Before the Show

10 posts in this series

Reading Order

1 of 10 — 9 min read

Know Your Audience Before You Walk Into the Room

The single most important piece of preparation has nothing to do with your props, your script, or your clothes. It is finding out who will be sitting in those chairs -- and what they care about.

2 of 10 — 9 min read

Arrive Early and Befriend the Staff: My Pre-Show Ritual

I used to arrive just in time. Then I learned that the people who set up the room, run the sound, and serve the drinks hold the keys to whether your show succeeds or fails.

3 of 10 — 9 min read

Room Setup: Why Chairs Close Together Beat Spread-Out Seating

The distance between chairs in your audience is not a comfort issue. It is a performance issue. I learned this the hard way in a half-empty ballroom where laughter went to die.

4 of 10 — 9 min read

Front Rows Filled First: The Physics of Audience Energy

Empty front rows do not just look bad. They create a dead zone between you and the audience that sucks the life out of every reaction, every pause, and every reveal.

5 of 10 — 9 min read

Stairs and Steps for Volunteers: The Logistics Nobody Thinks About Until It's Too Late

You plan the perfect routine. You script the perfect invitation. Then your volunteer trips on the stage step and the entire room holds its breath for the wrong reason.

6 of 10 — 8 min read

Makeup Basics for Performers Who Never Thought They'd Need Makeup

I spent years thinking makeup was for actors and drag queens. Then I saw myself on video under stage lighting and realized my face had vanished.

7 of 10 — 8 min read

Odor and Grooming: The Checklist That Sounds Obvious Until You Forget

Nobody will tell you that you smell. Nobody will mention the food in your teeth. These are the silent show-killers that no amount of skill can overcome.

8 of 10 — 8 min read

Writing Your Own Introduction (and Why Your Name Should Come Last)

The emcee butchered my name, mispronounced my company, and told the audience I was a juggler. That was the last time I let someone else write my introduction.

9 of 10 — 8 min read

Posture, Stretching, and Breathing: The Three Minutes Before I Walk Out

I used to spend the minutes before going on stage fiddling with props and running through my script. Now I spend them on my body. The difference is enormous.

10 of 10 — 8 min read

The Trick I Use to Put a Smile on My Face Right Before Going on Stage

Audiences decide whether they like you before you say a word. The smile you walk on with is the most important expression of the night -- and mine is engineered, not accidental.