If you’re interested in starting your own cabaret then contact us. You can do this by going to the Contact Us page, which will recommend you join the Wondermentalist Group on the Copperstrings social network, then give you Matt Harvey’s e-mail, which is matt.harvey@copperstrings.com. Now you don’t need to go to the contact us page. We can advise on various aspects of starting your own cabaret, from finding a suitable venue through advertising, putting a programme together, getting a decent PA, and of course booking talented performers. We may even be able to help kickstart your cabaret with established Wondermentalist acts. In a more general way, if you’re, say, thinking of starting a cabaret in Regina, Saskatchewan, below are some more general do’s and don’t’s (mainly do’s) on the subject. There are several simple steps to putting on a cabaret. Not necessarily easy, but pretty simple. In no particular order these are:

How do you choose your venue? Preferably it should be one you already know yourself. Also one your prospective audience knows too. People are often willing to come to hear something new in a familiar place – or to hear something familiar in a new place. They’re less keen (although they may still come) to hear new stuff in a new place. That’s people for you.

The size of the venue is important. A small place packed out is so much better than a large place half-empty. Better to err on the small side to start with. Good if is has a bar. Bad if it doesn’t. It’ll already have a licence. Probably. Likewise check any prospective venue has a licence for entertainment, or whatever is necessary. You’ll need to find how much it costs. They may be able to make enough money on the bar not to need to charge you a fee for the use of their venue. Don’t be afraid to negotiate. If there’s no bar in the room make sure there’s access to one nearby and that people can bring their drinks in.

Find responsible, capable people to be on the door. More than one person. Preferably three. If people are going to have to go out to get a drink you’ll need to have a clear system for knowing who to let back in – an ink stamp or ticket stub. Decide if you’re going to let people in later for less (or more).

Keep the venue sweet. Finish when you say you will. (This means getting your headline act on when you say you will, and so on…). Stay behind to help clear up. Thank people. A good relationship with a good venue is what you need. Of course, if they’re not reciprocally nice to you then maybe you need to look elsewhere…

Who are you going to book? They need to be good at what they do. They need to attract a crowd, or, if they’re starting out and haven’t had a chance to build a reputation/following, they need to please a crowd. Do any of the acts you want to book have a local (or national, or myspace) following? At the very least will the smaller acts bring in friends and family to form the core of your first audience?

Be clear about money – about whether/how much you’re going to pay them. Some acts will play for the joy of playing, especially if they’re just starting out. More established acts need to be paid, but may accept a share of a door-split of there’s some guaranteed minimum that at least covers expenses. Be clear about all promises you make to the people you book. If you’re not paying them much, or at all, look after them very we very well, buy them drinks – especially after they’ve performed – generally make them feel special and appreciated. You want them to come back when they’re famous. Which many of them will, of course.Contracts. At some point, the more established you become, and the bigger the acts and audiences and sums of money you’re dealing with, you’ll want to send out contracts. Cross this bridge when you come to it.A first cabaret is not a money-making venture. It’s a trying-to-pay-for-itself venture. It’s for the craic. It’s getting something started. Great if you make a profit. Great of you break even. Not the end of the world if you’re down a bit. Make sure you don’t lose a fortune. Invest time and effort more than actual cash. Don’t make financial promises that depend on a sell-out night with nothing going wrong.

Common pitfalls: Booking friends who aren’t, if you’re brutally honest, that good. Booking too many acts so the headliners, the main act(s) who people have paid to see, come on too late in the evening. Inefficient stage management, resulting in wasted time getting people off and on stage. There should be minimal down time. (Have a good MC, fill gaps with spoken word artists doing 5/10 minute sets that can be adapted to fit, while changes happen behind them.)

Be sure to have a good PA. And a competent person with both musical and social skills whose sole job it is make your performers sound good. Do you know anyone with a good PA? Does one of the acts you hope to book have one? Will they bring it and let others use it if they’re paid a bit extra? If none of the above, hire one. With someone to work it and get everyone sounding (and feeling) good. Don’t stint on the PA/sound person.

Secondly be sure to have adequate lights, and a competent person with theatrical and social skills whose job it is to make your performers a) visible and b) look good. Wonderful lighting can be a magical added element to a show, but the key thing is be sure the lack of it doesn’t spoil the show.

Stage management. The stage manager thinks of everything. That might have to be you, at least to start with. Makes sure everyone is happy with sound and lights, makes sure everything needed onstage is onstage when it’s needed, and offstage when it’s not. Makes the trains run on time. Many events struggle by without a stage manager. They’re not as good as those that have one. The organizer, you, is far more stressed. Even if you have to do this yourself, it helps to remember that that’s what you’re doing – stage management. And that everything stage-related is your responsibility…

Think about seating. Traditional cabaret seating is tables and chairs – gets fewer people in a space, makes them look and feel like more. Are you going to leave a dance floor? Are you going to move tables and chairs back after the interval? Do it however feels best, but good to know your options and have a plan B.

It’s important to do this very very well. Give time, effort, even money. This is worth it, especially the first two. Make good posters and flyers. If you’re not confident yourself find someone who is. Make it their special project to make you excellent promotional stuff. However artistic and eye-catching the posters and flyers are – and they should be – make sure the key info is clear: What the show is, who’s performing, when and where, how much, how to book in advance if this is possible.

Put posters and flyers all over the place, but especially where your prospective audience will find them: colleges, music shops, cafes, etc. Carry flyers with you at all times int he week or two before the gig. Give them to everyone you meet, talk to them about it. Many of the people you enthuse to will come.

Make a press release, not too long, with all the what, who, when, where, how much etc but also the why, why will people come – because it’s so, so good. Maybe some quotes about the acts, a bit of well-pitched hyperbole. Do your acts have publicity pics. Press quotes, are they available for interview, have they done anything the paper will deem noteworthy? Like your relationship with your venue(s), a good relationship with whoever does the arts/entertainment/music pages is a good, good thing. Before your first press release find out who’s the best person to send it to on your local rag. Contact them, tell them you want to send them a release about your event, ask them how long to make it, what they’re looking for. They’ll be glad to be asked. They are already more likely to use your copy.

Have a good MC, who’s friendly and informative and entertaining. That really helps. And who can think on their feet. Who can make asking an audience member to move their car an enjoyable part of the evening.

There you have it. These notes are a work in progress. Please tell us if you think there’s anything missing or anything over/under-emphasised. Please tell us if you’re putting on a cabaret. We may be able to help in other ways – possibly…