Filled example: 90-minute run of show
A fictional online workshop with a facilitator, co-trainer and producer. Durations total 90 minutes.
| Start | Min | Segment | Lead | Cue and action | Tech and materials | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | 5 | Arrival | Producer | Admit people from the waiting room. Post the welcome message and a chat test question. | Waiting room on. Slide 1 shared. Captions on. | If admission is slow, post the join link again in the calendar invite. |
| 10:05 | 5 | Welcome and purpose | Facilitator | Cue: producer types “live” in the backstage chat. Facilitator states the outcome and how to take part. | Spotlight the facilitator. Slide 2. | If facilitator audio fails, the producer reads the opening from the slide notes. |
| 10:10 | 10 | Opening question | Facilitator | Ask the opening question. Producer opens breakout rooms of three for 4 minutes and sends a 1-minute warning. | Breakout rooms pre-assigned. Question pasted in chat. | If rooms fail, run the question as a chat waterfall. |
| 10:20 | 15 | Demonstration | Co-trainer | Co-trainer shows a weak and a revised handover note. Facilitator asks what changed. Producer posts the example link. | Example document open. Screen share by the co-trainer. | If screen share fails, the producer shares the PDF copy. |
| 10:35 | 20 | Practice round | Facilitator | Brief the task in 2 minutes. Producer opens rooms of three for 18 minutes and broadcasts at 9 and 17 minutes. | Practice cases linked in chat. Timer visible. | If a room has one person, the producer moves them to another room. |
| 10:55 | 5 | Break | Producer | Show the return time. Mute all on return if there is background noise. | Break slide with the return time. | — |
| 11:00 | 15 | Compare and revise | Facilitator | Invite three volunteers to share one revision. Co-trainer records patterns on the shared board. | Shared board link in chat. | If the board fails, the co-trainer types patterns in chat. |
| 11:15 | 10 | Action and evaluation | Facilitator | Everyone writes one handover they will rewrite this week. Producer posts the evaluation link at 11:20. | Evaluation link ready. Slide 9. | If the link fails, post the questions as text in chat. |
| 11:25 | 5 | Close | Facilitator | Thank people and say where the materials are. Producer stops the recording at 11:29 and ends the call at 11:30. | Recording controls. Materials link. | If the call overruns, the producer ends the recording at 11:30 as announced. |
Blank run of show
Blank version. Use the Excel workbook to calculate the start and end times.
| Start | Min | Segment | Lead | Cue and action | Tech and materials | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Go-live checklist
| When | Task | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 60 minutes before | Test audio, screen share, breakout rooms and recording on the actual platform. | Producer |
| 30 minutes before | Facilitator and co-trainer join. Confirm the backstage channel and the time-cut signal. | Everyone |
| 20 minutes before | Open slides, links, example documents and the evaluation form. Close other applications. | Each presenter |
| 15 minutes before | Pre-assign breakout rooms. Paste chat messages into a notes file ready to post. | Producer |
| 5 minutes before | Open the waiting room. Share slide 1. Turn on captions. | Producer |
| Start time | Producer says “live” in the backstage channel. Facilitator begins. | Producer, facilitator |
Run of show or agenda?
| Question | Participant agenda | Run of show |
|---|---|---|
| Who reads it | Participants | The delivery team only |
| What it shows | Order of activities and what the group will produce | Timing to the minute, who leads, cues, tech and backups |
| When to use it | Before and during the session, on screen or in the invite | In planning, rehearsal and backstage during delivery |
| Related kit | Workshop agenda template | This template |
What you'll leave with
The delivery team leaves the planning meeting with a complete run of show in which every segment has a start time, a duration, a lead, a cue and a backup, the durations add up to the session length, and every transition has been rehearsed aloud once.
Before the session
- For facilitators, trainers and producers delivering a live session together, online, hybrid or in person. The 45-minute meeting is for the two to five people who will run the session.
- Bring the participant agenda, the slide deck or materials list and the platform details. Know the hard start and end times, any fixed breaks and whether the session will be recorded.
- Open the Excel version on a shared screen so the times recalculate when you change a duration. Otherwise, print the blank run of show in landscape.
- Agree one backstage channel before the meeting, such as a private chat, that the team will use during the session. Record it in the roles table.
How to fill it in with your team
Fix the hard times
Write down the times that cannot move: the start, the end, any break that must happen at a set time, and when recording starts and stops. Put these in the run of show first.
Split the session into segments
Take the agenda and split it into segments of five minutes or more, each with one purpose. Enter the durations and check that they add up to the session length. If they do not, cut content now rather than shortening the close.
Name a lead and a cue for every change
For each segment, name the one person who leads it and write the cue that starts it, such as a spoken line, a slide or a chat message. Write what the producer or co-trainer does at the same moment. No segment should start without a named cue.
Add tech, materials and backups
For each segment, list the slides, links, rooms or equipment it needs. Ask what could fail, such as audio, screen share or breakout rooms, and write one backup action and who takes it. Complete the go-live checklist with times and owners.
Walk through the transitions
Read the cue lines aloud in order. Practise each handover between people, the opening and closing of breakout rooms and each screen-share change. Adjust a duration or cue wherever someone hesitates. Save the final version and share it with the whole team.
Participant worksheet
Copy this table into a document, or print the worksheet from the bundle. Share only what you choose.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hard start, end and break times | |
| Segment with the highest risk, and its backup | |
| Cue that needs rehearsal | |
| Backstage channel and who calls time | |
| Where the final version is saved |
Debrief questions
- Which cue was unclear when you read it aloud, and how did you rewrite it?
- Which segment has the weakest backup, and what would you do if it failed during delivery?
- Where will you cut time if the session runs late, and who makes that call?
Adapt it for your group
- For a solo trainer without a producer, keep the same columns but move tech tasks into the minutes before each segment, and use fewer platform changes.
- For in-person sessions, replace platform actions with room actions: microphones, room layout, printed materials and a visible clock.
- Build access into the run of show: captions on from the start, links posted as text as well as spoken, breaks at least every 60 minutes and a named person who responds to access requests in chat.
- For a large event with several rooms or tracks, make one run of show per room and a short master sheet that shows only the fixed times shared between them.
After the session
After delivery, record the actual time of each segment next to the plan and note every backup that was used. Revise the durations and cues in the master copy the same day. Keep the updated run of show with the facilitator guide so the next delivery team starts from what happened, not from what was planned.
Questions people ask
What is a run of show?
A run of show is a minute-by-minute plan for the people who deliver a live session. It lists each segment with its start time, duration, lead, the cue that starts it, the technology and materials it needs, and what to do if something fails.
How is a run of show different from an agenda?
An agenda tells participants what will happen and what they will produce. A run of show tells the delivery team who does what, when and with which cue. Use the workshop agenda template for the participant version and this template backstage.
How do the start times calculate in Excel?
Enter the start time of the first segment and a duration in minutes for each row. Each end time is the start plus the duration, and each start time is the previous end time. Change any duration and the rest of the schedule moves.
Do I need a producer to use this template?
No. A solo trainer can use the same columns and complete the tech tasks in the minutes before each segment. A producer helps most in online sessions with breakout rooms, recording and many links.
What is included in the free and editable files?
The open PDF includes the blank run of show, the filled 90-minute example, the roles sheet, the go-live checklist and the 45-minute planning meeting. Subscribers also receive the editable Word file, an Excel workbook with calculated times and a CSV of the 90-minute example.
How to use the files
Print the PDF, edit the Word file in Word or Google Docs, or open the CSV or XLSX in a spreadsheet. Open files need no email.
Can I use this with paying clients?
Yes. Use and adapt this original Superglue kit in your own training, including paid client sessions. Please share this page rather than redistributing the unmodified kit. Read the full usage terms.