By Miss Bouvèé
Wilton Manors has no shortage of shows and performers on the Drive. With mounting pressure to keep shows different, shake it up, and keep patrons’ attention, many of us performers are focusing on diversifying our types of shows. As a result, we are often faced with some confusion from our audiences. “Why would I pay to see that when I can see it for free another night?” “Isn’t it the same type of show you do down the street?” “How is this one different?”
In a genuine effort to help the patrons and my fellow artists out, I wanted to take a moment to give a show guide of sorts!
All-Request Cabaret
This is probably the most frequently seen type of show on the Drive and is often led by a solo artist like Natasha Ricketts (Myth, Monday) LeNora Jaye (Alibi, Tuesday) Antonio Edwards (The Pub, Thursday), Steven Edgar Ross-Dybash (Alibi, Thursday), Brian Mason (Alibi, Friday), Marcos Aycox (The Well, Saturday) or Jennifer McClain (Alibi, Saturday), or a duo like Victor Valdez and Rick Leonard (Myth, Sunday) and The Boozy Belters (Alibi, alternating Sundays) to name a select few. In this type of show, everything is unscripted, the audience usually drives the energy of the show by their requests, and the singer(s) showcase their range of repertoire from Top 40’s to Broadway to, in some cases, music from the 1930s even! This show is most often free and generally has transient traffic, that is, people who come in and out throughout the duration of the show, thus causing large audience turnover.
Do I tip? Yes. Tipping with or without a request is customary.
Open Mic
In contrast to a karaoke show which often leans on tracks, this type of show leans on the central live musical talents of the host. Ruben and Friends (Tropics, Wednesday/Friday) and Jeff McDonnell (Tropics, Sunday), both pianists, will usually lead the room in song but also welcome up a collection of guests at random to be featured. This type of show is where you can often find people trying new songs out and enjoying a low key fun evening of music.
Do I tip? Yes, but usually just the host.
Industry Night
An industry night show is where you can catch industry professionals letting loose. Here you will catch singers or instrumentalists who perform mostly full time whether in cabaret or theatre perhaps trying new songs, singing together which is a rare occurrence given busy schedules, or perhaps they just want to be social and enjoy the music of others for once. Oftentimes, the host venue offers an industry discount as a thank you to the servers and performers who give so freely of their time and talent. We have two wonderful local hosts leading a show in this category; Brian Mason’s Industry Night (The Pub, Sunday) and Jennifer McClain’s Cast Party (Tropics, Monday).
Do I tip? Yes, but usually just the host.
A Variety Show (ticketed)
This category is still in the evolving stages here. As of writing this Babble, the only variety show featuring live singers/instrumentalists is The Well Sung Variety Show (The Well, Thursdays) That show has a host that stays constant and is usually the one who takes requests. However, the show is really centered around the guest artists which are preannounced. Artists may be people you know and love or may not know at all and will be featured with a number of preselected songs (setlist style, not all-request). One should attend a variety show knowing that they will enjoy the host singing as well as multiple guest artists singing multiple musical selections. Official guests may number in 2-3 in addition to the host, therefore a small ticket price may help to offset overhead costs and help to employ artists fairly.
Do I tip? Tips are not expected in ticketed situations, but are always appreciated. Tipping can happen during the show and in between song selections.
A Book Show (ticketed)
This one is the rarest to see around here, but the dominant type of show in cities like Provincetown and Palm Springs. This type of show is centered around a script of stories, anecdotes, and intimate moments with the artist. As such, the audience is usually expected to be quiet and attentive so as to catch and follow the storyline. This type of show usually has a larger ticket price because it would be assumed several rehearsals have occurred prior to the performance and other production personalities have been engaged with (writers, possibly video design, program design, kitchen staff for possible specialized menu, etc.). Some examples include Jennifer McClain “Who Is That Girl” (Tropics) and Lindsey Alley “An Evening of Music and Storytelling” (Island City Stages).
Do I tip? Tips are not expected in ticketed situations, but are always appreciated. Tipping should be reserved for after the show.
