Proper Way To Call Cues

[kicknargel]

Re: Proper Way To Call Cues?

One more fussy thing--our rule is never to use the word "Go" unless you mean to execute a cue. If you're talking about an upcoming go, you spell out "g-o." As in, "I'm going to give one g-o for lights, sound and rail." I still have trouble saying the word "go," even outside of a theatre.

Nicholas Kargel
You Want What? Productions INC
scenic design and construction in Denver, CO

www.youwantwhatproductions.com

 

[Grommet]

I ran one of spots for a touring concert and the LD was calling cues.

Over the com he gave us a a speech of how the show will work.

"The spots will always be on the lead vocals unless i say other wise. If he is sitting only light his torso. If he is standing light his whole body. If he goes out of range of your spot just turn your spot off till he comes in range. I will give a stand by cue followed by a go. sometimes i will say spots go or aannndd go. any questions? "

The 'annnddd go' part were the black outs as the performer dragged out that last note or solo further and further....

With this LD i liked how he let us know all of the little quirks of his que calling

 

[MSLD]

at our place we had the national tour of Annie. The stage manager got really REALLY sick and was taken to the hospital along with Annie's head spot op. the production manager threw me the script and said "here call the show and run and run a spot.

Thank God i watched the show a week before that because i was missing 4 pages of cues from a 2007 version, not 2009.

 

[Aaron S.]

This is an OLD thread, but I ran across it so I thought I would add my 2 cents.

I come from a theatrical setting, mainly straight plays, but also musicals.

In my experience, pretty much all SM's call a show the same, and this is how it goes.

SM: Stand by Lights 740
SM: Lights 740 "beat" GO.

The GO is always short and concise, it lets us know exactly when the cue wants to happen.

Also, the SM will do a check in on COM at the top of the show. Once they know we are where we are supposed to be, they trust us to take the cues when they call them. During an actual performance, I never say anything back to the SM, unless they specifically ask me for something.

 

[jayvee]

Re: Proper Way To Call Cues?


That pretty much nails it. SMs can also put multiple cues into standby in one shot. IE:

SM: Standby, LX 5 through 8, Audio 2 and 3, Scenic 4.
Lighting Tech: Lights
Audio Tech: Sound
ASM: Deck
SM: LX 5, go. LX 6, go. Audio 2, go.
etc etc etc


Actually there is. In the real world, all SMs pretty much call things the same way.

I came to say I have my students acknowledge standbys with their position so I/SM knows who is actually standing by when there multiple people reporting.