As our 2017 season comes to an end, it’s time to take stock of our accomplishments, and challenges as Christmas Performers.
The big question, of course, is did you have fun? Was it rewarding emotionally and spiritually? If you do this as a business, was it rewarding financially? At CPW (Christmas Performer Workshops), our focus is on the Performance side, which of course, touches on all of the above. Delivering great performances can help your heart, soul, clients, and pocket book.
NOW is the time to take a performing inventory of your gigs this season. If you work as a Mall Santa, you can think of the various events during your run as the differences between seeing VIPs, pets, special needs children, or the pacing of your work, either fast or slow.
As you look back over your various gigs this season you can ask a variety of questions.
- Was this a new gig or a returning client?
- Did you make any notes about specific sites or events where you had issues or would make adjustments to the event schedule?
- Try rating your events on a scale of one through four:
- Not interested in returning.
- While I would return, adjustments should be made.
- This is a good gig, and I’d like to try something additional next year.
- Best gig and highest priority for next year’s schedule.
- What trends did you spot in your audiences? Were the children younger than ever? Were there more teens this time? Were there more adults?
- How much time were you given to perform at an event? How well did you hold the audience?
- Did you run short of content for an event, or did you feel rushed?
- What new things did you try? Did you tell a new story, sing a new song, or use new props? Was that successful?
- Did you retire anything from your performances this year? What that a good choice? Did you bring anything older back?
- Did you work with any other performers? How did that go?
- What was strong, what needs help? (Voice, Physicality, Storytelling, Improv, Content, etc.)
Performing is like an iceberg. All the preparation, planning, and after evaluation supports the iceberg from under the water, leading up to the tip that is seen on stage.
As you work on your calendar for 2018, identify your goals and schedule time to work on these goals. Next season always comes around sooner than expected. Consider investing time and money into training so that you develop the person inside the wonderful costume. Then you can bring more magic and shine even brighter next year!
I would like to ask a favor from all those folks who took my classes or read my “Performing Tips” articles. What did we share that helped you this season? What did you want more of? Any field tested feedback from the real world, is much appreciated!
For 2018 at CPW, we have five slots left for customized, Performing Weekend Workshops between January and August.
We had rave reviews from the weekend workshops in 2017 and would like to give your local group the opportunity to benefit from additional Performance Focused training. Please contact us as soon as possible to reserve your weekend in 2018.
Santa True and “Mrs Santa True” (Cat) will both be teaching at ISC Denver and at the FORBS Reunion in Southern California this January. We hope to see you there! You can also check out older helpful articles at http://christmasperformerworkshops.com/articles/
and Santa True can be contacted at Santa@SantaTrue.com
(Photos Courtesy of Clare Foster, and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows)