Event production and stage management
A live program needs someone looking beyond the next line on the schedule.
North West Event Planning supports festivals, concerts, cultural programs, conferences, fundraisers, and other events where performers, speakers, technical vendors, venue access, and program timing have to come together in real time.
For clients looking for a festival production company or stage-management partner, our role is to help turn the program into a working production plan and manage the parts of that plan included in the agreed scope.
Stage management
Stage management connects the program to the people running it
The stage manager is concerned with what is happening now, what is happening next, and whether the people responsible are ready. Depending on the event, that can include:
- keeping the working run of show current
- coordinating speaker, performer, and presentation readiness
- cueing or coordinating transitions
- organizing rehearsal or cue-to-cue work
- coordinating sound-check order
- managing backstage access and movement
- tracking changes that affect the next part of the program
- keeping production and event management aligned
Run of show
What is a run of show?
A run of show is the working schedule used to operate a live event. It records the sequence of the program, the timing, the people or vendors responsible, and the cues or actions needed to move from one part of the event to the next. Depending on the program, it may includ:
- start and end times
- program segments
- speaker or performer names
- audio, video, lighting, or stage cues
- room or stage transitions
- vendor actions
- staffing responsibilities
- notes for changes or contingencies
Production starts before the audience arrives
A venue may only allow access during a specific load-in window. AV needs time to install and test equipment. Performers may need sound checks in a particular order. Speakers need to know where to go and when they are expected on stage.
On a multi-act program, the space between segments can matter as much as the segments themselves.
We build those dependencies into the production schedule so the program is based on the time and access that actually exist.
Festivals
More acts mean more handoffs
Festivals and cultural programs may involve performers, community organizations, volunteers, technical vendors, venue staff, and several program changes over the course of a day.
The production plan needs to connect those groups without assuming they all have the same information.
Depending on scope, we can support program sequencing, stage management, participant coordination, production timing, vendor communication, and event-day management.
Permits and regulatory responsibilities remain with the appropriate producing organization or responsible party unless a specific responsibility is explicitly included in the agreed scope.
Production support is defined around the program
Some events need production support as part of a broader Full-Service Planning and Production engagement. Others need a narrower production or stage-management scope.
If a venue, AV provider, or other production vendor is already in place, we can begin by reviewing their responsibilities and identifying what still needs to be coordinated.
Organizational events and production services are quoted based on scope, schedule, venue, staffing, and technical requirements.
Experience
Experience in production, stage management, and event direction
We bring more than three decades of experience planning, producing, and managing events, including more than 18 years of work in the United States.
Our founder's documented prior experience includes stage programming for the Seattle Iranian Festival, produced by the Iranian-American Community Alliance, as well as earlier theater production work originating in Isfahan.
Those are prior professional roles on events produced by other organizations. They are not presented as North West Event Planning productions.
Questions
Questions about production and stage management
What is the difference between an event planner and a stage manager?
An event planner coordinates the broader planning and event responsibilities. A stage manager focuses more closely on the live program, cues, people, transitions, and backstage or stage-side execution. On some events the roles overlap; on others they are separate.
Do we need a full rehearsal?
Not always. The useful question is what needs to be tested before the program begins. Depending on the event, that may be a full rehearsal, a cue-to-cue review, a speaker check, a sound check, or a short transition walk-through.
Can you work with an AV company we already hired?
Yes. We can coordinate with an existing AV or technical provider when that coordination is part of the agreed production scope. Technical responsibility remains with the appropriate vendor unless another arrangement is specifically documented.
Do you only work on festivals?
No. Production and stage-management support may also apply to concerts, conferences, fundraisers, cultural programs, artistic performances, and other live programs.
Tell us about the program
Share the event date, venue or city, program format, number of stages or program areas if known, and the production responsibilities you need help managing.