1 of 1

Write now Article Tools

Page 3 of 4

compliment of tickets.
Set up a website and promote the show through various websites.
Get a listing in local entertainment guides
Get the venue to do some in-house promotion. Typically, this will either be a message on a board or allowing flyers/posters to be placed in the venue.
Contact your local papers and entertainment magazines, and ask if they would be interested in reviewing your show. Offer complementary tickets.

Contact people that you know are involved in staging radio or TV shows. Again offer complementary tickets. You'll need a strong hook to convince them to attend. If there's a particular theme or topicality that runs through your sketches, then this may be the way to gain their interest.
Consider discounted ticketing. i.e. offer a discount to students and pensioners, and to friends of the actors. The key should really be to fill the venue.

Step 6: Final rehearsals and preparations

In the last couple of weeks you need to:
Ensure the actors are now comfortable to perform without the comfort blanket of the script
Agree upon the sketch order. The Director should be able to help with this, and the order may be driven by which combinations of actors are in which sketches. Ideally, you want to minimise the number of times that an actor has to perform in two consecutive sketches. You may also want to have one of your strongest sketches to open the show.
Check out the venue, so that you know how the stage is set up and what size it is.
Agree upon the stage directions. The actors need to know where they're entering and where they're exiting to. You also need to work through any movement that is required during the sketch. Generally speaking though, it is advisable to keep movement to a minimum, particularly if you are recording the show.
Agree upon any props/costumes that are required. Again, I'd suggest keeping this to a minimum. Remember that there will need to be quick turnaround times between sketches. If an actor puts on a cowboy hat, the audience will understand that he's meant to be a cowboy you don't need the whole cowboy outfit!
Agree who will introduce the show. Are you going to get a compere in, or will one of you do the honours

Step 7: Preparations on the day of the show

Make sure that everyone turns up well in advance of the show
Check that the sound equipment and lights are working, and that the sound engineer knows what's expected of him/her.
Have a run through of the show, from start to finish. You may find that the venue presents challenges

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about How to stage your own sketch show?
We want to hear your view. Write now!