Tag Archives: events

As the Entertainment Season Begins, Smart Planners Are on the Cutting Edge

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Applause Productions and Entertainment

It may be August, but as corporate event planners know, the season is about to explode. This is the perfect opportunity to ignite an event that will leave a powerful impression. Classic entertainment never disappoints, but smart planners are also able to use cutting edge entertainment as never before.

1. Technology-integrated Entertainment: Using technology for visual displays like light shows and highlighting events has great value. Now, the opportunities to effectively use technology with talent are even greater than ever. Traditional favorites like magicians, caricature artists, and painters are integrating ipads, lasers, and digital printing to captivate audiences and provide an interactive experience. As technology continues to advance, the possibilities are endless.

2. Cirque Reinvented: The popularity of Cirque de Soleil has sparked a love affair with all things acrobatic. While the trend used to focus on bizarre and quirky entertainers, the current buzz word is beauty. This includes the elegant and gravity-defying use of silks, contortionists, and aerial entertainers dressed in vibrant color. The visual spectacle always delights audiences, especially as they enter an event.

3. Truly Interactive Entertainment: The best events always make guests want to get up and dance, but now the trend is to make your participants the entertainers themselves. Using professionally-trained and exciting dance performers, these guests are taught basic choreography as if they were in their own version of Dancing with the Stars. It’s not only fun, but physically beneficial for your attendees. The culminating event of this experience is an engaging performance by dance professionals.

 

Entertainment Ideas: The Possibilities are Endless

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Applause Productions and Entertainment

Now that the first quarter of 2014 is almost complete, one thing is clear: when it comes to entertainment ideas, the possibilities are endless. Events that are full of vintage elegance or the latest technological capabilities are stunning audiences all around the country. Here are just a few options to whet your appetite:

Everything Old is New Again: This entertainment option celebrates the classic and timeless eras that captured our imagination. From the Golden Age of Hollywood to the sweet innocence of the 1950s, these events allow our cultural heritage to survive, and entice the millennials to experience the greatness. Elegant cabaret singers, classic jazz ensembles decked out in black tie formalwear, or love ballads crooned by Old Blue Eyes himself make this option alive.

International Flavor: Imagine the color, energy, and sizzle of Brazilian or Carnival entertainers for your next event. These heart-stopping dancers, acrobats, and stilt-walkers can bring any theme, concept, or product launch to life. The variety of this option could include Samba dancers, Latin bands, or even an exciting batucada!

 

The Quirky Factor: Just when you thought you’d seen everything, this year’s newest entertainment will surprise even the most experienced event goer. It’s the unexpected aspect of this talent combination that energizes the viewer. Grunge music of the 90s played by jazz trios, or a Western-themed cowboy show that is accompanied by the latest digital video or LED lighting. These experiences are perfect for the event planner or corporate CEO that is a talent connoisseur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Details That Can Make or Break Your Event

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Applause Productions & Entertainment

The saying goes, “The devil is in the details.” This adage could not be more true than when planning an event. We’ve already explained the importance of planning, communication, and the necessary aspects to producing a seamless event. Now it’s time to focus on those minute details that can make or break your event.

1. Be proactive and brainstorm possible challenges. As you meet with your event director and team members, you will have conceptualized the theme for the event. However, it’s important to discuss any possible challenges that might arise and have the ability to contact key players at a moment’s notice. Let all members of the production team know who has the authority to make those last minute changes that may need to be made on the spot. Stay in touch with each of your team members. Have a hard copy of relevant cell phone numbers and emails for your team and other vendors that may have a role in your production.

2. Check and re-check technical requirements. Be sure to re-check stage requirements, mikes, wireless microphones or lavs, green room size and accessibility to the stage, chairs in the green rooms, water, etc. These needs are a priority for entertainment; however, the director’s priority is the production. As a result, you must be diligent about these necessities. All too often these details are forgotten until only hours or minutes before the event begins. You are left trying to find the site contact person to produce these requirements and, at this point, they have a million other things to do. Schooli  tables for makeup, and even lighting for a pipe and drape green room, should be in place before the entertainment arrives. It’s impossible to put on makeup and dress in the dark. When the minute details are taken care of, talent can go immediately into their preparation with ease.

3. Understand that time is important. Even though your contract is signed with definite start times and particulars, you will need to re-check the scheduling of the event, since call times and show times can change at the last minute. Make sure your contract provides an additional fee in the event that your entertainment has to wait for an extended period of time before performing. Sometimes a speaker or awards presentation can go extraordinarily long, causing the performance time to be delayed. This can happen and entertainment expects to be compensated.