THE PURPOSE OF THE EVENT

Dan McGowan always strives to create the best and most memorable event for your organization.  The following guidelines come from Dan’s years of experience working as a performer for corporate events, cruise ships, churches, community events and more.

Please read them over to provide a great experience for everyone involved.

FOCUS ON FUN!

The focus of the event should be FUN!  Anything added to the event (a speech, presentation, etc.) that does not promote “fun” should be saved for another event or tailored to fit a fun, enjoyable evening.

Whether this is a corporate holiday event, a church outreach event, a fundraiser, an awards banquet – whatever – the primary focus must be FUN!  This way, everyone is in the mood for laughter and will leave feeling glad they came! 

LOGISTICAL NEEDS

Comedy is not “background entertainment.”  Therefore, it is important to ensure that both lighting and sound will capture the performance and that the room is properly set up for a live comedy presentation.  Here are some helpful tips:

STAGE – it is best to have a raised area. If there is no stage in place, then please provide a platform of some type.  If this cannot be offered, then ensure that there is an area set aside for a performance.  Also – intimacy is very important with comedy. A large dance floor, for example, that separates the stage area from the audience is deadly to a comedy event.  Please make sure you help create an intimate atmosphere for the show.

LIGHTS – Ensure there is proper lighting that will highlight the performer. Most venues already have this in place, but you may want to bring in additional spot lighting to aim at the performer.  If possible, it is best to have the room lights off or very low during the performance.

SOUND – On rare occasions sound is not needed but, in most cases, you will need to have a microphone in place at the bare minimum.  It is best to provide a microphone on a stand.  The mic can have a cord (or cordless) but it needs to be on a mic stand.  A mic attached to a podium is never a good idea for comedy because that puts a visual wall between the performer and the audience.  Some performers also require a mic input for a guitar or similar.  Always check with the performer as to their needs.

ROOM – In the best-case scenario, your room should be set up with proper visibility for every guest. Chairs in a slight circle around a stage is a great way to go.  If this is a table event, do your best to arrange the tables so line of sight is not hindered. 

SCHEDULE - This may seem a low priority, but when to schedule the comedy performance can make or break your event.

Perhaps you are thinking of filling your event with:

• A meal

• A speech

• An awards presentation

• A slide presentation

• The comedy performance

• Final thoughts from the CEO

This probably sounds reasonable. However, every aspect of the event that runs long will hinder the comedy performance.  This is simply because people get tired, espcially following a meal.

As a rule of thumb, a typical 2-hour night will work best with the following flexible schedule:

• Opening comments (5 mins)

• The meal (30 minutes)

• A speech and/or awards, slide show, etc. can take place during the meal

• Intro of comic (1 min)

• Comedy show (45-60 mins)

• Final thoughts from CEO (2-3 mins if needed)

ALCOHOL

Most events provide either a cash bar or free alcohol as part of the event.  Just know that offering this at your event may hinder the comedy performance. Be careful not to provide reasons for people to wander away from the comedy show.

PAYMENT

It is always best practice to pay the performer ahead of time.

MEET & GREET

A casual “meet & greet” is always fun if time allows.

We hope these ideas are helpful to you as you plan and organize your event!

Dan McGowan is always available to discuss specific options with you regarding your event.

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BOOKINGS: to book Dan contact:

Sabrena Fary

The Comedy Plug

707-507-5286

sabrena@thecomedyplug.com