My Stage Act

[Guest]

I have been thinking about a stage routine for a while that I could do for a school talant show. Well the auditions have come and gone because they gave out an anouncement that auditions would be on thursday and then the show would be a week later. I let the show go because I couldn't put a routine that I could be proud of together in a week. I still want to put my act together but I hav no idea where I could perform it. I have been thinking about doing some resturant work at some cafes near me but that would be more close up work and angles wouldn't allow a Stage routine. So I am basicly asking "Where could i do my routine and is there any point in putting it together?"

[Guest]

You were smart to let the talent show go. Better to have something good and practiced than something thrown together just to be on the show.

While you've never told us where you are located, wherever you are there should be plenty of places to volunteer your services that don't have budgets for hiring entertainers. Hospitals, rest homes, convalescent hospitals, all spring to mind.

When I was a kid the local assembly of the SAM did a yearly show at the Ventura School for Girls. I did the show a couple of times. The audience was appreciative and the experience worthwhile.

[Guest]

I like the idea of working through the SAM. I don't know about working through a hospital though. I don't really do a lot with kids.

[Guest]

You don't need to volunteer to entertain kids in a hospital. Veterans hospitals are filled with guys whove given service to their country and would be happy to have the diversion of a live show. Be flexible as you may be working on a ward with guys in beds or in a day room with guys in pajamas and bathrobes and limited mobility.

Of course, youre doing it to get experience performing for a live audience, but you should show up practiced in the individual tricks and well-rehearsed in doing them all together. One of the major failings of amateurs in putting an act together is that they fail to rehearse the entire act, plotting out how they pick up things, where props go, etc. Keeping something timed to, say, 30 minutes, and not beyond, is good. Leave them wanting more.

[Pete Biro]

I cut my teeth on military hospital shows. In the Oakland area there was (still is I think) the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital.

After that I did HUNDREDS of shows whilst in the Army at service clubs, officers clubs and more hospitals, and even put a show together overseas working off the back of a big truck for a stage.

[Pete Biro]

I might add, it was a simple show basically doing the Short/Long Rope, Linking Rings and an arm chopper. I closed it with a juggling routine.