Principal briefing — 1 pageEasyStagecraft Module 5 · the document you hand the principal pre-approval · 4 sections · maximum 1 A4 · if it's longer, you've not finished editing
Why one page. A principal's reading time on any single brief is 90 seconds. Two pages = first page only gets read. The discipline of one page forces clarity. Everything else is appendix — attach the P&L, the risk register, the approval pack, the CoCs — but the principal reads the briefing first and your back-up only if they have a question.
The four-element structure
Scope + dates — what the production is, when it runs, who's in it · 3-4 sentences
Budget + risk — net financial position · top 3 risks named + mitigations · 5-6 lines
What I'm asking for — the actual ask · explicit · with a date
What I'll deliver back — what they get from saying yes · 4 outcomes
Worked example — Year-12 musical brief
Production briefing · Les Misérables · Year-12 musical 2026
To: Mr S. Davies, Principal · From: R. Davies, Production Manager · Date: 12 Aug 2026 · Decision needed by: 26 Aug 2026 (10 weeks to opening)
1 · Scope + dates
Les Misérables (MTI School Edition) as the Year-12 major production, 14-18 October. Five performances (Wed-Sat evening + Sat matinee) in the school theatre. Cast 32 (Yr 10-12), crew 18 (Yr 9-12), pit band 14, three parent volunteers, two paid musos. Director: Ms L. Murray. Stage Manager: M. Tran (Yr 12).
2 · Budget + risk
Gross spend forecast A$48,730. Income forecast A$48,680 (tickets A$24,040 at conservative 75% capacity · subsidy + sponsorship + bar + merch A$24,640). Net deficit forecast: A$50 (rounded zero). Sold-out scenario generates ~A$8,000 surplus. P&F has approved up to A$5,000 deficit cover as backstop.
Top 3 risks (treated):
Lighting hire compliance: CoC + WAH tickets verified · A$4,745 saved off original quote via line-by-line review.
Working-at-heights work for the 6m rig: SWMS in place · licensed operator on EWP · school's own scissor in use.
Streaming-rights: not licensed for streaming · explicit no-stream position communicated to families.
3 · What I'm asking for
Your signature on the Production Approval Pack (attached) confirming: (a) the production is approved to proceed within the A$48,730 budget; (b) ticket pricing A$25 adult / A$18 concession / A$75 family approved; (c) PM has delegated authority for operational decisions within the approved scope, with scope-change addenda routed back to you for sign-off.
4 · What I'll deliver back
5 sold performances on the published season dates with a high-quality production audiences talk about for two years.
Audited safety record · zero notifiable incidents · WWCC + WHS audit-ready at any point.
Net financial position within A$2,500 of forecast (95% probability) · full P&L delivered at week +2 post-mortem.
1-page post-mortem report at week +2 with reusable lessons for the 2027 production.
The principles
Open with the production, not the ask. The principal needs context before they parse the request.
One number for budget. "Net deficit A$50" beats "A$48,730 in vs A$48,680 out". The headline is the gap.
Top 3 risks — always 3. Two looks complacent, four reads as panic. Three is the magic number.
The ask is a sentence. "Your signature on the pack" — not "I'd appreciate if you could possibly..."
The deliverables are outcomes, not activities. "5 sold performances" not "rehearsals for 10 weeks".
A principal who's read this brief will say yes, ask a question, or say "let me take it to the board". All three are progress. What you want to avoid is "I don't have time to read this" — which is the response to a two-page brief. One page protects you from that.
Blank template
Production briefing · _________________________ · ________