Standard School Musical PlotEasyStagecraft Course · Tier 1B · Module 1 (Speak Lighting) · v1.0 · what a 320-seat school musical plot typically looks like, annotated

Use this as your reference. When an LD shows you a plot with 84 fixtures + 12 movers, hold it next to this one. This is what a well-scoped school musical rig actually looks like: 40 conventional/LED + 4 movers + 4 cyc lights + 2 followspots = 50 units total. Anything more than ~60 needs justification.

Standard rig · top-down view

AUDITORIUM · 320 seats STAGE · 12m × 7m PROSCENIUM FOH BAR · 8× ETC Source Four LED (front key + colour wash) 2× FOLLOWSPOTS (manual) LX1 LX1 · 8× LED PAR + 2× Chauvet movers LX2 LX2 · 8× Source Four LED + 2× movers (mid-stage wash + specials) LX3/CYC LX3/CYC BAR · 6× cyc lights (top wash on cyclorama) BOOM SL BOOM SR Conventional/LED fixture Moving head (mover) Cyc light (asymmetric flood) Followspot

Bill of materials · the standard plot

PositionFixture typeCountPurpose
FOH barETC Source Four LED8Front key on actors' faces — primary illumination
Auditorium back wall1.2kW Followspot2Lead-actor tracking for musical numbers
LX1LED PAR (ColorSource)8Down-light + colour wash from downstage onstage position
LX1Chauvet/ADJ moving head2Dance-number colour + texture cues
LX2ETC Source Four LED8Mid-stage wash + specials
LX2Chauvet/ADJ moving head2Mid-stage specials + colour movement
LX3/Cyc barCyc light (LED batten)6Cyclorama wash — sunset/night/colour-changing backdrop
Boom SLFresnel/PAR3Side-light from stage-left wings (sculpts actors)
Boom SRFresnel/PAR3Side-light from stage-right wings
TOTAL FIXTURES42+ console + cabling + EWP

Cost estimate · the standard plot (Melbourne 2026 rates)

ItemRate (A$/day)DaysSubtotal (A$)
8× Source Four LED (FOH + LX2)5283,328
8× LED PAR (LX1)3882,432
4× Chauvet/ADJ movers11083,520
6× Cyc lights (LED batten)12085,760
6× Fresnel/PAR (booms)188864
2× Followspots + operators (5 shows + dress)45062,700
ETC Ion XE console24081,920
DMX cabling + splitter + multicore1008800
Genie GR-15 EWP × 1 day3401340
Programmer × 2 days4502900
Focus crew (2 ops × 3 hrs)——450
Bump-in + bump-out (4 crew × 6 hrs)——1,200
Transport + delivery (metro return)——240
Gel + consumables——200
SUB-TOTAL EX GST24,654
Compliance documentation (production-specific only)300
Project coordination (6%)1,500
TOTAL EX GST26,454

Compare this against the A$36,790 quoted in the "annotated sample lighting quote" resource. The defensible total there was A$22,090 — because the example quote was for a smaller school (320 seat, 5 shows). Your venue + scope + run length will move the number; the rig structure stays roughly proportional.

How to use this diagram in a meeting

  1. Print it A3 (or display on a screen).
  2. Put it next to the supplier's plot.
  3. Walk down each position: "FOH — yours has 12, mine has 8. Why the extra 4?"
  4. Move to each justification or accept the substitution.
  5. Total the final fixture count + cross-check against the rate card.

The conversation is not about whether the supplier is right or wrong. It's about understanding where the rig has grown beyond what the scope needs, and trimming back to the standard pattern.