Who can stop the show: show-stop decision authority
Something goes wrong on stage during a plenary, and three people each assume someone else will decide whether to pause.
The short answer
Decide before the event who may pause a cue, who may hold a segment and who may stop the programme, and write those names next to each level. The show caller pauses a cue, the organiser's event owner holds or resumes a segment, and anything involving people's safety goes to the venue and the competent party, not to the planning team.
The authority sheet is short. Its value is that every person backstage can answer "who decides?" in under five seconds.
Three levels of stopping, not one
Treat "stop the show" as three different actions with different owners. A single stop button held by nobody in particular is the usual failure.
Level 1 pauses one cue, such as a video or a speaker's slides. Level 2 holds a whole segment while a problem is fixed. Level 3 stops the programme and addresses the room.
Who holds each level
| Level | What it means | Usual decision owner | Who is told straight away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pause a cue | Hold the next trigger for a short fix | Show caller, as named in the run-of-show | Cue operator, stage manager |
| 2. Hold a segment | Stop the segment and keep the audience informed | Event owner (organiser), with show caller advising | Emcee, speaker, supplier leads |
| 3. Stop the programme | Address the room, resume or end | Event owner with the venue duty manager; safety matters decided by the competent party | Committee chair, venue, relevant authorities as the venue procedure says |
What the planning side does and does not decide
Safety, medical and evacuation decisions belong to the venue's procedure and the people competent to make them. The organiser's role is to know who they are, how to reach them and what the venue has told you in writing.
Ask the venue for its incident and stop procedure and attach it to your sheet. Do not write a safety rule yourself; write the question and the name of whoever answers it.
Backups and gaps
- Name a deputy for every level. The person who holds Level 2 is often on stage or in the room.
- Check who is out of reach during the show, for example a chair who is speaking.
- Record the pause words the show caller will use over backstage communication, so the instruction is unmistakable.
- Rehearse one pause and one hold in the final rehearsal, not only the happy path.
Telling the room
- The emcee holds a prepared neutral line, approved by the event owner, for a short pause.
- The event owner decides whether a longer hold needs a message from the chair.
- After resuming, the show caller re-times the remaining cues in the run-of-show builder.
- The decision log records who paused, why, and how many minutes were lost.
Worked example · Fictional example
A one-day association conference, 380 delegates
Fictional organisation and figures, illustrative only.
Persatuan Fiktif Jurutera Industri holds a one-day conference. During the opening plenary a speaker's video plays without sound. The show caller pauses the cue (Level 1) and the cue operator checks the file while the emcee uses the approved line.
Two minutes later the sound is still missing. The event owner moves the video after the first speaker (Level 2) and tells the chair. The session ends 6 minutes late; this is logged, and the lunch buffer absorbs it. No Level 3 decision arises, but the sheet already shows the venue duty manager's name should one be needed.
Use this yourself
Show-stop authority sheet
Copy into the run-of-show document and fill in names and mobile channels. Mark any gap before rehearsal.
- Level 1 owner (pause a cue) and deputy:
- Level 2 owner (hold a segment) and deputy:
- Level 3 owner (stop programme) and deputy:
- Venue duty manager name and how to reach them:
- Venue incident procedure received on (date), attached:
- Pause words used by the show caller:
- Approved neutral line for the emcee:
- Who tells the chair, and who tells the committee:
- Who updates the run-of-show after a hold:
- Person out of reach during the show, and who covers:
- Pause tested in final rehearsal (yes/no, date):
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- The programme is one room with one show caller and a clear event owner.
- The venue has given you its incident procedure in writing.
- You can run one pause drill in rehearsal.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several parties (committee, sponsor, venue, speaker agency) each assume they can stop the show.
- The event owner is also a speaker or host and cannot decide during the programme.
- Nobody has yet obtained the venue procedure or named a deputy.
Need the authority sheet settled with everyone?
A conference project lead can agree the three levels with your committee, collect the venue procedure, name deputies and make sure the sheet is part of the run-of-show and rehearsal. The project lead coordinates decisions and handovers; it does not replace the venue or specialists on safety, and does not operate technical equipment.
Questions organisers ask
Should the show caller be allowed to stop the whole programme?
Usually the show caller pauses cues and advises. Holding or stopping the programme sits with the event owner and the venue, as agreed in advance. Write the answer down so it is not decided in the moment.
Who decides when there is a safety concern?
The venue's procedure and the competent party decide. Your sheet records who they are and how to reach them. Ask the venue to confirm its procedure in writing.
Do we need this for a small seminar?
A shorter version helps. Even for one room, naming one person who may pause and one who may resume avoids confusion.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.