Prompt Copy ConventionsEasyStagecraft Course · Tier 1B · Module 3 (Speak Stage Management) · v1.0 · how an SM marks up the show script

Why this matters. The prompt copy is the SM's bible. Every blocking move, every cue, every transition is recorded in standard shorthand so the SM (or a substitute SM) can run the show from it. If you ever pick up a prompt copy + can decode the markup, you understand the show. This sheet teaches the conventions.

Section 1 · Blocking shorthand

Mark	Means	Example
X-DSR	Cross to Downstage Right	"X-DSR on 'I will not'"
X-DSL	Cross to Downstage Left	"X-DSL after exit"
X-USR / X-USL	Cross to Upstage Right / Left	"X-USR through arch"
X-CS	Cross to Centre Stage	"X-CS on 'now'"
X-DSR (drift)	Slow drift, not a sharp cross	"X-DSR drift over 8 bars"
Sweep DSR-USL	Walk-curve from one point to another	"Sweep DSR-USL during phrase"
Sit / Stand / Kneel / Turn	Body position changes	"Sit on chair 4 — 'finally'"
Off DSR / Off DSL	Exits to a particular side	"Off DSL on 'goodbye'"
On from USR	Entry from upstage right	"Marcus on from USR — 'hello'"
Hand prop · pick up · puts down	Prop interaction	"Picks up book — 'when I was young'"

Section 2 · Cue numbering convention

Each cue type gets its own number sequence, in performance order:

LX 1, 2, 3, … — lighting cues
SQ 1, 2, 3, … — sound cues (sometimes "Sound" or just "S")
FLY 1, 2, 3, … — fly cues
DECK 1, 2, 3, … — deck (scenic) cues
AUTO 1, 2, 3, … — automation cues (if any)
FOH 1, 2, 3, … — front-of-house cues

Cue points get inserted into the script. The SM marks the trigger line in the script + writes the cue number in the margin.

Section 3 · Page-turn markers

SMs mark page turns ahead of time so they don't lose pace during the show:

↰ (top-left arrow) on bottom of a page = "turn now"
2 pages → = "fast forward 2 pages" (after cut)
Turn after [line] = explicit instruction

Section 4 · Sample marked-up page

Here's an excerpt from a fictional musical, showing how the SM marks up a single page:

ACT 1 · SCENE 3 · MAMMA MIA'S COURTYARD [Sky enters from USR, X-DSR on "I will not"] SKY: I will not have my wedding turn into your circus, Donna. [Stby LX 23, Sound 12] DONNA: Then maybe you shouldn't have invited three fathers. [GO LX 23 (3s fade) — sunset wash] SKY: That wasn't my idea. [X-CS, kneels] [GO Sound 12 — wind effect, 2s] DONNA: Then whose idea was it, Sky? [Stby LX 24, Stby Fly 3 (downstage drape)] SKY: (long pause) [GO LX 24 (snap) — blackout downstage] [GO Fly 3 — drape in over 4s] [Lights up Act 1 Scene 4 — kitchen interior — see next page] ↰ TURN PAGE

Section 5 · Reading the sample

Blocking (cyan) is what the actor does — entrances, crosses, body changes.
Standby (blue italics) = SM's warning to the operator. ~5-10 seconds before the cue.
GO (red bold) = SM's trigger to operator. Operator fires the cue.
The cue description in parentheses helps the SM remember what the cue is — e.g. "(3s fade) — sunset wash".
Page-turn marker at the bottom = "turn now".

Section 6 · The marking-up workflow

SM gets clean script. Director-approved, final version.
Read-through. SM reads with cast in rehearsal, noting blocking as it's set.
Recording blocking. SM writes each move in shorthand in the right margin or in the gap between lines.
Paper tech (with LD + Sound Designer). SM, LD, SD walk through each scene + agree where every cue lives. Cue numbers assigned.
Cue marks added to script. Standby + GO in the right margin at trigger lines.
Operator pages. SM photocopies the cue list separately + gives each operator their cues only.
Tech-week revisions. Any changes during tech get added to the master prompt copy + redistributed.

Section 7 · What an SM's prompt copy looks like physically

Hardcover binder with the script in clear sleeves (one page per sleeve).
Multi-coloured marker tabs at major scene breaks for fast page navigation.
Pencil annotations (so changes can be erased + re-written).
Coloured highlighting — common convention: yellow for LX, pink for sound, green for fly, blue for blocking.
Cue list printed separately on the binder's left side for at-a-glance reference.
SM's own notes (timings, problem-spots, recovery cues) in the binder's pockets.

Section 8 · Why this discipline matters

An untidy prompt copy = unpredictable show. If the SM can't find the cue in 0.5 seconds, the cue is late, the audience notices, and the whole show drifts. A well-marked prompt copy:

Lets the SM run the show without panic.
Lets a sub SM step in if the regular SM is unavailable.
Provides a historical record for next year's revival.
Is the single source of truth — the director says "we changed that cue last week", the SM checks the prompt copy.

Section 9 · What to look for as a teacher / production manager

When you ask the SM "can I see the prompt copy?", a good prompt copy will be:

Clean, organised, easy to follow.
Up to date — last change initialled + dated by SM.
Cue list visible on the spine + first page.
Standby + GO marks clearly distinguished.
All blocking captured (even small drifts).

A bad prompt copy will be:

Pages loose, no binding.
Mixture of pen + pencil + highlighter without convention.
Outdated — changes from rehearsal not in.
Cue numbers inconsistent or missing.
Blocking missing for some scenes.

If you see a bad prompt copy, that's not a reason to undermine the SM — it's a reason to ask the SM "what do you need to get this in order before tech?" Could be 4-8 hours of admin time. Worth budgeting.