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Roles

Roles are the connective tissue of the Shows system. They link a cast member to their costumes, mic pack, dressing room, and changeover tasks.

There are three distinct levels.

Role Definitions (On the Show)​

The canonical declaration that a position exists in a production. Defined once, inherited by every instance.

  • Name (Lead Female Vocalist, Male Comedian, Dance Captain, etc.)
  • Category (Principal, Swing, Ensemble, Featured, Specialty)
  • Description
  • Show-Critical flag — whether this role is required for the show to proceed
  • Whether it is a swing/cover role

Changing a Role Definition affects every instance. Adding a new one creates corresponding Role Instances on all active Show Instances.

Role Instances (On the Show Instance)​

Created automatically when a Show Instance is created (one per Role Definition). Managed independently per instance.

  • Reference to parent Role Definition
  • Assets assigned to this role (mic pack, costumes, props, IEM unit, etc.)
  • Instance-specific notes
  • Handover Task Template — reusable task list for changeovers (see below)
  • Show-Critical override (can differ from Role Definition default)

Role Assignments (On Cast Members)​

The connection between a performer and a Role Instance within a Cast.

  • Cast Member (the performer)
  • Role Instance (which role)
  • Start and end dates
  • Status: Upcoming / Active / On Leave / Completed
  • A single Cast Member can hold multiple Role Assignments (swings covering several positions)

Cover Qualifications​

Cast Members can be marked as Qualified to Cover specific Role Instances beyond their primary assignment.

  • Qualification status: Qualified / In Training / Not Qualified
  • Notes (e.g., "cleared for Act 1 only")
  • When substituting, qualified covers surface first in the UI. Unqualified performers are still available but show a warning — the PM always has final say.
  • History accumulates on both Cast Member and Role Instance records.

Handover Task Templates​

Attached to Role Instances. A reusable recipe of tasks generated during changeovers.

Each task definition holds:

  • Task name (e.g., "Costume fitting confirmed," "Mic pack channel assigned and tested")
  • Category (Wardrobe, Technical, Administrative, Artistic, Safety)
  • Assigned department
  • Optional due offset ("X days before first performance")
  • Whether it requires named sign-off

Templates accumulate institutional knowledge over time. When a changeover identifies a role as changing, tasks are generated from the template.

Per-Performance Substitutions​

A temporary, performance-specific override. Not a changeover or sign-off.

  • Show Instance, performance date, Role Instance being covered
  • Regular Cast Member, covering performer
  • Reason (Injury / Illness / Personal / Scheduled Rest / Other)
  • Linked Sign-Off Record (optional)
  • Confirmed by PM or Stage Manager

The interface is designed for speed — day-of operation. Qualified covers surface first; unqualified selection shows a warning but is always permitted and logged.

Required Roles​

Show-Critical roles are those whose absence makes the show unperformable. When a performance approaches, the system evaluates every Show-Critical role:

  • If uncovered: alerts PM and Stage Manager, blocks "Ready for Performance" status.
  • The PM cannot bypass without explicitly recording an exception with a required note (logged for liability).
  • Non-critical uncovered roles generate warnings but do not block.

Role Instance Detail Page​

Each Role Instance has its own detail page showing:

  • Current assignment with contract dates and Performance Status
  • Tonight/next performance coverage
  • Full assignment history
  • Substitution history
  • Assigned costumes with health indicators
  • Cover Qualifications
  • Editable Handover Task Template
  • Changeover history with task completion records
  • Show-Critical indicator