You might still be wrapping up your current season and looking forward to a slower summer pace—but if you’re serious about streamlining next season’s program books, now is the time to prepare. Performing arts organizations that lock in vendors, clarify processes, and set timelines in the spring avoid the last-minute chaos that typically hits just before opening night.
At Onstage, we’ve refined a system over the past two decades that helps our clients stay in control while navigating the many moving parts of program book production. Whether you’re managing one or six performances a season, print or digital (or both), these phases will help you stay organized and deliver professional results—without sacrificing sanity.
One Timeline Per Edition
While pre-season planning is a one-time task, the real workload begins afterward. Everything from asset gathering through final delivery must be repeated for each individual program edition. If your organization presents six performances, that’s six complete production cycles—each requiring 6 to 8 weeks of coordination, back-and-forth, and approvals.
On average, producing just one high-quality print and/or digital program book in-house can require:
- 1 project manager to keep the timeline on track
- 1–2 staff members collecting cast bios, production notes, and sponsor content
- 1 graphic designer or layout professional managing proofs and revisions
- 1 person handling vendor coordination, ad proofing, and delivery logistics
Multiply that by six editions, and you’re looking at 18–24 weeks of continuous effort, consuming 100–150+ staff hours per edition. Over a full season, this adds up to 600–900 hours—equivalent to more than three months of full-time work.
Without a clear process (and the staff to support it), it’s easy to fall behind, rush production, or miss opportunities to engage your audience and sponsors. That’s why a smart timeline—and the right support team—can make all the difference.
Print File Deadline: Your Starting Point
A well-planned schedule starts by working backward from your print file deadline. Most trusted printers require final files in hand 5 business days before you need the programs in the venue. Add 1–2 days for shipping, depending on location and quantity. This buffer is non-negotiable if you want to avoid late deliveries or added rush fees.
Phase 1: Pre-Season Planning (8–12 Weeks Before First Program)
- Lock in season performance dates and venue delivery expectations
- Decide how many printed and digital editions you’ll need
- Build a calendar of deadlines for each individual program
- Confirm your printer’s production timeline and shipping windows
- Identify staff roles and design responsibilities internally or with vendors
Phase 2: Asset Gathering (5–8 Weeks Before Each Program)
- Begin outreach for cast bios, production notes, and program content
- Start sponsor and advertiser outreach; finalize deadlines and file specs
- Determine who is designing ads (your team or the advertiser)—and build in time for proofing
- Collect logos, donor lists, and acknowledgments from development
- Confirm pagination strategy, including inserts and house ads
Phase 3: First Proof + Review (3–4 Weeks Before Each Program)
- Submit all content for layout and review initial draft
- Review and route the first proof for internal feedback
- Confirm final page count for print pricing and file prep
- Request edits and prepare second proof cycle if needed
Phase 4: Final Proof + Approval (2 Weeks Before Each Program)
- Submit final changes and confirm with all stakeholders
- Approve print files and finalize digital version
- Transfer to printer and begin digital scheduling
Phase 5: Release Week
- Confirm printed books are delivered to venue(s)
- Deploy digital edition via SMS or email
- Track open rates, click-throughs, and early engagement data
This isn’t a simple process—but it doesn’t have to overwhelm your team either. A repeatable structure brings order to a complex task and makes it easier to scale quality across the entire season.
And if reading all of this already has your head spinning…that’s where we come in. Onstage specializes in managing this exact process—whether you’re 100% print, fully digital, or somewhere in between.
Want a smarter program book strategy? Answer four quick questions and we’ll build a custom plan for your upcoming season.
