Show flow and rehearsals
Backstage communication etiquette for live events
Backstage, six people have the show caller's attention at once and each is certain their message is the urgent one.
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The short answer
Backstage communication works when each channel has one purpose, one voice gives cues, and everyone uses the same short words for standby, go and hold. Everything else, including questions and problems, goes to a named person by a named route.
Agree this in writing before rehearsal and practise it there. Etiquette that is only explained on the day is forgotten under pressure.
Give each channel one job
Most confusion comes from one channel carrying cues, questions, jokes and problems together. Decide which channels you will use and what each is for. The kit itself, such as headsets, radios or messaging groups, is supplied and set up by your AV or venue supplier; the organiser decides the rules for using it.
Ask the supplier which people can hear which channel, and whether anyone who needs to listen has no access to it.
Channel plan
| Channel | Purpose | Who speaks | Who listens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cue channel | Standby, go and hold only | Show caller; operators reply briefly | Cue operators, stage manager |
| Operations channel | Problems, questions, supplier needs | Stage manager, event owner, supplier leads | Stage manager, event owner, supplier leads |
| Front of house channel | Doors, registration, seating, catering timing | Front of house lead | Event owner, show caller as needed |
| Messaging group (non-urgent) | Notes, photos, later fixes | Anyone on the team | Whole team, not used for cues |
Words that mean one thing
Use a short vocabulary and never replace it on the day. The show caller says "standby" before every cue, "go" to trigger it and "hold" to stop it. An operator replies with the cue name and "standing by" or "ready".
Agree how a pause is announced (see show-stop authority) and a separate word for "problem, not urgent". Test the words in rehearsal so nobody invents new ones.
Etiquette rules
- Keep the cue channel clear. If you are not giving or answering a cue, stay off it.
- Speak only when you have something to say; stop talking when someone says "hold".
- Say who you are, who you are calling and what you need in one breath.
- Do not give instructions to speakers or the emcee that the show caller has not agreed.
- Mute or silence personal phones backstage; use the agreed channel for messages.
- Keep voices down near open stage doors and speaker entry points.
Practise it and brief it
- Print a one-page channel card with the words and the escalation route.
- Brief all backstage team and suppliers at the start of the final rehearsal.
- Run the first twenty minutes of the run-of-show using only the agreed words.
- Correct habits on the spot, then repeat; add changes to the card.
Worked example · Fictional example
A conference opening with three suppliers backstage
Fictional organisation and figures, illustrative only.
A fictional trade chamber runs a morning opening with a video, a welcome speech and a panel. At rehearsal, the AV lead and the stage manager both give the emcee instructions over the cue channel, and the emcee starts early.
The event owner restricts the cue channel to the show caller. Problems move to the operations channel, with the stage manager as the one voice to the emcee. In the next run the opening starts on time and the video cue is called, answered and triggered without crosstalk.
Use this yourself
Backstage channel card
Print and place at the show caller's desk, the stage manager's position and the stage entry. Fill in names and the words you will use.
- Cue channel: speaker = show caller; only standby, go, hold:
- Operations channel: stage manager, event owner, supplier leads:
- Front of house channel: lead name:
- Non-urgent group: used for notes only, never for cues:
- Word for "get ready for the next cue":
- Word for "trigger now":
- Word for "stop and wait":
- Word for "problem, not urgent":
- Reply format from operators (cue name plus status):
- Who gives instructions to speakers and emcee:
- Who can ask for a pause, and to whom:
- Phones: silent backstage; urgent calls go to:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- One show caller, a small team and equipment already supplied.
- You can hold one short rehearsal of the words and channels.
- Everyone backstage is known to the event owner.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Multiple suppliers, a sponsor team and speakers' staff are all backstage.
- The venue has house rules for its own communication systems.
- The event runs across several rooms with separate teams.
Need the backstage rules set and rehearsed?
A conference project lead can draft the channel plan with your suppliers, agree the words and escalation route with the show caller, and brief the backstage team at rehearsal. The equipment and its operation stay with your AV or venue supplier.
Questions organisers ask
Do we need radios or headsets?
That is a question for your AV or venue supplier, based on the venue layout and the number of people who need to hear cues. Ask what they recommend and what is included in their scope.
Who should be allowed on the cue channel?
Only people who give or answer cues. Others can listen only if the supplier confirms it will not disturb the cues.
Can we use a messaging app instead?
A messaging app suits non-urgent notes. Cues need an immediate voice route; ask the supplier what they will provide, and keep messaging as a secondary channel.
Related resources
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