As a Scout, you are certainly familiar with an evening campfire at summer camp. If you’ve been to the National Jamboree or the National Order of the Arrow Conference, you may have even been to a stadium show. At conclaves, Scouts aim to capture the energy of a national conference and provide high-quality programs and messaging locally. A good show will convey messages and set a tone for an entire event. Shows at national events are used for many reasons: to communicate ideas, to bring people together, and, of course, to have a good laugh. They are created for the everyday Scout. Whether it is a national conference or a summer camp closing campfire, every good show takes a team and a lot of hard work.
Many sections host two shows at their conclave: a Friday night opening show and a Saturday night closing show. Alternatively, some sections opt to host a show on Saturday while doing a less theatrical opening presentation on Friday.
As a disclaimer, planning and executing evening shows is a complicated process and requires much more mastery than can be written here. As with many things, you can better plan and execute shows with practice. So, try new things and build a team of knowledgeable advisers to help you through the challenges.
The best shows:
- Are well-planned and adequately rehearsed.
- Focus on a message or a theme. What should a Scout take away from this show?
- Align with the principles of the Order of the Arrow and Scouting.
- Are unique, dignified, and succinct. A great performance says as much as it can in as few words as possible.
- Exclude horseplay and or inside jokes. Make sure to keep your entire audience in mind when writing a script.
- Avoid fraternal, religious, and military rituals.
- Are written for the skill set of the team that will be performing.
Show Brainstorming
Purpose And Theme
The best way to start thinking about a show is to think about the purpose of holding the show in the first place. If you are brainstorming for a Friday night show, maybe your purpose is to introduce the weekend and build excitement for its activities. If you are planning a Saturday night show, maybe the purpose is to celebrate the weekend, or reemphasize the conclave theme.
Most conclaves have a central focus or theme, communicated throughout the weekend in various activities, training, and other program events. However, for the theme to be expressed, Scouts must understand it in a deeper meaning. One of the best ways to do this is through a show. You may want to consider the following questions:
- What does our conclave theme make me think about?
- How can I relate this theme to something a brand-new Scout could understand?
- How can I relate a theme to the Order of the Arrow admonition and principles
Content
With the theme in place, it is now the time to prepare the actual content of your show. Here, prepare a brief overview of what your evening show could look like. Here is an example of what a show could contain:
- Opening remarks
- Interactive game to get the crowd excited
- A skit or brief narrative story sharing the lessons of the conclave theme
- A speech from a keynote speaker, like a national officer, section chief, or other guest
- Awards and recognitions (When applicable)
- Closing remarks
As long as you and your team are following the Guide to Safe Scouting, the possibilities of an evening show are endless!
Scripting A Show
Once you have prepared a brief outline of the show, it is now time to write a script. As you are writing a script, consider the following:
- Make sure all of the content in your script follows the Guide To Safe Scouting and Youth Protection guidelines. A show is meant to be fun and engaging, and this often involves the use of humor and funny jokes. Jokes should follow the guidelines in that documentation.
- As you write the script, read aloud each spoken line. In theory, someone is reading every spoken line of the script, so each line should sound like something that a person would actually say. Additionally, do not be afraid to change the lines in your script to fit with the person selected for the role. Tip: if an actor repeatedly struggles with the same line in rehearsal, try changing the sentence structure. Likely, they do not usually speak in that way, and a simple change can fix the problem without changing the meaning of the text.
- Write lines that refer to what individuals should physically do on stage. These are called staging lines. For example, if the section chief is entering from the right side of the stage and approaching the podium, include that in your script. Staging lines should be visually different from the dialogue. Try using italics or a lighter-colored font to differentiate their purpose.
- Only one person should write each independent segment of the show in the first draft. Let that person explore their ideas and bring them to fruition before having other people change things around. Once drafts are complete, read them out loud as a team, take notes on the good, the bad, and the ugly, and then swap them between writers to get new prospects involved.
- Write multiple drafts. Just like any other piece of writing, mistakes are made in the first draft. Avoid these by going through multiple rounds of revising and editing. The cycle should be: Write, read, analyze, and write again.
The script is among the most important aspects of your show. You can have the best vision for what a show should be or you could have the best actors in the world, but a poorly written script can ruin the opportunity to engage your audience.
Show Logistics
Location
The location of a show is among the simplest of logistics to determine. Often, a show is conducted in a stadium-like setting like an amphitheater or council ring. When determining the location of your show, ensure that the location can seat everyone at your conclave and that equipment can be transported into and out of your location easily.
Another consideration is the weather. If there is rain during your Saturday night show, it is certainly not enjoyable for most of those at your conclave, and poses a risk to audio-visual equipment. Ensure that you have a backup location planned in the event of weather. The dining hall is generally a good backup location in a council camp.
Equipment
Equipment for a show generally falls into one of two categories:
- Props & Costumes: Items that will appear onstage and potentially be used onstage by actors or other show staff. Things like a podium, chairs, tables, and awards fall into this category.
- Audio-Visual (AV) Equipment: Items designed to help the audience see, hear, and enjoy the show. Items like speakers, lighting, projectors, and microphones fall into this category.
As you are writing a script, make a note of what props you will need onstage, and ensure those are acquired before the show, whether they are purchased, or created.
Acquiring AV equipment is often more difficult than purchasing props. AV equipment is often expensive, and sections with a tight budget may be unable to invest in equipment for conclave. Consider the following ideas to assist with this issue:
- Discuss the issue with the section adviser; many sections have Arrowmen who generously loan AV equipment for use at conclave. Those Arrowmen may even agree to set up and work with the equipment for you.
- Reach out to lodges for AV equipment to borrow. Along the same idea as the previous point, lodges and councils are occasionally willing to share or loan at a low price. Your conclave host lodge may be your best resource for this.
- Reach out to companies for an equipment rental. With your section adviser's help, it is possible to find equipment rentals at a lower cost than outright purchasing it.
All in all, the best way to ensure you have AV equipment for the conclave is to prepare well in-advance and work with the section advisers to ensure it is acquired.
Staffing
Arguably the most important part of any show is having the staff to make it happen. When recruiting staff, make sure to recruit a variety of Arrowmen from a variety of lodges across the section. Additionally, do not hesitate to ask your special guests for their assistance and support for the show. Often, a show can be an “all-hands on deck” experience, and it is possible, and even probable that all three section officers will appear onstage at some point. Make sure that you recruit all staff, ensure they register for the weekend, and provide them with the script at least 30 days before the conclave. When recruiting staff, make sure you recruit enough staff to:
- Fill every on-stage role. (This is a two way street. Do not write a script that requires more actors than you can cast.)
- Setup, operate, and takedown AV equipment.
- Setup, takedown, and clean the location of your show.
- Deal with last-minute tasks that may come up.
Every staff member should be informed on how the show is going to occur and what their role is in ensuring the success of the show.