Class Talent Show
Talent Show
I've been asked to discuss our Talent Show, what we call the Cabaret. We in '68 did our first Cabaret at our 15th Reunion and have done one every reunion since then. Presently, we are well under way towards our sixth Cabaret for our 40th Reunion (October 11, 2008).
Several points of advice.
- The key person is someone musical, in our case, Peter Larson, who can play the piano very well, indeed.
- Then, it is nice to have an organizing team, which might be one, two, or three other people to set it all up.
- It is essential to reserve a performance space ASAP. We reserved our performance space two years in advance.
- It is also essential to recruit the performers starting two years in advance.
- The final key piece is a technical director. Tom Morgan, Technical Director of College Theater at Harvard, can help you find that person.
With that basis, you are ready to roll. Plan on three hours to rehearse. And make certain that each set is short, 5-10 minutes ideally. That allows for more performers and if someone is having a bad night, well, it's over soon. And never, ever run more than two hours. After two hours, you are virtually guaranteed to lose your audience. Above all, have fun. The Cabaret has brought classmates back to the reunion who wouldn't otherwise have come, has been a joy to participate in and to share with the class, and has been pivotal in building the class into a vibrant community.
Enjoy! Ed Kovachy '68 EdKovachy@aol.com
