How to build a run-of-show for a live comedy show
A run-of-show is the cue-by-cue timeline of your night: what happens, when, and who is responsible. Shows without one don't fail dramatically — they leak. Five minutes here, a missed intro there, and suddenly your headliner is starting at 10:40 to a room that's half coats.
Start from the end
Decide when the show ends, then work backward. Audiences forgive a lot, but they don't forgive a Tuesday show that lets out at 11:30. If you promised a 90-minute show at 8pm, everything must fit inside 8:00–9:30, including the intro, transitions, and the checkout moment at the end.
The blocks every comedy run-of-show needs
| Time | Cue | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 | Doors + house music | Playlist ready before doors, not during |
| 8:00 | Lights down, host intro | Host knows the first act's credits |
| 8:05 | Host opening set | 5–8 min, reads the room |
| 8:13 | Act 1 | 10 min + light at 8 |
| 8:25 | Act 2 | 10 min + light at 8 |
| 8:37 | Act 3 | 10 min + light at 8 |
| 8:49 | Host reset / crowd work | Buffer lives here — stretch or cut |
| 8:55 | Headliner | 25–30 min |
| 9:25 | Host outro, plugs, goodnight | Names again, socials, next show date |
Rules that keep it honest
- Every transition costs a minute. Six acts means six intros, six walk-ons, six exits. Budget for them or your "two hours of comedy" is actually two hours twenty.
- Put the buffer in the host's hands. A host reset block before the headliner is your shock absorber. Running long? It disappears. Running short? Crowd work.
- Write the credits into the document. The host should never lean over mid-show asking "what do I say for this one?" Names, pronouns, credits, and the walk-on song all live in the run-of-show.
- One person owns the clock. Producer or host — pick one. Two people giving the light is the same as nobody giving the light.
Walk-on music
Nothing raises production value per dollar like walk-on music. Collect each performer's song and timestamp before the show — chasing Spotify links at 7:50pm is how you end up playing the wrong track for your closer. Keep the file or link attached to the performer in your lineup document.
Share it before the show
The run-of-show is only as good as its distribution. The host, the door person, and the tech (even if the tech is you) need it the day before — not a screenshot at 6pm. When performers know their slot times, they show up on time; when they don't, they're at the bar during their intro.