating on either side of the prosc'. There were two cues, both half body shots on a trio of singers in dead black outs, where the goal was for all three spots to hit their marks precisely simultaneously: I would call the standbys and warn them the SM would be joining our channel to call the 'GO's for those two cues. Post a couple of tech' rehearsals the local lads would have it nailed. 
Toodleoo! 
Ron Hebbard


----------



## ACTSTech (Feb 21, 2020)

It totally depends on the comfort of the director. I’ve experienced it all, including the pit orchestra conductor calling the show, which worked surprisingly well for that show since he knew every entry.

The community theater where I spend a lot of time has evolved to the lighting operator calling cues, which works great for us. The old venue didn’t have much wing space, so there wasn’t room for a SM desk, and also due to the size, the SM often was helping with costume changes, props, scene changes, etc... It was too busy to have the SM sit around to call the book.

If I’m on sound, I actually prefer not running line by line, so I’ll ask whomever is calling to notify me of entrances and exits by mic number, I do the rest on my own. I’m comfortable in different systems, so I’d say find a method that works for you and don’t worry about the “standard”.


----------



## Dionysus (Mar 1, 2020)

My Two Cents...

If the SM cannot sufficiently call the show and they need someone like the TD to move in and take over... It's time for a new SM. At least in most cases.
Of course there are many instances where SMs don't call shows. I've done lots of Fringe shows with no SM.


ACTSTech said:


> The community theater where I spend a lot of time has evolved to the lighting operator calling cues, which works great for us. The old venue didn’t have much wing space, so there wasn’t room for a SM desk, and also due to the size, the SM often was helping with costume changes, props, scene changes, etc... It was too busy to have the SM sit around to call the book.
> 
> If I’m on sound, I actually prefer not running line by line, so I’ll ask whomever is calling to notify me of entrances and exits by mic number, I do the rest on my own. I’m comfortable in different systems, so I’d say find a method that works for you and don’t worry about the “standard”.



as for the SM this is typically the ASM's job. IF it works for their group sure, but typically not. The SM not calling the show is a CHOICE. 
The ONLY time in a "proper" professional context I've had the SM not fully "calling" a show but moving about backstage, it was a improv show (about to be remounted at Stratford; if you can GO SEE IT) where the performers create a 5 act Shakespeare style play live based on an interview with a selected audience member. There were no cues to call. I improved the lighting along with the actors. I'd have the SM on com from backstage let me know what they were about to do (hopefully; that is if she knew in advance).

On sound in a pro setting typically an SM is not going to call every enterance or exit. I either run off script (slash score), or a chart, or just memory. Do I read the script line by line? Nope, but I follow it.
When mixing a musical I always try not to have to fire cues when I can (separate playback operator), but sometimes it has to be done and thus I am on headset. The rest of the time I am only on headset for top and tail and emergency if I can help it. As mentioned some companies make use of cue lights. Never run that way myself.


----------



## macsound (Mar 3, 2020)

I've definitely been on a musical where the SM had no sense of timing and would routinely call my music based lighting cues in varying timings from night to night. So frustrating that she was the equivalent of tone deaf but rhythm deaf.

I've never been on a show too busy for an SM to call. Words get shorter, headset time gets even more quiet but the more complicated it is, all the more reason that a single person is at the decision helm.

Sure maybe there's hands that aren't on headset that need an ASM to point at to actually make the scene change happen but it's the SM who's "calling" the cues. Everyone else is relaying.

Also, being primarily a sound guy, rarely have I received GOs for sound cues unless they correlate to lighting cues, in which case, the SM can push the button on their own.


----------



## Kristi R-C (Mar 25, 2020)

I've called shows where it was impossible for me to see whatever triggered a certain cue so I'd set it up as "Stand by SR Carpenter bed to center after Joe exits - take it on your own" and "deputize" the crew member to do the task with a reminder of what the task and cue are. 

I've also worked things so a rail cue for X in auto-follows that Y goes out once that's done. 

Although we have generally accepted ways of doing things, there are occasional times when venues or shows don't fit the mold and we have to determine what's in the best way to make it happen with safety #1 and artistry #1.01.


----------

