I’ve been asked by many when I lecture “Are themed shows important?”…and my answer is always YES! In this age of specialization the “generic” show has almost lost it’s place in school and library settings. Even corporate events want special material added into the show to customize it a bit.
When doing school shows it is vitally important to have a theme or message. The message can be wrapped around the theme and the themes must reflect what the schools are looking for. Topics such as anti-bullying, good character, and reading seem to be a naturals for the educational market. Also the libraries here in the USA are going to a national theme, which is generic enough for some individuality on the part of the performer, but still centers around the main theme. In the past the libraries have had topics like “Hats Off To Reading!” and this past summer it was a science theme with the national title being “Fizz, Boom, READ!”
The advantage to themed shows is that it gives the performer many different directions to travel, yet still stay within the parameters of the theme. Themed shows keep the performer on target and the theme fits nicely for the buyer. It’s definitely a win-win for everybody when you can work from a themed show point of view!
You can comment or ask questions by using Mark’s email: kidshowvent@gmail.com