Tips on Booking Entertainment

Congratulations! You have been chosen to book an assembly for your school!… now, where do you start? Well you could start a search online for school assemblies, everyone typically starts online nowadays. There are a few very good websites that offer many different performers to give you an idea of what is available.  You can also talk to the last person who did your job (provided they are available), you can even call other schools to get recommendations. BUT FIRST….

You need to ask yourself a few questions before you get started calling around, and jumping online to so a search. Besides you probably have a few questions yourself on what to ask and where to look. So here are a few tips on what to do and how to go about booking your school assembly.

First, have a date in mind, as well as an alternate, as school performers like most entertainers works on a tight schedule and can get booked up months in advance.  Then, make sure you know if there is a THEME or TOPIC you want discussed or covered. Some performers only have one standard show, and they may not be able to cover your topic. Then you must decide, if you want your assembly to be completely informational, just for fun or BOTH! If you want just a boring long winded speaking driving the kids to sleep so everyone can take naps, then great! But, if you need to engage the students and keep them occupied that may not be the way to go.

You may also want to know how much time you have for the assembly and if there will be multiple shows needed to cover all the grades involved. Speaking of grades involved, make sure you know the age groups that is needed to be covered, since Kindergarten and 5th grade can be a big difference for performers, and shows can vary widely from elementary thru high school. Most performers are going to ask anyways because as simple as it may seem, if it is for the whole school, you may have to break it down into sections so all the kids are engaged at their level.

If you are working within a budget it’s nice to know that most performers are willing to work with you on cost, keep in mind that the old saying; “you get ,what you pay for” can still ring true. But, inexpensive doesn’t always mean “Cheap” and just out of your range could be just what you need,  so just make sure you ask the right questions.

Questions to have in mind when contacting a performer:

• How long have you been performing?
• Do you have references available? Most performers will already have them posted, if they have a website like this.
• Where can I see you perform? -If local, but some schools will not allowed unauthorized visitors, so there may be some planning on this one.
• How long is the show?
• How much time is needed in-between shows? -If having multiple shows
• What is your fee?  – Make sure you explain to the performer exactly what they are being hired for first, because that may play a factor in the total cost. Remember, if you can’t afford the fee, don’t be afraid to tell her or him what you can afford, performers are often willing to negotiate.)
• Are there any special requirements for the performance?
• What is needed to secure the show and date? -Most non fly-by-night performers will have some sort of contract or invoice to safeguard both sides

Now you should be ready to make your calls and book your assembly, Good Luck! and come back for our tips on “How to prepare for your school assembly”.