Stage Manager Suite
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Costume Plot Software That Keeps Every Look Straight
A costume plot is the map of your entire show: who wears what, in which scene, and whether it's been acquired yet. Most costume designers still track it on a whiteboard, a paper grid, or a spreadsheet that gets out of date the moment a scene changes — and by tech week nobody's sure which pieces are still missing.
Stage Manager Suite gives you a living costume plot organized by act and scene, with a checklist for every cast member and their measurements already attached. Pieces link straight to your costume inventory, so when something is pulled from stock or bought, the plot knows about it. It's built to work alongside your cast list and your talent pool, not as one more document to maintain by hand.
A costume plot organized by act and scene
Lay out your show the way a designer actually thinks about it: act by act, scene by scene, character by character. Each cast member gets a costume list for every scene they appear in, so you can see at a glance that the lead needs three complete looks and a quick change between scenes four and five.
Because the plot is tied to your show's scene breakdown, it stays consistent with the rest of your production. When a scene is added or reordered, the costume plot reflects the same structure your rehearsal schedule and program use.
- See every look by act and scene in one view
- Track quick changes and multiple looks per character
- Keep the plot aligned with your show's scene list
A per-cast-member costume checklist with acquired status
Every piece on the plot has an acquired status, so your costume checklist doubles as a to-do list. Mark items as still needed, in progress, or ready, and you'll always know exactly how many pieces stand between you and a fully costumed show.
This is the view that saves tech week. Instead of chasing designers for a status update, you open the plot and see the gaps immediately — which characters are complete and which ones still need a hat, a pair of shoes, or a second-act coat.
- Acquired / needed status on every costume piece
- Per-cast-member checklists you can scan in seconds
- A clear picture of what's still outstanding before opening night
Measurements on file for every performer
Sizing is half the battle, and it's the part that gets re-collected every single season. In Stage Manager Suite, measurements — shirt, dress, inseam, waist, bust, neck, and shoe — live on each performer's profile in your talent pool. They carry over from show to show, so a returning actor never has to be measured again unless something's changed.
When you're pulling or building a costume, the measurements are right there next to the piece. No separate binder, no texting the actor to ask their shoe size the night before a fitting.
Link costume pieces to your inventory
The costume plot answers what each character wears; your costume inventory answers where each piece lives. Link the two together and a costume on the plot points directly to the physical item in stock — with its photo, storage location, and check-out history.
That connection means strike is simpler too. When the show closes, you already know which inventory pieces were used, so returning them to the right box is a matter of following the links rather than reconstructing the plot from memory.
How the costume plot fits your whole season
A costume plot isn't an island. In Stage Manager Suite it draws measurements from auditions, aligns with your scene breakdown, links to inventory, and feeds the wardrobe crew a reliable checklist — all inside the same season management workspace.
For a full walkthrough of pulling, building, and tracking wardrobe, see our guide on how to track costume inventory.
Run your whole season — auditions to strike — in one workspace.
Start free — no credit card requiredFree plan includes auditions, casting, planning, and up to 50 inventory items.
Frequently asked questions
What is a costume plot?
A costume plot is a scene-by-scene breakdown of every costume each character wears throughout a show. It tracks looks, changes, and whether each piece has been acquired, so the wardrobe team knows exactly what's needed and when.
Can I organize costumes by act and scene?
Yes. Stage Manager Suite structures the costume plot by act and scene, and lists each cast member's costume pieces for every scene they appear in, including quick changes and multiple looks.
Where are performer measurements stored?
Measurements live on each performer's profile in your talent pool — shirt, dress, inseam, waist, bust, neck, and shoe. They carry over between shows and seasons, so returning actors don't need to be re-measured.
Can I connect the costume plot to my inventory?
Yes. Each piece on the plot can be linked to an item in your costume inventory, so you can jump straight to its photo, storage location, and check-out history when you pull or return it.
How do I know which costumes are still missing?
Every piece has an acquired status. The plot doubles as a checklist, so you can see at a glance which characters are fully costumed and which pieces still need to be pulled, bought, or built before opening night.
Is the costume plot free to use?
You can start building costume plots free with no credit card. The free plan covers up to 50 inventory items; paid plans add unlimited inventory tracking for larger wardrobe stocks.