WHAT IS A GOOD SIZE AUDIENCE?

This has been coming up in several discussions with clients and prospective clients.

Here is one problem with all dinner shows: serving and removing the food. Acts can't really be performed during food service for reasons such as safety, interference with the show, etc. So food service happens in between acts. And with large groups, unless the venue has a quick and large waitstaff, this can take some time. Now with our shows, while food service is taking place, the actors improv with the audience and we play dance music. But if food service takes too long - it's like having a one hour intermission at a movie, a 30 minute break between innings at a ball game, a long wait at a red light, etc. In short, it takes away from the event.

Here is another problem with dinner shows that are interactive: they should not be performed on a stage unless the stage is a raised stage centered in the middle of the group. With interactive dinner shows, the audience is part of the event so you place the "stage" in the center so that the audience can be center stage, so that everyone has a first or second row seat. Usually, arranging the tables in a C or U shape or a circle, with a playing area/dance floor in the middle, works best. We have a sample floor plan in an earlier post.

So what is a good size audience? That really depends on the food service and the venue. And note: other problems can arise in private events that have the same effect as food service: e.g., speeches, raffles, awards, etc. These also take time and with any theatrical performance, timing is everything.

WRITING SHOWS

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Writer's block is a condition, associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task in hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked" writers have been unable to work for years on end, and some have even abandoned their careers. It can manifest as the affected writer viewing their work as inferior or unsuitable, when in fact it could be the opposite."

Right now, I have "trivial" because so many othger trivial tasks are before me that I have not been able to sit down and write my shows.

SPONSORING EVENTS

One of the events we contribute to will be The Levittown Community Council's 13th Annual Lazy Days of Summer event at the East Village Green Park on Saturday, July 10 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. in Levittown, NY. There is no admission and the day’s activities are completely free to the participants. The activities include pony rides and a petting zoo, a clown, bubble making, face painting, tattoos, sand art, a fishing pond for the young children, games and activities, a deejay and a basketball competitions.. Guests can bring a picnic, but the Council provides watermelon and cake for dessert. There will be entertainment and prizes given out for the games....and I will be there and then off to our show at The Views At Mt. Fuji!

OH WELL....

Our July 10 show should be interesting as I just realized that in trying to work out actor conflicts and getting confirmations from the actors(still need one more), I would up with a mostly female cast and the show is titled Murder At The All Star game - so I better start working on a plot now.

CLEAN THE GUNS, TAKE THE CANNOLI

That's what we have to do at the end of each month. To keep our stage props in good working order, after a months work, each stage prop gun is throughly cleaned and lubricated so that it is in fine working order for the next month's round of shows. There are various lubricants but we use an actual gun cleaner/lubricant - no plug for any particular brand.

NEW LOCATIONS?

This is all "hush, hush" but we are speaking to two locations in Orange County and Dutchess County and hopefully can make an announcement soon on our web site. So keep our fingers crossed.

OUR CAST LAST NIGHT

MURDER AT GERSCH RETIREMENT PARTY by Jon Avner (Copyright 2010 by Jon Avner)

US Dept of Education Asst. Secretary Arnold Duncan – Darin Chumbley, NYS Dept. of Education Assistant Commissioner Danielle Steiner – Jenny Lee Mitchell, Det. Dorsey –Jon Avner