Musicale

The Musicale is a talent show that focuses on musical performance. Because of the humorous tenor of Adult Stunt Night, the Musicale is considered the forum for "serious" music, although the choir often presents pieces that freely roam across the musical spectrum. Bob Hawthorne invented the Musicale in 1961 as a piece of additional programming. Since the mid-1990's it has been held on the last evening of the conference (currently Saturday), after Banquet and the Children's Grand March. Madrigal groups, ensembles, solos and barbershop quartets are all possibilities for an evening's program that should be limited to about an hour. The program is usually held in the lobby of the Oceanic Hotel (with the Pink Parlor acting as "green room").

The Musicale Coordinator should be familiar with performing in Musicale and preferably should serve as an assistant to an experienced coordinator before taking on the show by themselves. As Coordinator, you should:

• Put in a couple of mealtime announcements early in the week requesting people to submit their acts. Remind them that acts should be under five minutes (and preferably closer to three), accompaniment is available from the conference Music Director (if any), and to bring any tech requests to the Musicale Coordinator in advance. It helps to search out performers you know are good and who have performed before, asking them to be involved again.

• Put a sign-up sheet on the writing desk. Ask for full performer name(s), song name, instrument(s) and if they need mic/amplification. There should be roughly 12 slots, but remember to include the choir as one of them. Pull the sign-up sheet once you have 12 acts signed up. If the roster is full, and someone comes to you Saturday morning wanting to sing Saturday night, feel free to say “no”, but use your discretion.

• Pick an emcee (feel free to do it yourself, although it’s useful to get someone else to do it if you’re also stage-managing)

• Once you have a list of acts, arrange with Conference Services for audio support. They should have a soundboard/mixer and enough cables and mics to amplify the average set of acts. They will hopefully be able to offer a staff member to run the soundboard/mixer, although you will need to provide stagehands yourself. Also request an easel and pad of paper for posting the concert order.

• Create a concert order. Often for logistical reasons the conference choir is the last performance of the evening, and the Star Island Stompers are the first. Mix acts for variety and try to end with the strongest performers. Print out several copies of the concert order (for emcees, for the sound board operator [notated with what acts need which audio support], for the green room, etc.) and write out a large concert order on the easel for the audience. Tell performers to check who they’re following so they can be in the green room before they go on – note that there is a rear entrance to the Pink Parlor accessible from the back side of the porch.

• Determine what announcements the emcee needs to make at the end of the Musicale. For instance, the audience should help move the furniture aside for the Grand March which follows.

Last update: Johanna Bobrow, July 2024 (post-conference)