Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Organizing Your Show
• Part 2 of 4: Conducting an Audition
• Part 3 of 4: Advertise your show
• Part 4 of 4: Running the Show
• Tips
• Warnings

Talent shows are a great way to make money and build community. While talent shows take a significant amount of time to prepare and require dedication, they are fun and rewarding events that showcase the talents and abilities of the participants. They also provide an opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds such as the performing arts, government services and students.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Organizing Your Show

1. 1 Decide what kind of show you want to organize. You should decide if you want to put on a demo or fundraising show. You need to choose what kind of performances you are interested in, and whether it will be in the form of a competition. Once you address these issues, you can begin to select the appropriate venue and staff.
   • If this show is also a competition, decide on awards for the winners. Schedule 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards. Think about choosing a winner for each performance category.
   • Create assessment criteria. If you have jury members, indicate the categories and the point system. For example, 20 points for originality, 20 for a costume, and so on. Agree on penalties for exceeding the time limit to keep the competition fair.
2. 2 Make a budget. This is the lifeblood of your show. You will have to hold the show in a special place, advertise it and buy everything you need for it. To make a show successful, determine the scale and budget of your show.
   • Find sponsors to help raise money for the show and provide prizes.
   • Initial costs can be recouped through participation fees and ticket sales.
   • Set a spending limit for each category of your show, such as advertising and rent.
3. 3 Create an organizing committee. Gather a group of community members - such as parents, entrepreneurs, and educators - and form a committee. This committee will be responsible for planning, promoting and organizing talent shows.
   • An organized committee will not only help take the burden off you, but also support you in unforeseen situations.
   • Appoint a treasurer to keep track of your budget and costs.
4. 4 Choose a venue. Think about the scale of your show. You will need to be able to accommodate your entire audience. If the show is small and the performers need a minimum of technical assistance, then a small conference room is most suitable for the venue. For large halls, more modern technical equipment with a sound reinforcement system will be needed.
   • Look for a place at your nearest school or theater to host a show. If you are working in a location that already has an event hall, you will need to contact the person in charge of booking it.
   • Be mindful of your audience. Depending on the selected hall, you must provide the appropriate number of seats. If you choose an empty room, for example, then for the audience you will have to make rows of folding chairs or tables.
5. 5 Determine the date. Set a date as soon as possible. You will need to make sure the venue is available and book it. Plan your date around other major events that your attendees may have.For example, if your show has a lot of students, then the date of the show should not coincide with the date of the exams.
6. 6 Gather support staff. You will need people who are not performers or juries to help get the show running. You will need at least the stage workers and director, sound and lighting operator, jury members (if this is a competition). Recruit people from the area who are willing to help, not act.
   • It is very important to consider every aspect of your show. You will need people to set up, run the show, work with the audience, and clean up.
   • Have a day of technical training. Some people with no technical experience may wish to help with any technical aspects of the show. Having a technical training day will help them gain experience and help launch your talent show.

Part 2 of 4: Conducting an Audition

1. 1 Create profiles for participants. With the help of the questionnaire, you can not only register participants, but also outline your requirements and legal agreements. This will help you organize the participants according to the categories of your show and keep track of their technical requirements. Include anything that is inappropriate for your show. For example, if you do not want to include nude bodies or pyrotechnics in the show, then indicate this in the questionnaire.
   • Be sure to get signatures from the legal guardians of the show participants who are under the age of 18.
   • List the talent show categories so that participants can check which category their performance falls into.
   • Enter an entry fee to increase the prize pool and to help cover the costs of launching the show.
   • Indicate when the prizes will be given out.
2. 2 Advertise your auditions. Prepare booklets showing the time, date and location of the audition. Indicate age group, type of performance and prizes. Tell us where you can apply for participation.
   • List the registration fee, if any.
   • Indicate if you need to wear stage costumes.
   • Provide the necessary contact information in case anyone has questions about your performance or your show.
3. 3 Find a listening position. You will need to reserve a place where everyone can present their performance in full sound and space. Choose a time that suits both the jury and the participants. For example, if the jury members work during the day or the participants are busy with their studies, then auditions can be held on a weekday evening or on a weekend.
   • Any single room, dance studio or gym will be a great listening venue.
   • Do not use someone else's home for this. You will not be able to accommodate all the people for listening, and strangers will get into your house. If something goes wrong, then the home owner can be held liable.
   • Make sure participants have a place to wait and rehearse while waiting for their turn to audition.
4. 4 Tag each participant as soon as they arrive. Make a list to collect signatures. This will help you determine how many people have come and allow you to schedule their auditions.
5. 5 Make a schedule. It will be based on the number of people who came and registered. Let the participants know when they will audition so that they can leave and return if necessary.
6. 6 Set a time limit for listening. This will give everyone an equal amount of time. It will also help you stay on schedule. Use beeps or lights to let participants know when their time is running out.

Part 3 of 4: Advertise your show

1. 1 Advertise your show. For you to have an audience, you must be heard! There are many ways to advertise. Print brochures to let people know about the time, date, and location of the show. Be sure to include your list of contributors to create buzz.
   • Advertisements should be done well in advance so people can schedule their time for the show.
   • If you know someone who is great in graphic design, then get them involved! This can be a cost effective way to produce professionally designed booklets.
   • Place brochures near local universities, venues and cafes to attract not only the audience, but also the participants.
   • If you sell tickets, announce where you can buy them. If you sell them online or in advance, be sure to include this information as well.
2. 2 Use the internet. Create a Facebook, Twitter and Google+ account for your show. Send out date and time reminders. Highlight performers to create buzz.
   • Find someone in your local community who will be willing to create a website for your show to provide details of the event. If you have sufficient funds for this purpose, consider hiring someone.
3. 3 Create an information hotline. It will be used to answer any questions from both the show participants and the audience.
   • Engage volunteers to answer questions. Be sure to set up a schedule for your hotline so that volunteers don't get overwhelmed.
4. 4 Take advantage of word of mouth. Tell everyone you know and encourage them to do the same. The more enthusiasm you show, the more likely they are to tell everyone else about your talent show. This is one of the best and most cost effective ways to promote your show.

Part 4 of 4: Running the Show

1. 1 Let everyone come early. Make sure everyone arrives at the location an hour or an hour and a half before the show opens. This way, you will have time to resolve any issues that arise before the show starts.
   • Use this time to walk with your committee and volunteers throughout the logistics of the show.
   • Everyone should be aware of the latest changes.
   • Create an emergency telephone line. Either buy a new line or assign it to someone else's number. This number should be kept separate from the information line. It will be intended for participants who cannot arrive or will be late.
2. 2 Check the scene. Gather technical personnel to ensure that the light and sound equipment is working properly. Check with the backstage manager that all attendees have arrived, are backstage, and prepare for their performances.
   • Get technicians to check the lighting. Don't forget to check to see if there are any replacement bulbs if they burn out.
   • Also, the technical staff should check the sound. Have replacement cables and backup equipment ready in case of any breakdown.
   • Make sure all participants have everything they need to perform, including musical instruments, laptops, or a screen.
3. 3 Install a ticket office. Place a small table in front of the main entrance to the venue. Put two volunteers there. They will collect tickets from those who bought them in advance. They will also sell tickets.
   • You must have a cash safe with enough change money. Make sure the cashier keeps track of the amount of tickets sold in the safe after the show before starting.
4. 4 Set up food stands. Decide what kind of food you will sell before the show. Pre-packaged snacks require a lot less effort than selling hot ones. If you want to sell hot food, then you have to cook and clean more.
   • Obey local laws to avoid fines. Chances are, you will need someone specially trained to prepare food safely. You should also comply with fire safety requirements.
   • Bring disposable dishes and utensils so you don't have to wash everything. Provide a place to collect trash.
   • Bring cleaning supplies such as rags and rinse buckets.Use bleach to keep everything clean.
   • Also prepare a cash safe for the proceeds from the sale of food.
5. 5 Start the show. You must have a host of the ceremony to open the show and meet the participants. Use this time to enjoy the performers' performance, but be prepared for any questions or situations as they arise.
   • Make sure you have an announcer or presenter to keep your audience entertained between talks. This will keep the audience from getting bored and give the stage workers time to prepare for their next performance.
6. 6 Clean up after you. After the show is over, don't forget to clean everything up. If you have a group of volunteers, get them together before leaving. You want the venue to be in better shape than when you arrived.
   • Assign teams to clean specific areas. This will allow you to clean up faster and more thoroughly.

Tips

• Be flexible. When you run a show like this, the participants or stage workers may not be able to cope. Change your speaking schedule as needed. Create a reserve for key positions such as director or presenter.
• Submit your suggestions for lights, costumes, and props to keep the show running smoothly.
• If you have a jury, make sure you select people with diverse backgrounds. You will need people who specialize in the main categories - singing, for example, or dance and music, but in addition, you will also need a generalist who will understand things, for example, sports. Thus, there can be not only the opinions of experts, but also the opinion of those who simply know whether he likes what he sees or not.
• Distribute participants with similar performances throughout the show. You need to hold the audience's attention.
• Make an original digital mix or performance CD that uses pre-recorded music. Be sure to make copies in case something happens to the original.
• Consider creating a cancellation policy for inclement weather or other circumstances. You must have a spare date planned for the show if you have to cancel the original.

Warnings

• Be sure to check your local food serving requirements. For lack of permits, you may be fined for the sale of products that do not meet quality and safety requirements.
• Pay attention to the rules of the venue. After all, it is undesirable for you to pay fines for the damage caused.
• Pay attention to all safety rules. You don't want anyone to get hurt during one part of your show.