Show Tips: Comedy & Fundraisers (Part 2 of 2)

talent network show tips
By David Sedelmeier
Owner/Operator of talent network, inc.
Offering 30 years of insight and knowledge
 
Continuing on from last week, this is Part 2 (of 2) of our Show Tips Q&A with talent network owner David Sedelmeier – discussing how combining Comedy and Fundraisers can be advantageous for your organization. Read on to learn a little bit more of what to expect and, as always, let us know what you think.

What are the best ways to gain the audience’s attention?

Stage lighting is vital. So when the lights go down, you are visually drawn to the stage.
Also – we feel it is extremely important to have someone warm up the crowd, set the stage, get the crowd acclimated to what’s coming. We’ve seen dramatically different results in the response of the crowd to the headliner when we’ve had an opening act. All of our headlining comedians love the fact that we put openers with them on private shows and college shows.

What are some characteristics of the opening act?

We call it “taking the bullet” because it’s not an easy gig – you’re the first guy out on stage; you’re trying to get the crowd to pay attention to you; people are still finishing dessert, talking, or out of their seats, so it’s tough. But the talented openers kind of win them over. No one usually raves about the opening act, but his job is to make the headliner look good. So when the headliner gets that standing ovation, part of that is because that opening act did such a good job.

Do you try to book opening and headlining acts with similar or differing styles?

We try and get comedians that aren’t going to conflict. If you get a Mark Eddie that is performing songs and impressions, I’m not going to put an impressionist-type comedian in front of him, and I’m not going to put a musical act in front of him. If someone does magic comedy, I’m not going to put a magician in front of him. With openers, you generally like energy; you like somebody that kind of like the guys that warm up audiences during game shows.

How do you know that a comedy night is successful?

Some comedian’s style of winning the crowd is to build a friendship with an audience over time, in comparison to those that like to acclimate to crowds quickly. But ultimately, there isn’t a lot of mystery to the success of a comedy show: if the show is well-attended and the audience is on their feet, applauding, wanting more at the end – the job is done.

Or course, the most important question we’ve yet to answer is how to make it work for YOUR event. Is there something about booking a comedian that you want to know? We’re happy to help. And check out the comedians and all of the entertainment available on talentnetworkinc.com.

Utilizing our 30 years in the industry, covering shows and events across the world, “Show Tips” is our way of sharing what we’ve learned – and continue to learn – with every event we do. We divulge our behind-the-scenes experiences of working and producing live shows – so you know how to create the best show possible. Let us be your sounding board for your next event! Have questions? Concerns? We are always on-hand – just call and/or email and let us know how we can help. You can also read more about the artists and events in our area on talent network news.

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