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The program · 16 guides

The program, in three acts.

From the first hold on the house to the last bow on closing night. Practical, specific, and written for the people standing in the lobby at 7:58.

Act I

Before the curtain

  1. Planning an opening night Plan · 6 min An eight-week countdown to curtain: who owns the guest list, press list, house seats, gifts and party, plus a day-of timeline that holds up.
  2. Guest list tiers that keep the peace Guests · 5 min A seven-tier opening night guest list: who decides each tier, where each one sits, RSVP deadlines, waitlists and the producer who needs four more.
  3. Comps and plus-ones without the chaos Guests · 5 min Write a comp policy, track comps against sold seats, paper the house discreetly, set plus-one rules by tier and keep a ledger finance will thank you for.
  4. Press night, demystified Press · 5 min How press night works: why it may not be opening night, inviting and seating critics, press kits, photo calls, embargoes and the night reviews land.
  5. The opening night photo plan Press · 7 min Plan opening night photos and posts: the step-and-repeat, an arrivals shot list, guests who decline, backstage consent, image rights, and fast delivery.
  6. Invitations and dress codes for opening night Traditions · 7 min When opening night invitations go out, paper or digital, what every one must say, dress code wording that works, the coat check math, and the day-before email.
  7. When opening night goes wrong Plan · 7 min A contingency plan for opening night: who decides, first moves for common problems, holds, show stops, evacuation, postponing, and plain-words messages.

Act II

The night

  1. Door check-in that doesn't jam the lobby Front of House · 6 min The arithmetic of opening night arrivals, how many check-in points you need, separate lanes, usher briefings, accessibility and what to do at the half.
  2. Captioned, described, and relaxed performances Guests · 7 min What captioned, audio described, interpreted, and relaxed performances change, who you need, how to schedule and sell them, and an accessible opening night.
  3. Writing the curtain speech Front of House · 7 min Who gives the pre-show speech and when, a time budget in seconds, the lines you can't skip, sponsor thanks, understudy notices, and a sample script with cues.
  4. The digital program Front of House · 6 min What to move from paper to phone, what to keep in print, and how to handle QR codes, screen glare, accessibility and understudy changes.
  5. Intermission in fifteen minutes Front of House · 7 min The fifteen-minute math of bars and restrooms, pre-ordered drinks, chimes and calls, closing the doors, late returners, donors, and step-free routes.
  6. Opening night gifts and etiquette Traditions · 6 min Who gives what to whom on opening night, sensible budgets, flower delivery at the stage door, the superstitions, and why nothing happens after the half.

Act III

Curtain call

  1. Galas and benefit performances Galas & Parties · 6 min How to structure a benefit night: ticket tiers, sponsor promises, the honoree, a speech budget in minutes, the paddle raise script and fast thank-yous.
  2. After-parties that people stay for Galas & Parties · 6 min Plan an opening night after-party around the walk, the cast's late arrival, food that works standing, a bar model you can afford and a clean ending.
  3. Closing night traditions worth keeping Traditions · 6 min How to run the last performance well: curtain speeches with a time limit, the ghost light, signing the walls, strike, the party and goodbyes.