Onstage is a "must follow" trick-taking game in which you play as a theater company competing for the best performers to join your troupe. By winning tricks, you claim performers onstage. The trump suit is determined by the most valuable performers currently onstage and will change throughout the game as you recruit and manipulate the line of performers.

The deck consists of 36 cards, numbered 1-9 for each of the four suits. Each suit has three performers, one each valued at 1, 2, and 3 points, which represent the featured, supporting, and lead actors respectively. The values 1, 4, and 7 of each suit have effects to manipulate the performers onstage and in line, which can change the current trump and scoring opportunities each hand.

If at the end of the round, you are the only player with no performer tokens, you claim all the performers currently on stage as your score for the round. Keep one card between each round and put all used performers back in line behind the current line before starting the next hand in the new turn order.

After playing an equal number of rounds per player, whoever has the high score wins. In the two-vs-two team variant, partners combine their scores at the end of each round, but they may not discuss their hands during play.