Theater Strike Checklist: How to Run Strike

Before strike: agree on the plan and responsibilities

Set the strike plan before the final performance if possible. Confirm when the venue must be clear, what condition it must be returned in, where items go, and who can approve exceptions. Ask each department lead to identify what their team will pack, store, return, or leave in place. Assign a person to track overall progress and a venue contact to confirm the handoff.

Make the task list reflect the real space and production rather than a generic assumption. Mark restricted areas and tasks that require qualified staff. If something cannot be completed within the agreed call, identify who will arrange and supervise the follow-up; do not leave an ambiguous pile for someone else.

• Confirm venue access, deadline, room-restoration expectations, waste and recycling procedures, and final inspection contact.
• Review the strike sequence with production leadership and department leads.
• Identify who is authorized for technical shutdown, equipment handling, heavy moves, and any restricted work.
• Prepare a task list with an owner and a way to confirm completion for each area.
• Gather approved labels, packing materials, inventory records, return details, and storage locations.
• Communicate what volunteers should wear or bring only when the responsible lead has confirmed the requirements.

At the end of the final performance: secure the show before clearing

Follow the company's post-show routine before moving anything. Confirm the audience has left where required, the performance is formally closed, and each department has the all-clear to begin its assigned work. People should not enter restricted backstage or technical areas just because the performance is over.

Have the stage manager or assigned coordinator announce the sequence and point volunteers to their leads. Keep pathways clear and stop if a task is unclear, an item is damaged, or someone identifies a safety concern. The venue's procedures and authorized leads take priority over finishing quickly.

Clear scenery, props, and backstage areas by assignment

Work through the venue and production plan area by area. Department leads should direct the handling of their equipment and materials; volunteers should not dismantle or move unfamiliar items without instruction. Separate items to store, return, repair, donate, recycle, or discard, and confirm the destination before anything leaves the building.

For each item with an existing record, update its location and condition as part of the handoff. The props and set pieces guide explains how item records and storage locations help keep the next production from starting with a search.

• Use the department lead's list to identify what is theirs to clear and where it belongs.
• Return borrowed or rented items according to their agreement and note who confirms the return.
• Record any missing, broken, or altered item instead of silently discarding it.
• Store props and set pieces in their assigned locations and update the props inventory or set piece tracking record when used.
• Keep walkways and exits clear throughout the work, following the venue's instructions.

Pack costumes and personal items carefully

Coordinate with the costume lead before laundering, repairing, or returning costume pieces. Some garments may be borrowed, rented, delicate, or assigned to a particular storage process. Put personal belongings in a designated lost-property area and communicate how and when owners can retrieve them; do not assume unclaimed items belong to the theater.

Use the costume inventory and costume lead's records to return pieces to the right location and capture condition notes. A quick note now can prevent the next wardrobe team from discovering a repair need at the fitting.

• Confirm the costume lead's sorting and return process before cleaning or packing.
• Separate theater-owned, borrowed, rented, and personal items.
• Record repairs, missing pieces, and condition changes against the appropriate item.
• Return accessories and costume materials to their labeled storage locations.
• Place lost property where the company has agreed and share the retrieval process.

Restore the venue and confirm the handoff

The venue agreement defines what restoration means: furniture placement, room contents, cleaning, waste handling, keys, access devices, and any items that remain. Use the agreed checklist and have the venue contact or assigned representative inspect the space. Keep a record of any exception and who accepted the plan for resolving it.

• Return furniture and venue-owned items to the required configuration.
• Remove production materials from dressing rooms, storage, lobby, and backstage areas as agreed.
• Handle waste, recycling, and cleaning according to venue instructions.
• Return keys, badges, access devices, and borrowed venue equipment to the named contact.
• Walk the space with the authorized venue representative and record outstanding items before leaving.

Close the production records after strike

Once the room is handed back, close the administrative loop. Route receipts, incident or damage information, borrowed-item confirmations, and open tasks to the people who maintain those records. Keep notes factual and limit access to sensitive information. Thank the crew and volunteers, and capture lessons while the details are still easy to remember.

• Confirm each department has reported missing, damaged, repaired, or returned items.
• Update inventory locations and condition records where the owner authorizes the change.
• Send any unresolved venue, rental, or repair issue to a named owner with a next step.
• Return scripts, keys, paperwork, and production documents to the agreed storage or administrator.
• Record what should change in the next strike plan and recognize the people who helped.

A final strike checklist before everyone leaves

Do one final pass with the responsible leads rather than relying on a single volunteer's memory. The stage manager checklist offers related routines for calls and production handoffs; strike-specific responsibilities should still follow your venue and department procedures.

• Every department confirms its assigned area is complete or has a named follow-up owner.
• Borrowed and rented items have a documented destination and return plan.
• Inventory changes, repairs, and missing items are recorded for the responsible owner.
• The venue contact has confirmed the agreed handoff or documented exceptions.
• Keys, access devices, and production records are returned to the designated person.
• No one is left performing work beyond their training or authorization.

Make strike easier for the next production

A well-run strike preserves more than the room; it preserves knowledge. Keep accurate storage records, return items to their known homes, and leave a short note about unresolved repairs or venue procedures for the next production team. The season guide from auditions to strike explains how those closeout records feed the next show.