Top Secrets For A Successful Stage Show

Top Secrets For a Successful Stage Show

Getting the most out of the entertainment you pay for.

You are the organiser for an event that needs stage show entertainment. The venue is booked, the guest lists have been sent out, the entertainment has been hired...and there is nothing left to do...or is there?

Often, stage shows that incorporate the audience, such as comedians, magicians and mind readers, can be destroyed by a few little things; small things that you have the power to change. However, a lot of organisers are not aware of these little niggles that can ruin the event.

If you are thinking of booking a stage show entertainer, or have booked one for your next event, here are some amazing tips that will make your event phenomenal:

Don't Keep Your Distance

Stage shows can be extremely interactive, this is especially true of mind readers. This means that the audience should be as close as possible to the stage.

From time-to-time, venues may place a dance floor between the tables and the stage. If you notice this, simply ask the banqueting staff to move all of the tables closer to the stage...remember, you are in charge!

Fill Those Front Tables First

This follows on from 'don't keep your distance'. People naturally tend to stay away from the very front tables, and as a result, if there is a deficit of guests, the front tables will be sparsely populated at best. This creates another empty zone between the tables and the stage, limiting audience interaction.

A wonderful tip is to place 'Reserved' signs on the tables furthest away from the stage until the tables closest to the stage are full.

Keep People Together

Catering staff will always try to fill the room by spreading out the tables and chairs to use up the space. This type of distancing may well utilise the space but doesn't build a connected room.

It is better for your event, and the entertainment, if there is an atmosphere of intimacy. This is true of small venues as well as large ones.

Remember that you are the boss and the banqueting staff are there to please you. Not the other way around!

Remove Tall Centrepieces on the Table

While tall centrepieces can look beautiful and flamboyant, they can also obstruct the view of your guests. This is of course a barrier for inter-table communication as well.

If tall centrepieces cannot be avoided then make sure that you ask the banqueting staff to place them to one side before the show and return them after the show has ended.

Close the Bar During the Show

Whether it is a free bar or not, people at events enjoy to drink. But people moving around during a stage show are disruptive to everyone in the room.

The best way to handle this is to have the bar closed during the stage show. A great tip is to cover the bar with a table cloth. Therefore, allowing people to see at a distance that the bar is currently closed.

If you announce the temporary closure at least half an hour before the show begins, it allows your guests the chance to grab a drink or two to keep at the table.

Never Have a Break Immediately Before the Show

Sometimes people will lose track of time during the break and not return in a timely manner. People arriving part way through the show will disturb the enjoyment for the other guests.

If people need a break to use the facilities they will do so as and when they need to. Let's treat them like grown-ups.

Place The Stage Show Before Any Speeches and Awards

It's no secret that people switch off during the speeches and awards. This is especially true if food was served just prior to them.

You need to make sure that your guests are charged up, alert and listening to the speeches and awards; too much time and effort has gone into them to just to let them fall on deaf ears.

By having the entertainment before the speeches, you give people a chance relax, revitalise and become excited. At the end of the performance they will be amazed and feel alert, ready to hear your important messages.

Can the People at the Back can see the Stage Show?

When dealing with groups larger than fifty people, a stage or a riser should be used. Most acts can and will perform on the same level as the tables, but this stops a large number of people from seeing what is happening.

Of course the same applies for both the sound and lighting. Without either, the audience will have a difficult time understanding what is going on.

In Closing

When you hire an entertainer for a stage show, it is in your best interest to make use of him, or her, as best as you can. Wonderfully entertaining acts can become dull or lack lustre if the above tips are not applied. As the event organiser it is within your power to take care of these variables which could make your carefully planned event begin to unravel.

Always remember that when you hire a venue you have the right to ask for things to be done the way you would like them. Don't allow the venue to stipulate things that will make your event dull, boring, or lose cohesion. If they baulk against your request, be sure to put your foot down.

If you would like more tips from a professional entertainer then feel free to follow Paul Brook Mind Reader on Twitter @PaulBrookSays or take a look at his website:

http://www.PaulBrook.co.uk