Adult Stunt Night

Number of People: 2–3

Budget: $0

Adult Stunt Night is a talent show by and for the conference, held one evening late in the week in Elliot for access to the stage and occasionally the piano. You'll need:

1. An MC to announce the performers and kill time between acts.

2. A stagehand who can open and close the curtain and move things around on stage.

3. An A/V specialist who can run the Elliot sound board and help move microphones around (not strictly necessary, but can be very handy depending on the show).

Put in an announcement early in the week asking for performers. You can either put a sign-up sheet on the Writing Desk or have people ask you personally to be added, but you should make sure to speak with every performer at some point. Also let people know when sign-ups are closed, so you don't get a bunch of last-minute requests for acts an hour before the show (yes, this really happens). Be as inclusive as possible! Don't turn anyone down, so long as their act follows these guidelines:

• Acts should be five minutes or less. Anything that even comes close to ten minutes is too long.

• "Adult" Stunt Night doesn't mean "adult" material. Plenty of kids still watch the show.

• Don't let people tell rambling stories or do stand-up comedy. We've had problems with this in the past.

• Senior Teens and older are allowed to perform. Younger kids should perform at Children's Stunt Night. (Mid Teens are up to your discretion, if they exist.)

The best Stunt Nights blend skits, sketches, and funny musical numbers. More "serious" music should be redirected to the Musicale. Poetry and other non-fiction readings are fine so long as they're short and don't make up the entire show. Dance performances work pretty well, but slideshows and short films don't; they can be done but you'll spend a lot of time setting up and tearing down the video projector and the screen.

Aim for a one-hour show with roughly ten acts (or a few more, if they're short). You definitely want to finish before Chapel (9:30pm as of the time of this writing), especially because Adult Stunt Night is usually the same night as Senior Teen Chapel.

Traditionally, the last act of the show has been a "roast" sketch written in honor of the speaker (and/or the chairs). There hasn't been one since 2022. If you decide to make this happen you'll need to find volunteers who are willing to go to all of the lectures and write, direct, rehearse, and perform a comedy skit during the week. In some years, these volunteers will find you; in others, you may struggle to find any at all. It's fine to poke fun at quirks or notable mannerisms, but be kind – remember that this is supposed to be fun! (There was one infamous year where the roast was so harsh that the Speaker took the next boat home. Don't let that happen again.)

Advice from former coordinators:

• Ask Conference Services for help setting up Elliot. Make sure there are plenty of chairs. You'll want at least three microphones: one for the MC and 2–3 for performers, especially if there are musical acts. If you need to play music through the sound board (i.e. for a dance performance), ask them for the right cable to connect your phone or laptop.

• If there are Young Adults in the conference, encourage them to participate – this can be their chance to shine. MC'ing Stunt Night is a great way to make a name for yourself.

• Your MC(s) should be prepared to fill time if needed to cover a long change between acts. It doesn't hurt to have a few terrible jokes in your back pocket, or some other theme that you can use to keep the audience entertained while you're waiting for the next performer to be ready.

• Consider the order of acts – if there are acts that require scenery, you may want to make sure there's an act in front of the curtain before and/or after it so your helpers can set the stage.

• Write out the program order on a big piece of paper (check the Art Supplies box) and put it on an easel in the hallway outside Elliot sometime in the afternoon before the show. That way the acts will know who they come after and can be prepared.

last update: Ben Cordes, July 2024 (post-conference)