How to cut elementary school talent show acts??

[dmank]

I am leading my school's talent show this year sort of last minute. I would be doing things differently if I had more time. Anyway we had auditions this week and due to so many will be needing to cut 30%.

Of course everyone keeps saying this or that act was really good and no one wants to actually decide to cut any of them.

Any suggestions on how to prevent this in the future?

Any helpful tips are much appreciated.

 

[Coconut36]

My DH is at a higher grade level (middle school) but he has run his school talent show for the last I think maybe 10 years now. I don't know that there is a way to prevent having to cut people..you just can't anticipate turn out and you know you have time constraints so it just happens.

I would think simply saying "I'm sorry we are unable to have you perform this year as time is limited" would be enough. His kids are older but as I understand it the kids know going in there are limited spaces and they might not make it.

 

[iheartdisney]

Instead of cutting acts, can you just cut the time of each act? Our Elementary school did this last year with the "dance" groups. Instead of doing the whole song, they did only one verse and the chorus. It worked great for moving them through.

 

[dmank]

Instead of cutting acts, can you just cut the time of each act? Our Elementary school did this last year with the "dance" groups. Instead of doing the whole song, they did only one verse and the chorus. It worked great for moving them through.

Most are going to be pretty short. Realistically how quickly can you get through them all? With set up and such between acts? They want 1 hour or at most one and a half. I have about 40 acts I'm looking at.

 

[goofy!]

I am leading my school's talent show this year sort of last minute. I would be doing things differently if I had more time. Anyway we had auditions this week and due to so many will be needing to cut 30%.

Of course everyone keeps saying this or that act was really good and no one wants to actually decide to cut any of them.

Any suggestions on how to prevent this in the future?

Any helpful tips are much appreciated.

When DS's school was still doing the talent show, they had the acts that made the talent show and then the runner ups.

The ones that did not make it had a small gathering just for their grade during the school day (in our kiva, not the auditorium) where they could perform their act in front of their classmates. Since it was only for their grade, there were only a few acts, so didn't take a significant time away from the classroom. But parents could still come in and take pictures, etc.

The acts that made it had the full blown assembly and night time show with the program, etc.

It took a bit of the sting out of it for the kids that did not make it as they were still able to perform, albeit for a much smaller audience.

 

[Kimberle]

In elementary school, do a lottery. Put all the names in a "hat" and draw for the number of spots available.

 

[Magic Mom]

DD's elementary always had auditions and made cuts for the talent show. They cut the groups that didn't have a cohesive plan, couldn't project their voices, were really bad, or who were just auditioning as a joke. They also cut the numbers down by only letting 3-5 grades audition.

 

[roxysmum123]

Divide it up into two shows. Younger grades in the morning, older grades in the afternoon. Kids will still only miss the same amount of school because they'd go to the show being done by their age group. If it's a night thing, half the school Wednesday, half of it Thursday. Nobody gets cut, everyone has an opportunity.

 

[cornflake]

I am leading my school's talent show this year sort of last minute. I would be doing things differently if I had more time. Anyway we had auditions this week and due to so many will be needing to cut 30%.

Of course everyone keeps saying this or that act was really good and no one wants to actually decide to cut any of them.

Any suggestions on how to prevent this in the future?

Any helpful tips are much appreciated.

I'm confused - are you cutting acts that you've said will be in the show or are you just not putting everyone who auditioned in?

The first, I'd put out a notice saying the format and timing was changed, and thus these changes have to be made...

The second, you haven't cast them yet so you're not cutting anyone! Everyone who auditions isn't supposed to be cast, that's the nature of auditions, so I wouldn't feel badly about not putting them in - just put in the best ones that fit your time constraints.

 

[scrapquitler]

I am leading my school's talent show this year sort of last minute. I would be doing things differently if I had more time. Anyway we had auditions this week and due to so many will be needing to cut 30%.

Of course everyone keeps saying this or that act was really good and no one wants to actually decide to cut any of them.

Any suggestions on how to prevent this in the future?

Any helpful tips are much appreciated.

You can say "Only fifth graders can do solos, everyone else has to have at least two students in their act"

You can also say "All acts must last no more than 2 minutes" (my DD dance studio limits all numbers to 2 minutes 0 seconds except for company and senior numbers, which are limited to 3 minutes).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Since they have already auditioned, I would go with names in a hat. Next yr., have rules.

 

[RunDanceSkate]

Our schools had a policy of 10minutes per grade. You auditioned in your class then the classroom teacher would decide how best to use acts and time. They could also combine their time with another grade (for example if a dance act contained students from 2 grades) If a teacher did not need their full 10 minutes they could trade it away for minutes in a future year.

This meant that students in grade 1 were not competing with students from grade 6 for a spot.

Our schools were grade 1 to 6. Junior and senior kindergarten were only allowed in as part of a group number, often as part of an Irish dance team.

The format looked something like this:

5min introduction of show and first 3 acts

Grade 6 10min (3 minute song with keyboard, guitar, drums and lead singer, 3min comedy team that starts as musicians clear the stage, 4min dance)

2-3 min to introduce next grade and all 3 acts

Grade 1 - 7min act (2min song, 2 min 4-hand irish dance team, 3 min magician)

2-3 min to introduce next grade and next act

Grade 5 - 10min montage of singers, dancers and keyboardist

2-3 min to introduce next grade and all 3 acts

Grade 2 - 13min act (time borrowed from grade 1, and includes some grade 1's in the dance number)

etc.

The kids learned very quickly to combine with friends and/or have short acts to increase their chances of being in a show.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've been on both sides of the 'casting table' many times. I think it's harder on the casting side vs the auditioning side. Anyway...if you had auditions, then not everyone gets into the show. That's the way life is. If you have auditions, it's to see which 'acts' are best and use them. If you just say 'we're having a talent show..so sign up for what you want to do', then everyone gets in. It's an either/or situation.

So, for this year...you are going to have to make cuts. I am assuming that you haven't put out a cast list yet, right? If you have, you now have an issue. You are going to have to figure out how to use all those on the list.
If you haven't put up a list yet, then you take the top acts. Generally speaking, there are always some acts that really shouldn't be onstage. But if there are just a few of them, perhaps you can somehow combine them. Try to combine the younger kids into one ensemble act...that could conceivably use up 15 kids. They could sing a group song, with little solo bits within.

Good luck..you have a thankless job. There is nothing like trying to put together a talent show with kids and then having to deal with the parents!!! Been there, done that.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I like this idea.

When DS's school was still doing the talent show, they had the acts that made the talent show and then the runner ups.

The ones that did not make it had a small gathering just for their grade during the school day (in our kiva, not the auditorium) where they could perform their act in front of their classmates. Since it was only for their grade, there were only a few acts, so didn't take a significant time away from the classroom. But parents could still come in and take pictures, etc.

The acts that made it had the full blown assembly and night time show with the program, etc.

It took a bit of the sting out of it for the kids that did not make it as they were still able to perform, albeit for a much smaller audience.

 

[Kellydelly]

Usually my kids' school just limits the time the act can run, but this year they are dividing the show into three different months/shows according to age group. I don't particularly like this idea as I would love to see all the kids perform but don't plan on going up to the school three different times to watch them all.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm confused - are you cutting acts that you've said will be in the show or are you just not putting everyone who auditioned in?

The first, I'd put out a notice saying the format and timing was changed, and thus these changes have to be made...

The second, you haven't cast them yet so you're not cutting anyone! Everyone who auditions isn't supposed to be cast, that's the nature of auditions, so I wouldn't feel badly about not putting them in - just put in the best ones that fit your time constraints.

 

[JDX4]

You could break it up into 2 different shows. Or have some of the kids be announcers or sign holders in between the acts instead of doing the original act that they did at auditions. Or have some lead the Pledge of Allegiance and sing a patriotic song as a group at the beginning of the show.

Good luck. Running a talent show is not an easy job.

 

[zoemurr]

acts combine? When DD tried out for a talent show a bunch of acts were basically doing the same thing, so they asked them to perform together to save time.

 

[dmank]

We have Mr Rogers as a principle. He tells me to make it one hour but not cut anyone. So guess what? We will probably have a almost 2 hour show with an intermission. Rather go a little longer than cut acts.

Anyway we are doing ensemble acts. And I love the idea of announcing several acts at a time and just "going". We do have a 3 min time limit but most kids kept it to one minute.

Thanks so much for the help. I will def make changes if I do this again.

 

[dmank]

We have Mr Rogers as a principle. He tells me to make it one hour but not cut anyone. So guess what? We will probably have a almost 2 hour show with an intermission. Rather go a little longer than cut acts.

Anyway we are doing ensemble acts. And I love the idea of announcing several acts at a time and just "going". We do have a 3 min time limit but most kids kept it to one minute.

Thanks so much for the help. I will def make changes if I do this again.