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Show Structure ​

Define your production's backbone — acts, scenes, characters, and script.

Show Structure — On Book Pro

Overview ​

The Show Structure tool is the foundation of your production in On Book Pro. Here you define:

  • Acts & Scenes: The hierarchical structure of your show
  • Characters: All roles in the production with scene assignments
  • Script: View and edit your imported script as ScriptBlocks
  • AI Import: Automatically extract structure from your PDF script

Getting Started ​

Opening Show Structure ​

  1. Navigate to Show Structure in the sidebar
  2. You'll see three subtabs: Acts & Scenes, Characters, and Script

Managing Acts & Scenes ​

Adding an Act ​

  1. Click "+ Add Act" at the bottom of the acts list
  2. Enter the act name (e.g., "Act One", "Act I", or "Prologue")
  3. The act appears in the list, ready for scenes

Adding Scenes to an Act ​

  1. Find the act you want to add scenes to
  2. Click "+ Add Scene" within that act
  3. Enter the scene name (e.g., "Scene 1", "Opening Number")
  4. The scene appears nested under its parent act

Reordering Acts & Scenes ​

  • Drag and drop acts to reorder them
  • Drag and drop scenes within an act or between acts
  • The order here determines the order in:
    • Scheduler scene selection
    • Blocking scene selector
    • Run Sheet scene dropdowns
    • Print outputs

Editing & Deleting ​

  • Click on any act or scene name to edit it inline
  • Click the trash icon (delete) to delete
  • Warning: Deleting an act removes all its scenes

Managing Characters ​

Adding Characters ​

  1. Scroll to the Characters section
  2. Click "+ Add Character"
  3. Enter the character name
  4. The character appears in the list

Assigning Characters to Scenes ​

  1. Click on a character row
  2. Click "Assign Scenes" or the scene assignment button
  3. Check the scenes this character appears in
  4. Click Save

Scene assignments help with:

  • Conflict detection in the Scheduler
  • Character filtering in Blocking
  • Cast call sheets

Generating Ensemble Tokens ​

For large casts with ensemble members:

  1. Click "Generate Ensemble"
  2. Enter the number of ensemble members
  3. Optionally provide a prefix (e.g., "Ensemble" creates "Ensemble 1", "Ensemble 2", etc.)
  4. Click Generate

This rapidly creates multiple character entries for tracking purposes.

Linking Characters to Actors ​

Characters can be linked to actors in the Personnel Directory:

  1. Go to Personnel → find the actor
  2. Edit their profile
  3. Assign them to one or more characters

Script Subtab ​

The Script subtab displays your imported script content:

Reading Mode (Default) ​

  • View your script in a clean, readable format
  • Navigate by scene using the scene selector
  • Character dialogue is formatted correctly

Block View Mode ​

  • Toggle using the icon
  • View script as editable ScriptBlocks
  • Each block has a type: dialogue, stage_direction, scene_heading, song, transition
  • Click any block to edit content or reclassify type

Editing Script Blocks ​

  1. Go to Show Structure → Script
  2. Toggle to Block View (bar_chart)
  3. Click any block to open the editor
  4. Make changes:
    • Edit text content
    • Change block type
    • Reassign to a different scene
  5. Click Save

Note: Script content only appears after importing a PDF. See Script Import.

AI Script Import ​

The AI uses a two-stage pipeline to analyze your script:

  1. Stage 1 (Gemini 2.5 Pro): Deep extraction of scenes, characters, and dialogue
  2. Stage 2 (Gemini Flash): Fast cleanup and formatting refinement

How to Import ​

  1. Go to File Management (hamburger menu → File Management)
  2. Click "Import Script (PDF)"
  3. Select your PDF file (text-based PDFs work best)
  4. Wait for AI analysis (30-90 seconds depending on length)
  5. Review the extracted data in Show Structure:
    • Acts and scenes (Acts & Scenes subtab)
    • Character names (Characters subtab)
    • Full script content (Script subtab)

On-Demand Extraction (Props & Sound) ​

Props and sound cues are not auto-extracted during import. Extract them separately:

  • Props: Go to Props tool → Click "Extract from Script"
  • Sound Cues: Go to Sound → Sound Cues → Click "Extract from Script"

Best Practices for AI Import ​

  • Use text-based PDFs — Scanned images won't work as well
  • Standard formatting — The AI recognizes common theatrical script formats
  • Review results — AI extraction isn't perfect; verify and edit as needed
  • Import early — The AI gives you a head start; refine as you go

See the full Script Import Guide for detailed instructions.

Integration with Other Tools ​

Show Structure data flows throughout On Book Pro:

ToolHow It Uses Show Structure
SchedulerDrag scenes onto calendar dates
BlockingSelect scenes to load their associated sets
Run SheetScene dropdown populated from structure
PropsProps linked to specific scenes
CostumesCostume pieces assigned to scenes
SoundSound cues linked to scenes

Tips for Success ​

emoji_objects Set up structure first — A solid foundation makes everything else easier

emoji_objects Use descriptive names — "Act 2, Scene 3 - The Ballroom" is better than "A2S3"

emoji_objects Import, then refine — AI import saves time; manual editing perfects it

emoji_objects Assign scenes to characters — This powers conflict detection in scheduling

Video Tutorial ​

video_library Watch: Setting Up Your Show Structure (Coming soon)

Last updated: January 30, 2026 (Script Subtab, two-stage AI, on-demand extraction)