Part of my job is being able to walk into literally any venue you could imagine and put on the best show I possibly can. Since I work for a wide range of clients — corporate groups, private events, universities — I end up in some pretty random locations. I’ve performed in Vegas showrooms, rooftop deck, poolside, giant theater, church basements, lecture halls, arenas, airplane hangars, and more.
Early on I remember being very nervous walking into a new location. Everything about the location was foreign to me. I didn’t know how people would be seated, what kind of microphone I’d be using, where to situate myself so everyone could have a good view, etc. During those early shows it felt like I was re-learning everything every time I did a show.
I quickly learned that I needed to eliminate as many variables as possible, just to make my life easier. I intuitively realized that there would always be things out of my control but if I could limit those things then I could give them more of my focus.
So, I started small — with only the things under my immediate control. I worked really hard to have a solid show that I knew inside and out. I had a script that never changed and worked tirelessly to make sure I knew it by heart. Once the show was solid I was able to go onstage without thinking about it. I knew it was good so I could start to enjoy myself, create memorable moments with volunteers, and pay attention to the stuff that was out of the norm.
I also had to learn my gear. I mastered my microphone, my music player, my choreography, the way I select my volunteers, the way I walk onstage, my intro, the length of my show, and more. I rehearsed everything so that there would be no surprises and every time I went onstage I would be confident with the things that were always under my control.
I also learned to deal with clients. (You can’t be afraid to ask a client for what you need. Just frame it as a benefit to them: “I want you to get your money’s worth!” Your clients will respect you for knowing what you need and helping them to have make it a success.) Now I request a certain room layout, stage stairs in certain positions, a particular kind of microphone for volunteers, and request that no service staff can be milling about during the show and that the bar must be closed or moved to another room. (You’d be surprised how many little decisions go into making a show successful!) All of these things are finalized before I arrive at the venue so I have less to worry about.
Once I took control of these things my shows improved dramatically. When I arrived at the venue I wasn’t worried about my show, the microphone, or other things. Instead, I could survey the room and say to myself “Hmm, okay not very good acoustics in here, how can we fix that?” or “Wow, that column is going to make it hard to see…I’ll have to take extra steps to make sure I keep that side of the room engaged!” Since I knew everything else was good to go, I was left to turn my attention to the one variable in my job: the room I’m performing in.
Sometimes I’ll be onstage and something will go horribly wrong, but it rarely has to do with the show itself. It’s usually something in the room. Someone broke a wineglass, the venue loses their electricity, the audience has had a lot to drink before the show, the service staff interrupts the performance….you never know what’s going to happen. But, since my show is solid and I’ve worked on the things that I can control, I’m always ready to deal with whatever surprises might present themselves.
A few years ago I saw a fantastic show on Broadway. The performer was halfway through the second act when someone called out from the back row of the orchestra, “Help me! Someone help me!” Everyone in the audience gasped and grew quiet, but the performer didn’t freak out. He calmly stepped to the edge of the stage and, almost in a whisper, asked, “Is everyone okay?”
A moment later a stagehand stepped out from the wings and whispered in his ear. He addressed the whole audience: “Someone wasn’t feeling well and had to step out. Everything is fine.” Then, he picked up where he left off and continued with the show. He never lost the attention of the audience, nor any of the momentum he had worked so hard to build. We were under his control at all times, all because he knew his act inside and out so he could give his full attention to the unique nature of that particular audience on that specific night.
Look, I’m sure some other performers will read this and say “Yeah, yeah, these are obvious things…” but that’s simply not true. No one tells you this stuff, at least no one told me. I had to figure it out step by step, show by show. I had to make mistakes and learn from them quickly. I learned it all on my own, but I’m writing it here so you won’t have to.
The point is, no matter your field, there will always be things that are out of your control. So, the goal should be to master the things that are under your control, that way you can direct your focus to the variables.
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About Mark Toland
Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and two-time TEDx Speaker. His mind blowing skills have been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, NPR, WGN, Sirius XM, and more. Mark’s blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional entertainer, full of creative thoughts for creative people. Sign up below so you’ll never miss a post.