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 will need at least one person to MC the event (or do it yourself) and at least one person to handle opening and closing the curtain. 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 (9:30), especially if it's the same night as Senior Teen Chapel. 

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. 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 approaches ten minutes is way too long.

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

• A certain level of professionalism and preparedness is encouraged. Don't let people tell rambling stories or do stand-up comedy. A blend of music, skits, and sketches is great.

• 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.)

Traditionally, there has been a "roast" sketch (which is always last in the program) written in honor of the speakers (and/or the chairs). 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!

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 there are Young Adults on the island, encourage them to participate – this can be their chance to shine.

• 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.

• In recent years we've had a number of acts that involve recorded music (played off a cell phone or similar) so you may want to find someone familiar with the sound board in Elliot to help manage audio during the show. (Conference Services are unlikely to be available to assist, but you can ask.)

last update: Ben Cordes, July 2023