Tutorial: Building a theatre show from scratch

Create a complete theatre production in Arthoff with projects, roles, script sections, dialogue, lighting, audio, stage movement, rehearsals, presenter mode, and exports.

This tutorial walks through a theatre production from initial project setup to rehearsals and opening night. The example uses Hamlet and combines dialogue with lighting, audio, stage movement, and team workflows.

Step 1: Create the project

Create a theatre project for the production and fill in its basic information, such as the title, description, production date, and visual project color. Keep all scripts, team members, devices, and exports for the production inside the same project unless there is a clear operational reason to separate them.

Step 2: Add the cast and technical team

Invite actors and technical staff to the project and assign permissions that match their responsibilities. Keep administrative access limited to people who actually need to modify project-wide settings.

Step 3: Create Act I

Create a script for the first act, for example "Act I – Scenes 1–5". For a large production, separate scripts per act can make rehearsals and exports easier to manage.

Step 4: Create sections for scenes

Divide the script into sections corresponding to scenes. Each section should have a clear name and contain the cues that belong to that part of the show.

Step 5: Add dialogue and comment cues

Add Dialogue cues for actor lines and assign the appropriate character or actor. Use Comment cues for stage directions, entrances, technical notes, and reminders that should be visible in the running order but should not trigger a device.

Practical structure

Keeping dialogue, comments, and technical cues in one ordered timeline makes it easier for the director and operators to see what happens immediately before and after each technical event.

Step 6: Add lighting cues

Suppose the Ghost enters and a moonlight look should fade in.

In Scene 1, after the comment describing the Ghost's entrance, click + and choose Lighting.

Select the lighting device, for example ETC EOS – Main.

Enter the required DMX values, for example:

Set a 2 s fade and use Fade mode. Add an operator note such as "Moon rises – slowly increase intensity" if useful.

Save the cue.

Additional lighting cues can change the mood later in the scene, for example by making the light colder or more dynamic during a dramatic passage.

Step 7: Add audio cues

For a subtle wind ambience on the castle platform:

Make sure an audio device such as a mixer or playback system is available in Devices.

Add an Audio cue after the moonlight cue.

Select the mixer, provide the audio file or URL, set volume to around 20%, pan to 0, and fade in/out to 2 s / 2 s.

Choose looping playback if the wind should continue until another cue stops or replaces it.

Choose an automatic or manual trigger according to the rehearsal workflow, then save the cue.

To stop the ambience later, create another Audio cue that lowers the source to 0% or send an explicit stop command when supported by the device.

Step 8: Add stage movement cues

Suppose Hamlet should walk from center stage to stage left during a monologue.

Add a Stage Move cue at the required point in the script.

Set the object or character to Hamlet.

Configure the destination as X = -2.0, Y = 0.0, with speed 0.5 m/s and a straight-line path.

Leave the start delay at 0 if the movement should begin immediately after the previous cue.

Save the cue.

When no automated stage machinery is connected, the same cue can still serve as a precise instruction for the actor or stage operator.

Step 9: Run an internal rehearsal in presenter mode

Open Presenter from the application or navigate to /present?projectId=<project>&scriptId=<act-i>.

Actors can open /show?role=aktor&postacie=Hamlet,Ofelia..., while lighting and audio operators can remain in their technical views.

Presenter mode shows the current cue together with upcoming cues.

Press Space to advance. Automatic cues continue according to their configured triggers.

Observe how actors and operators receive the corresponding information in their own views.

Mark completed cues when appropriate to track rehearsal progress.

Presenter shortcut

Press J to open the cue list and jump directly to a selected cue, for example when rehearsal needs to restart from Scene 2.

Step 10: Add the remaining acts and sections

Repeat the same process for Acts II–V. For a large show, a separate script per act can simplify partial exports and act-by-act rehearsals.

Create a new script for the next act, for example "Act II – Scenes 6–10".

Divide it into sections and add dialogue, lighting, audio, comment, and movement cues.

Keep the team synchronized as the script changes so everyone works from the current version.

Step 11: Export materials for the team

PDF for actors

Open the required act and choose Export → PDF.

Enable options such as Include comments if actors should see stage directions and technical notes.

Optionally restart cue numbering in each section to make scene references easier.

Export the file, for example Hamlet_ActI.pdf, and share it with the cast.

CSV for lighting and audio operators

Choose Export → CSV.

Include sections and the technical fields needed by operators, including DMX or audio settings.

Save a file such as Hamlet_ActI_Lighting_Sound.csv for use as an import source or technical checklist.

JSON backup

Export the script as JSON, optionally including version history when that option is available, and keep the file in a safe backup location before large changes.

Step 12: Dress rehearsal and opening night

Test every connected device from Devices before the dress rehearsal.

Open presenter mode on the director's or dedicated control computer.

Actors open /show on their phones or tablets, while technical operators use their assigned views.

Run the production from beginning to end using Space and presenter jumps when the director needs to restart a section.

Between acts, pause the run if necessary, collect notes, and avoid accidentally firing new cues.

Apply corrections after rehearsal and regenerate any PDFs or CSV files that changed.

Opening night follows the same operational flow, without rehearsal pauses for notes.

FAQ

How should very long monologues be handled?

They can be split into several Dialogue cues when progress tracking or technical changes are needed within the monologue. Alternatively, keep one long cue and use the completion workflow to indicate readiness for the next cue.

Can Arthoff be used to show subtitles?

Yes. Enable dialogue subtitles in presenter settings and open a separate viewer such as /view?role=viewer&showSubtitles=true on the subtitle display or an HDMI-connected output.

What if cues are too close together during rehearsal?

Increase the cue's start delay or insert a Timer or Comment cue that creates the required buffer before the next action.

How can rehearsal and premiere versions be kept separately?

Duplicate the script before major changes, give the copy a clear version name such as "Hamlet Act I – Premiere version", and keep the previous script as the rehearsal version. JSON exports can also be stored as dated backups or in a version-control system.

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