School Talent Shows For Fun And Fundraising

Talent Shows forFun & FundraisingInside this eBook:Ideas for how toorganizega school orcamp talent showSuggestions for acts,behind the scenessupport,ppand pplanninggTips for how to geteveryone involved!A FREE VolunteerSpot eBook

VolunteerSpotPhilosophyp yPlease feel free to post this eBook on your blog or email itto whomever you believe would benefit from reading it.THANK YOU! TeamTVolunteerSpotV l tS t 2009 by VolunteerSpot DOING GOOD Just Got Easier!Copyright holder is licensing this under the Creative CommonsLicense, Attribution 2.5.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/At VolunteerSpot, we believethat volunteers should berewarded for steppingforward and sharing their timeand talents with those inneed. All too often,volunteering means puttingup with a certain amount ofhassle or frustration –whether that is late nightemails, reply-all messages,reminder phone calls, orsearching for a parkingspace. Our sponsors enableus to pprovide FREE tools thatsimplify volunteering,powering your good work inschools and clubs, in yourcongregation andneighborhoods. We can’t findyou a parking space, but withVolunteerSpot, DOING GOODjust got easier!

Talent Shows are FUN!Many schools, camps, and organizations hold talent shows every yearbecause they are fun, involve the community, and give students a chance toshow off their special skills. We’ve collected information to help you planyour talent show and we hope you will find some ideas to make your nextevent a success!“The Talent Showkeeps our kidsbuzzing all year thinking up of newacts and practicingtogether on theplayground.” Ms. M.Principal, Austin, TXTalent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

How to Plan a Talent ShowWhy a Talent Show?Getting StartedSave time, Plan OnlineIts All in the DetailsFundraisingSpreading the WordCreative Bonus ActsProgram TipsPreparationsConcessionsKid’s GuideTips for PerformersTalent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!page 5page 6page 8page 9page 10page 11pagepg 12page 13page 14pagepg 15page 16page 17

Why a Talent Show?F theForth schoolh l community:itThere is nothing more fun or memorable to students than to seetheir friends celebrated front‐and‐center!F theForth participants:ti itParticipating in a talent show gives all students recognition fornon‐academic talents. It also provides character‐building lessonsduring try‐outs, practice and performance. In middle and highschool,, student productionpteams getg to showcase their staging,g g,sound and lighting skills. It’s a wonderful teambuildingexperience for all ages.For the parents/parent association:Talent shows are a fun opportunity for parents to partner withperforming arts teachers, administrators, and other parents.Many schools use talent shows to raise money by selling tickets,t‐shirts and concessions.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Getting StartedA talent show is a great way to celebrate the performing talents of students.Here are some tips that will help you organize a talent show.Organize a committee of students, parents,local business owners and teachers. Thecommittee is responsible for overseeing theplanning, promotion and implementationof the talent show.Choose the date. Be careful not to pickdates around exams or school‐wide testing!Reserve a space to hold the show,show notifythe administrators, and get yourself on thecalendar.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!Recruit willingperformers.

Getting Started (cont(cont’d)d)Recruit non‐performers to help. Keep a list ofpeoplee whopeopo wanta t to paparticipatet c pate but notot peperform,o ,along with their particular skills and interests.Publicize your event. Ask students to makeposterst andd hanghthemtharoundd theth school,h l anddaround town.Schedule auditions. Auditions encouragegstudents to prepare their routine, and allow theorganizer to screen for potential problems orinappropriate acts. Limit acts to 2 or 3 minutes.Use a bell or gong to indicate when time is upup.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Save time, Plan your Talent ShowOnline with VolunteerSpotVolunteerSpot’s simple online scheduler makes it easy to get thehelp you needneed. One-clickOne click signsign-upsups and automated confirmationsand reminders help everyone keep their commitments.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

It’s all in the DetailsAskteachersand staffto supportthe talentshow byallowingstudents topracticeduringlunch orafterschool. Backstage – where will acts wait until it’s their turn?Production PlanningStaging – What equipment is needed for each act,act how will it get to whereit needs to be?– Sound – Who will start/stop recorded music? Will live music be picked upby the audio system? Who’s responsible for sound checks?– Lights – What are lighting needs? Who’s responsible for lighting checks?– Timingg ‐‐ Decideec de whoo will keepeep ttrackac oof time.t e Havea e a planp a foro whatat to do ifan act goes over.Food – How long is rehearsal? Will students and teachers need refreshments?Are concessions going to be sold during the show?Supervision – Who will be in charge of making sure everyone is ready when it’stheir turn?Stage Fright – Do you have a plan if some of the kids get scared? (for youngerkids, keeping a bag of ‘courage pellets’ (candy) handy can help.Tickets – Will patrons need tickets? Will they be sold ahead of time, or at thedoor, or both?Grand Finale: Will all performers be invited back up on stage?– Judging & prizes: Decide if there will there be a competition. If so, what is theprocess for quickly scoring results and announcing winners?Appreciation: Decide how the staff, parents and students that helped with theshow will be recognized.Set up/Clean up: Recruit volunteers to both set up and clean up the stage andauditorium.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Turning your Talent Show into aF d iFundraiserSell T‐shirts, food, glow bracelets, etc.Sell advertising for the printed program andSponsor Banners to be prominently postednear the stageSell tickets – either at the door, or ahead of timeSell flowers, ribbons, or other favors for theaudience to give the performersRecord the performance and sell DVDs ‐ either ahigh school student, parent , or professionalcan record and edit the DVDCreate a photo‐bookphoto book and sell copiesTalent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Spreadingpg the WordFliers. Hand out information about your talentShow to everyone you know. Be sure to includethe date, time, location and what kinds ofperformances you will have.Print aandd web.eb Ask yyour local newspaper,p p ,church, school newsletter and websites to run afree announcement about your Talent Show. Besure to include the day, time, and address.Posters Have kids help make colorful signsPosters.with the date, time, location. The more postersyou put up on telephone poles, at school, and atnearby businesses, the better. If you havecorporate sponsors, be sure to list them.Word of mouth. Tell all your friends andtheir parents.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Creative Bonus Acts If students are looking for ideas for their performance, suggestthese non‐traditional talents:– Double‐dutch jump‐roping– Extreme hula‐hooping– Gymnastics or yoga– Basketball tricks– Original monologues or poetry– Pet tricks– Hand claps Ethnic showcase – Some students may want to share music,dance and traditions related to their native heritage Teacher talent – Adding one or two teachers to the show can bevery well receivedreceived. One elementary school teacher dressed as apopular teen Pop Star and had three other teachers perform asher backup dancers. Students waved signs in preparation forthe Star’s big number and the crowd went wild!Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Program TipsKeep attention levels high ‐‐ stagger your acts so all the singers, dancers andmusiciansi iare didistributedib d throughouthhtheh show.hRecruit one or more students to pepper jokes in‐between acts to keep the audience engaged and givestage hands time to setup.Find an outgoing student who is willing to announce theacts and thank them for their performance. This personcan experiment with different costumes or hats.Think about creating a‘half-time’ number. Thisact is choreographed toinclude a large numberof students and typicallyinvolves a danceand/or song related tothe show’s theme.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Before the Show - PreparationsPrepare for the show. Many of the acts will require music.Create a digital master mix or CD with all of the songs in order,orderaccording to how they'll appear on the stage. Then create severalmore copies, in case you misplace the master.DDecoratetheh stage, set up theh lilights,h checkh k theh soundd system.Run at least one dress rehearsal, and tech rehearsal. Everyoneshould go through their acts quickly and in the correct order, sothat the stage hands know when they need to move a mike, plugin a spot or cue a CD. The bigger the show, the more importantthe technical aspect becomes.Enjoy the show!Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!“Our school holds aTalent Show everyyear. The kids,teachers and parents,look forward to it - it’sa fun way for kids toshowcase their gifts!“ Ms. S.th5 Grade Teacher,Lansing, MI

Talent shows are greatfor kids because it givesall kids a chance toparticipate either onstageg or behind thescenes.With a few simple clicks,VolunteerSpot can helpyou organize your nexttalent Show – and it’sfree!Just log on towww.Volunteerspot.comto get started!Concession Ideas PopcornSnow‐conesHot dogs/burgersCotton candyDrinksPeanutsCookiesCandyPretzelsTrail mixFruitDoughnutsCaramel applesTalent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!

Kids’ GuideKids Think of something you do well that would fit into a talent show.Some examples: singing, dancing, magic, comedy routine, dramaticmonologue, juggling, yo‐yo tricks, mime, gymnastics, recitingpoetry or playing an instrument. Make sure your act is compliantwith your school's code. Practice as much as you can prior to the audition and the show. Ifyou have trouble during practice, modify your act so that you aremore comfortable. Sign up and go to the audition with a positive attitude. If youmake it in, congratulate yourself! If you didn't, ask the judges forfeedback so you know what to look out for next time! Don’t want to be on stage? Sign up to help backstage, make theset, sell tickets, make posters and flyers, or serve refreshments.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!If you plan to wear acostume, wear it forthe audition. Don’tleave details to thejudges’ imagination.

Use music withoutlyrics (karaokeversion)) so the judgesj gcan hear your voice.Tips for PerformersPRACTICE!! Prior to the show, practice in front of familyand friends. The more you practice, the better preparedyou will be. Ask your audience for feedback, and adjustyour performance accordingly.PREPARE! Select your clothes and make‐up, then practicea few times in full costume.PARTICIPATE in all rehearsals.Be PROFESSIONAL! If you make a mistake during yourperformance, just keep going. Your audience is less likely tonotice a mistake if you act like nothing happened.PACE YOURSELF! Make sure you move around the stage abit, especially if you’re singing, and try to make eye contactwith people in the audience.Talent Shows / VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier!