Cues and Calling the Show: How Lighting, Sound, and Scene Changes Happen on Time

What a Cue Is (and Why It Matters)

A cue is a planned, repeatable instruction that triggers a technical or backstage action at a specific moment in the performance. A cue exists so that timing is consistent from show to show: the same moment in the story produces the same change onstage (a light shift, a sound effect, a scene change, a projection, a fly move, a followspot pickup).

A cue has three essential parts:

• What happens (the action): “Blackout,” “Door slam SFX,” “Bring in wagon,” “Drop in scrim,” “Start video.”
• When it happens (the trigger): a line of dialogue, a musical beat, a visual moment, or a timed count.
• Who executes it (the operator/crew position): light board op, sound op, fly operator, deck crew, projection op, followspot op.

How Cues Are Created

1) Cues are decided in technical rehearsals

Cues are typically built and refined during cue-to-cue and technical rehearsals. The goal is to lock in repeatable timing: the same trigger produces the same result every night.

2) Each cue is tied to a clear trigger

Triggers should be unambiguous. Good triggers are:

• A specific word or phrase: “...and that’s the truth.”
• A physical action: actor closes the door; actor exits; prop is placed.
• A musical moment: “on the downbeat of bar 12.”
• A timed count: “3 seconds after blackout.”

Avoid vague triggers like “when it feels right” or “near the end of the speech.” If the trigger can drift, the cue will drift.

Continue in our app.

• Listen to the audio with the screen off.
• Earn a certificate upon completion.
• Over 5000 courses for you to explore!

Or continue reading below...

Download the app

3) Cues are documented so they can be repeated

Cues are written into the calling script and/or cue sheets. Documentation includes the cue number, the action, and any special notes (fade time, volume level, warning about safety, etc.).

How Cues Are Executed Consistently

Consistency comes from a simple loop: prepare → confirm readiness → execute → reset focus.

• Prepare: operators and crew know what’s next and get hands in position (finger on button, headset on, at spike mark, at rope lock, etc.).
• Confirm readiness: the caller issues a standby; operators reply when ready.
• Execute: the caller says “Go,” and the action happens immediately.
• Reset focus: everyone returns attention to the next standby, not the last cue.

Common Cue Types (What They Control)

Light cues

Changes in intensity, color, direction, specials, practicals, and transitions (fades, bumps, blackouts). Light cues often include a fade time (e.g., “Fade 3 seconds”).

Sound cues

Sound effects, music, ambience, mic changes, and playback stops/starts. Sound cues may include level notes (e.g., “-5 dB from rehearsal”) or timing notes (e.g., “start under line, swell after”).

Fly cues

Anything that moves overhead: drops, curtains, borders, legs, flown scenery. These cues are safety-critical and often require extra confirmation and clear stage conditions.

Deck cues

Scene changes and backstage moves on the stage floor: wagons, hand props, furniture shifts, traps, turntables, reveals, and crew crossings.

Projection cues

Video or image playback, slide changes, mapping changes, and projector shutters. Projection cues often need notes about which file/slide and whether it’s a fade, cut, or loop.

Followspot cues

Pickups, handoffs, size changes, color changes, and fades for spot operators. Followspot cues frequently reference a target (“pick up Actor A at the top of the stairs”) and timing (“on entrance,” “on lyric,” “on applause”).

How Cues Are Numbered

Cue numbering is a labeling system so everyone can refer to the same moment quickly. There are different house styles, but the principles are similar:

• Sequential numbers: Light cue 1, 2, 3… Sound cue 1, 2, 3…
• Department prefixes: LQ (lights), SQ (sound), FQ (fly), DQ (deck), PJ or V (projection/video), FS (followspot).
• Decimals for inserts: If a new cue is added between 12 and 13, it may become 12.5 (or 12A) to avoid renumbering everything.

Example numbering set:

• LQ 24 = blackout
• SQ 24 = music sting
• DQ 18 = bring on wagon
• FQ 7 = fly in drop
• PJ 10 = start projection
• FS 5 = followspot pickup

Even if numbers differ by department, the caller’s language makes it clear which cue is being executed.

What a Cue Line Is (and How It’s Marked)

A cue line is the exact point in the script (or score) that triggers a cue. It’s commonly a word, punctuation mark, or beat that the caller uses as the “launch point.”

In a calling script, a cue line is often marked with:

• A vertical line in the margin aligned with the trigger word
• The cue label written next to it (e.g., LQ24, SQ24)
• Notes like fade time or warnings (e.g., “3-count fade,” “hold until clear,” “quiet backstage”)

Example (simplified):

CHARACTER: I never want to see you again. | LQ24 (Blackout 0)  SQ24 (Sting)  DQ18 (Shift on blackout)

The vertical bar represents the cue line: the moment the caller will say “Go.”

“Stand By” and “Go”: What They Mean

Stand by

“Stand by” means: “Get ready to execute your next cue soon.” It is not the execution. It is the preparation moment.

When a standby is called, operators/crew should:

• Stop unnecessary conversation
• Get into position (hands placed, eyes on target, finger ready)
• Check the correct cue is loaded/selected
• Reply clearly if your system uses verbal confirmations (e.g., “Lights standing by”)

Go

“Go” means: “Execute the cue now.” It should be immediate—no extra chatter, no delay, no “okay.”

Many shows use a rhythm like:

Caller: Stand by Lights 24 and Sound 24... (pause for readiness) ...Go.

Some teams add a warning for complex sequences:

Caller: Warning for the blackout... Stand by Lights 24... Go.

Practical Walkthrough: End of Scene → Blackout → Music Sting → Set Change → Lights Up

This walkthrough shows a typical short sequence and how it stays clean and repeatable. Assume the trigger is the final line of the scene.

Two common calling patterns exist for this sequence:

• Single “Go” for multiple departments: Lights/Sound/Deck execute together on the cue line (only if safe and rehearsed).
• Split “Go”: Lights and sound go on the cue line; deck goes after blackout is confirmed. This is often safer and cleaner for beginners.

Common Beginner Mistakes (and How to Prevent Them)

Mistake: Jumping a cue line

What it looks like: calling or executing a cue one line early (or late) because the caller/ops lose their place, anticipate the moment, or mishear the actor.

Prevention:

• Mark the trigger word clearly and rehearse it until it feels automatic.
• Use “tracking points”: a few words before the cue line that tell you you’re close (e.g., underline the sentence that leads into the last line).
• Don’t anticipate: wait for the exact word/beat you agreed on.
• If you miss it, don’t “make it up” with a random go; follow the show’s recovery plan (often: hold until the next safe moment).

Mistake: Moving before blackout (or before you’re cleared)

What it looks like: deck crew starts shifting while lights are still up, or while the audience can see silhouettes; or a fly move begins while someone is still in the travel path.

Prevention:

• Define the safe condition: “Deck moves on blackout” should mean a specific lighting state (not “dim-ish”).
• Use a split call: “Lights and sound go… Deck go” after blackout.
• Practice silent readiness: crew can be in position, hands on scenery, but no movement until the go.
• Safety rule: if you are not sure it’s safe/clear, do not move—ask on headset at the next possible moment.

Mistake: Speaking over a standby (or over a go)

What it looks like: chatter on headset covers the standby, an operator misses the cue, or confirmations overlap so no one hears “Go.”

Prevention:

• Headset discipline: treat standbys as “quiet zones.” No nonessential talk once standbys begin.
• Short, standard replies: “Lights standing by,” “Sound standing by,” then silence.
• One person talks at a time: if your system doesn’t manage this automatically, agree on strict etiquette.
• Caller pacing: leave a beat after standby for confirmations, then a clean “Go.”

Mistake: Executing the wrong cue number

What it looks like: operator fires LQ25 instead of LQ24, or plays the wrong sound file.

Prevention:

• Point-and-say check (quietly): visually confirm the cue label before standby ends.
• Clear labeling: consistent prefixes and readable cue lists.
• Standby includes the number: the caller always says the cue number, not just “stand by lights.”

Mistake: Inconsistent timing on fades and stings

What it looks like: blackout sometimes snaps, sometimes fades; sting starts late; lights up happens before the set is fully placed.

Prevention:

• Write the timing: “Fade 2 seconds,” “sting on go,” “lights up after deck clear.”
• Use a hold cue when needed: “Stand by Lights 25… hold… Go” only when deck confirms clear.
• Rehearse transitions like scenes: run them repeatedly until they are as consistent as dialogue.