Show Calling & Cue Management Software for Live Events | ShowCue Connect
Cue Management for Live Events

Run the show.
Not a spreadsheet.

ShowCue Connect replaces the spreadsheets, printed rundowns, and walkie-talkie calls that most productions still rely on. Real-time cue management with role-filtered views, cue-driven timers, flex-time adjustment, media TRT integration, and backstage displays โ€” synced across every device in the venue.

ShowCue Connect LIVE GO โŽ STANDBY 2 9:15 AM Opening Remarks โ€” CEO Welcome Lav 1 hot ยท Slides: Opener ยท Stage wash full ยท Walk-in fade out 5:00 3 9:20 AM Keynote โ€” Dr. Sarah Chen, CTO TechCorp 45:00 4 10:05 Q&A โ€” Floor Mics 10:00 5 10:15 Break โ€” Sponsor Loop & Networking 15:00 ELAPSED 2:34 REMAINING 2:26 โˆ’5 โˆ’1 +1 +5 FLEX TIME 9:17:34 AM โ–ถ PLAYBACK TRT Opener.mov 3:42 Keynote-Sizzle.mov 12:15 Bumper.mov 0:30
The Problem

Sound familiar?

๐Ÿ“‹

The rundown is already wrong

You printed 30 copies of the show flow last night. Two cues moved this morning. Now half the crew has the old version. The stage manager crossed something out in pen. The A1 didn't get the memo.

โฑ๏ธ

The timer isn't connected to anything

Someone is running a countdown on their phone. Someone else is using a browser tab. Neither knows the cue changed. When the speaker goes long, nobody adjusts the clock โ€” they just watch it hit zero and keep going.

๐Ÿ“บ

The green room has no idea

The next speaker is sitting backstage with no clue what's happening on stage. "Are we on schedule?" "How much time does the current speaker have?" "Am I next?" Someone has to run back and update them. Manually. Every time.

๐Ÿƒ

Multi-room is chaos

You're running 6 breakout rooms, a general session, and an awards show. Each room has its own spreadsheet. Different versions, different formats. The show caller is switching between tabs and hoping the right one is current.

๐Ÿ“ฑ

Everyone sees everything

The lighting designer doesn't need to see audio cues. The A2 doesn't need to see video sources. But the spreadsheet shows everything to everyone, and half the crew is scrolling past columns that don't apply to them.

๐ŸŽฌ

Playback is a black box

How long is the walk-in video? What's the TRT on the sizzle reel? Nobody knows until it plays. The show caller is guessing durations and hoping the media operator has the right file queued.

The Fix

One cue sheet. Every department.
Every room. Always current.

ShowCue Connect is a live cue sheet that syncs across every device in the venue via WebSocket. The show caller advances cues. The timer follows. Every role sees their filtered view. The backstage display updates. No printouts, no versions, no walkie calls to relay changes.

Live Cue Sheet

GO. Standby. Reset.
The show runs from here.

The show caller hits GO and everything moves โ€” the active cue advances, timers start, the backstage display updates, every filtered view shifts to the next cue. Standby prepares the next cue so the crew knows what's coming. Reset clears everything for rehearsal. Color-coded rows, section headers, sub-cues, and auto-follow chains keep complex rundowns organized at a glance.

  • GO / Standby / Reset with keyboard shortcuts โ€” call the show without a mouse
  • Color-coded cues with section headers and nested sub-cues
  • Auto-follow chains โ€” link cues so bumpers and transitions fire in sequence
  • Custom columns per department โ€” audio, video, lighting, graphics, stage notes
  • Multi-sheet support โ€” one sheet per room, day, or segment
  • Real-time sync โ€” every edit propagates to every screen instantly
ShowCue Connect Edit GO STBY # TIME DESCRIPTION AUDIO VIDEO LIGHTS DUR GENERAL SESSION โ€” Grand Ballroom 1 9:00 AM House open โ€” walk-in music Walk-in @ -18dB Slides: Welcome House 80% 15:00 โœ“ 2 9:15 AM Opening remarks โ€” CEO Lav 1 hot, walk-in fade Slides: Opener Stage wash 5:00 3 9:20 AM Keynote โ€” Dr. Chen Lav 2 standby Slides: Keynote Spot cue 45:00 3a โ†ณ Walk-up intro (auto-follow) 0:30 4 10:05 Q&A โ€” floor mics Floor mics 1-4 10:00 ELAPSED 2:34 REMAINING 2:26 โˆ’5 โˆ’1 +1 +5 FLEX TIME 9:17:34 AM โ–ถ PLAYBACK Opener.mov 3:42 Keynote.mov 12:15 Bumper 0:30 General Session Breakout A Breakout B Awards
Cue-Driven Timer

The timer follows the cue.
Not the other way around.

Stop managing the timer separately from the cue sheet. In ShowCue Connect, every cue has a duration. When you GO, elapsed starts counting up and remaining counts down โ€” automatically. When the speaker hits zero, the timer doesn't stop. It keeps going in overrun mode so you know exactly how far behind you are. Section timers track entire blocks while sub-cue timers track individual parts within them.

  • Elapsed and remaining timers auto-start on GO โ€” no separate timer to manage
  • Overrun tracking in red โ€” keeps counting past zero so you see the damage
  • Section timers โ€” track a full block (keynote + Q&A + transition) as one unit
  • Sub-cue timers โ€” nested cues run their own timer within the parent section
  • Backstage confidence monitor turns red on overrun โ€” visible from across the green room
  • Stage timer shows remaining in 200px font โ€” readable from center stage
ON TIME
2:26
AT ZERO
0:00
OVERRUN
โˆ’3:12
Opening Remarks โ€” CEO Cue 2 of 18 ยท General Session 2:26 REMAINING 9:17 AM UP NEXT SC Keynote โ€” Dr. Sarah Chen 9:20 AM ยท 45 min QA Q&A โ€” Floor Mics 10:05 AM ยท 10 min
Flex Time

Shows don't run on schedule.
Your timer shouldn't pretend they do.

The CEO is running long. The keynote started late. The panel needs five more minutes. Every show caller has been there โ€” staring at a timer that says zero while the speaker keeps talking. Flex Time lets you adjust the running timer live. Add a minute, subtract five, or set an exact remaining time. Every connected display updates instantly. The schedule bends to reality.

โˆ’1 โˆ’5 โˆ’10
Speaker running long. Trim the remaining clock so the backstage monitor reflects reality.
+1 +5 +10
Need to stretch? Give the speaker more room without editing the cue sheet.
SET 12:00
Freeform entry. Type an exact remaining time for precise control during tight transitions.
REMAINING 12:26 โˆ’10 โˆ’5 โˆ’1 +1 +5 +10 SET โ–ธ
Media TRT Integration

Know every video's runtime.
Before it plays.

Connect your playback system and the TRT strip shows every media file attached to your cues with its total run time. Browse media from each source, attach clips to cues, and trigger playback from the cue sheet. Your show caller knows exactly how long every walk-in video, sizzle reel, and bumper transition runs before they hit GO. No more guessing durations or asking the media operator "how long is that?"

  • Playback TRT strip โ€” see total run time for every attached media file
  • Browse media from connected playback systems
  • Attach playback triggers to individual cues
  • Test playback from the cue sheet before show time
  • Dedicated Playback role view for the media operator
  • Slide capture โ€” grab the current presentation slide and attach it to a cue
โ–ถ PLAYBACK SOURCES โ–ถ Opener-Video.mov Attached to Cue 1 ยท Walk-in 3:42 TRT โ–ถ Keynote-Sizzle.mov Attached to Cue 3 ยท Keynote intro 12:15 TRT โ–ถ Bumper-Transition.mov Attached to Cue 5 ยท Between sessions 0:30 TRT Browse Media Test Playback ๐Ÿ“ธ Slide Capture
Role-Based Views

Eight roles. Two displays.
One cue sheet.

Every team member picks their role and sees only their columns. The show caller sees everything. The backstage display keeps talent informed. The confidence monitor keeps speakers on time.

Choose Your Role Each role filters the cue sheet to show only your department's columns ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Show Caller Full control + GO ๐Ÿ”Š Audio Audio cues only ๐Ÿ“น Video Video cues only ๐Ÿ’ก Lighting Lighting cues only โ–ถ๏ธ Playback Playback cues only ๐ŸŽฌ Stage Mgr Stage cues only โฑ๏ธ Stage Timer Confidence monitor ๐Ÿ“บ Backstage Green room display
๐ŸŽ™๏ธ

Show Caller

Full control with GO, Standby, flex-time. All departments, all columns. The command center for the entire production.

๐Ÿ”Š

Audio (A1/A2)

Audio cues only. Mic assignments, levels, music cues, walk-in/walk-out. Filtered to what the audio team needs.

๐Ÿ“น

Video

Video source cues, slide triggers, camera cuts, IMAG notes. Clean view for the video engineer.

๐Ÿ’ก

Lighting

Lighting cues, spot cues, house levels, color notes. Everything the LD needs in one column.

โ–ถ๏ธ

Playback

Media cues with TRT, playback triggers, source status. The media operator's dedicated rundown.

๐ŸŽฌ

Stage Manager

Stage cues, talent movement, prop changes, walk-on/walk-off timing. The SM's focused view.

๐Ÿ“บ

Backstage Display

Green room screen: current cue name, giant countdown, up-next lineup with presenter photos, live clock. Readable from 30 feet.

โฑ๏ธ

Confidence Monitor

Full-screen remaining time in 200px font. Turns red on overrun. The speaker knows they're over without anyone waving.

๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ

Graphics & Full View

Lower thirds, title cards, graphic triggers. Or switch to Full View to see every department at once.

Production Features

Built by people who call shows.

๐Ÿ”—

Auto-Follow Chains

Link cues so they fire in sequence without manual GO. Walk-up intros, bumper transitions, and stingers fire automatically. Chain indicators show linked cues at a glance.

๐Ÿ“„

Excel & CSV Import

Download the template or bring your own rundown format. Column mapper previews everything before commit. Export back to Excel any time for archival or handoff.

๐Ÿ“

Sections & Sub-Cues

Organize cues into sections with visual headers. Nest sub-cues under parents. Section timers track the block while sub-cue timers track each part.

๐ŸŽจ

Color Coding

Color-code cues for quick visual scanning. Group related cues, mark VIP segments, or flag problem areas. Colors persist across all role views.

๐Ÿ“ธ

Slide Capture

Grab the current presentation slide and attach it to a cue for visual reference. The show caller sees what should be on screen at each point in the rundown.

๐Ÿ” 

Adjustable Density

Four font size presets and adjustable row density. Make it readable from 20 feet at the mix position or compact on a 10-inch tablet at the SM desk.

Getting Started

From spreadsheet to live show in minutes.

1

Import your rundown

Download the Excel or CSV template, paste in your cues, or import an existing rundown. Map your columns and preview before committing. Or build from scratch in the editor.

2

Share with the crew

Everyone opens ShowCue Connect in their browser โ€” laptop, tablet, or phone. Pick a role and the view filters automatically. No app install, no license per seat, no IT ticket.

3

Call the show

GO advances cues. Timers start. The backstage monitor updates. Every screen in the venue syncs in under 100 milliseconds. Flex Time adjusts on the fly when reality doesn't match the rundown.

๐Ÿ“„ Import Rundown Excel, CSV, or build from scratch โ†’ ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Share with Crew Each role filters automatically โ†’ โ–ถ Call the Show GO syncs every screen <100ms
Specifications

Built for live production.

10
Views (8 roles + backstage + timer)
โˆž
Cue sheets per event
<100ms
WebSocket sync latency
XLSX
Import and export
Flex
ยฑ1/5/10 min live adjust + freeform
TRT
Media total run time integration
Any
Browser โ€” laptop, tablet, phone, TV
Multi
Room + day + segment sheets
Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know.

What is show calling software and who needs it?

Show calling software is a tool that lets a show caller or stage manager manage and advance cues during a live event. It replaces printed rundowns and spreadsheets with a live, synced cue sheet that every production department can see on their own device. Anyone running a corporate event, conference general session, keynote, awards show, gala, or multi-room breakout event with technical cues benefits from show calling software.

How is ShowCue Connect different from using a spreadsheet or Shoflo for my rundown?

Spreadsheets and traditional rundown tools are static documents โ€” when something changes, someone has to update the file and redistribute it. ShowCue Connect is a live system. When the show caller advances a cue, every connected device updates in real time. The timer is driven by the cues, not managed separately. Flex Time lets you adjust timing on the fly. Role-based views filter the rundown per department. The backstage display and confidence monitor update automatically. Nothing needs to be printed, emailed, or manually synced.

What is a cue-driven timer and why does it matter?

A cue-driven timer is a countdown that starts automatically when a cue is activated, using the duration set in the cue sheet. This eliminates the need to manage a separate timer system. When the show caller hits GO, elapsed and remaining timers start immediately. If the speaker goes over time, the timer keeps counting in overrun mode so you can see exactly how far behind the show is. Section timers track entire blocks while sub-cue timers track individual segments within them.

What is Flex Time in show calling?

Flex Time is the ability to adjust the running timer during a live show without editing the cue. Buttons for minus 1, 5, and 10 minutes and plus 1, 5, and 10 minutes change the remaining time instantly. There is also a freeform entry to set an exact remaining time. Every connected display โ€” the backstage monitor, the confidence monitor, every role view โ€” updates in real time. This is essential because live shows never run exactly on schedule.

What is media TRT integration and how does it help show callers?

TRT stands for Total Run Time โ€” the length of a video or media file. ShowCue Connect connects to playback systems and displays the TRT for every media file attached to a cue. This means the show caller knows exactly how long every walk-in video, sizzle reel, bumper, and transition runs before hitting GO. You can browse media from connected sources, attach clips to specific cues, and test playback from the cue sheet.

What is a backstage display and how does it work?

A backstage display is a screen in the green room or backstage area that shows talent what is happening on stage. ShowCue Connect's backstage display shows the current cue name in large green text, a countdown timer in oversized monospace font, an up-next lineup with presenter photos and session details, and a live clock. It supports landscape and portrait orientation and updates automatically as cues advance โ€” no one needs to run backstage to relay updates.

What is a confidence monitor for speakers?

A confidence monitor is a screen visible from stage that shows the speaker how much time they have remaining. ShowCue Connect's confidence monitor displays remaining time in 200-pixel font, readable from center stage without squinting. When the speaker goes over their allotted time, the display turns red. This eliminates the need for someone to hold up time cards or wave from the wings.

How does role-based cue filtering work?

When a team member opens ShowCue Connect, they select their department: Show Caller, Audio, Video, Lighting, Graphics, Playback, Stage Manager, or Full View. The cue sheet filters to show only the columns relevant to that role. The audio engineer sees audio cues and levels. The lighting designer sees lighting cues. The show caller sees all columns and has GO/Standby control. One cue sheet serves the entire team without anyone scrolling past irrelevant information.

Can ShowCue Connect handle multi-room events with different rundowns?

Yes. Each event supports unlimited cue sheets, organized as tabs. You can create one sheet per room, one per day, or one per show segment. Each sheet maintains its own cue list, current position, and timer state independently. This is designed for conferences with multiple breakout rooms running simultaneously alongside a general session, where each room has its own production flow.

How do auto-follow chains work for linked cues?

Auto-follow links cues together so they fire in sequence without manual GO commands. When a cue with auto-follow enabled completes, the next cue fires automatically. A visual chain indicator in the cue sheet groups connected cues so the show caller can spot auto-follow blocks at a glance. This is used for walk-up intros followed by presentations, bumper transitions between segments, and any sequence that needs to fire without pause.

What events can ShowCue Connect be used for?

ShowCue Connect works for any live event that runs on cues. This includes corporate general sessions, keynote presentations, multi-room breakout conferences, award shows and galas, panel discussions, product launches, fundraisers, town halls, hybrid events, and multi-day conferences. If your event has a rundown with technical cues for audio, video, lighting, or stage, ShowCue Connect can manage it.

Do I need to install software to use ShowCue Connect?

No. ShowCue Connect runs in any modern web browser. The show caller, audio engineer, video operator, lighting designer, and stage manager all open it on their own device โ€” laptop, tablet, or phone. There is no app to install, no license per seat, and no IT configuration required. The backstage display and confidence monitor can run on any screen with a browser, including TVs and dedicated monitors.

See it in action.

Schedule a demo and we'll walk you through ShowCue Connect from setup to show day.

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