How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Family-Friendly Entertainment
Companies are increasingly looking to offer family-friendly entertainment. Here’s how to do it right
by Lindsey Getz | Published in January 2009 entertainment | family-friendly | Focus on Entertainment
You’re planning a large event. Suddenly, management decides to promote a sense of inclusivity by inviting employees’ families as well. Now you’re planning an event for not only employees, but their spouses and children as well. As if selecting the right entertainment weren’t hard enough to begin with, securing an act that appeals to the whole family can feel like a major challenge. But it’s also a trend.
“A lot of conferences and companies today are looking at a way to make their meeting a mini-vacation for the family,” reports Eddie Diaz, CEO and creative producer of Encore Creations, a Florida-based entertainment and event marketing firm. “A lot of that added responsibility does fall on the entertainment planner to really understand what his or her audience needs.”
“That’s the number-one difference between planning a family-friendly act and planning your average corporate entertainment act — you have to appeal to a large demographic,” adds Rocky Whatule, chief operating officer of Rock Solid Entertainment, and a comedian and entertainer himself. “You need an act that can relate to everyone in the audience — from the guy who is 60 years old and about to retire to the family who brought their 6-year-old to the event.”
What’s Really PG?
One of the best ways to seek out acts that might work for your audience is to do your homework. This is perhaps even more important when kids will be in your audience.
“Nothing beats personal knowledge and having seen the act yourself,” says Paul Creighton, a certified special events professional and executive vice president of T. Skorman Productions Inc., an Orlando, Fla.-based entertainment company. “You’re the final determination. What you think is rated PG might not be what your act considers PG, so you should really see the act in person.”
When it comes to acts that the whole family can appreciate, anything that is visually appealing is one of your safest bets, says Michelle Fulcher, a certified meeting professional (CMP) and owner of Organized Affair in Arizona. “This may include anything from stilt-walkers, magicians or Cirque du Soleil-style troupes,” she says.
Cirque-style performances have certainly become popular, as their unique routines offer entertainment that all ages can appreciate. Visually appealing acts also include routines like The Passing Zone (a comedic juggling routine) or other physical comedians who engage the audience not only with words, but also with the performance.
Kid-Friendly Security
No matter what entertainment you select, an important factor to keep in mind when planning an event that children will attend is security. If you have a lot of kids in the audience, you may need to consider extra protection. It’s unfortunate, but the wrong kind of people do show up at events where they know kids will be, warns Faith West Gorman, a CMP, certified festival and event executive, and owner of Faith West Events.
When she planned an event for the opening of Morristown Memorial Hospital’s new maternity ward in New Jersey, she had a variety of entertainment to keep both children and adults engaged. More importantly, she was prepared with additional security.
“We consulted someone from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to make sure we were completely prepared,” she says. “I always use professional security at my events, but with an event where children were in attendance I didn’t want the security to look scary. So I had them dress like cowboys. The kids didn’t need to know who they were, but I could rest assured that the kids were safe.”
The Pitfalls of Going Direct
The current state of the economy has added another twist to planning entertainment. One effect has been that planners have become more likely to book their entertainment directly, says Whatule.
“They try to save a dime here and there by calling and booking the comedian or entertainer directly instead of using an entertainment company, and they end up losing that guarantee that it will be clean, family-friendly entertainment,” he warns. “An entertainer isn’t going to make a mistake and mess up when booked with a large entertainment firm because they’ll lose a lot of their work. But they may not be as concerned with a single gig. These are the kinds of things a contract with an entertainment booking agency will prevent.”
The economy also puts some extra pressure on coming up with a great plan for entertainment. You need the money you invest in events to pay off — and expectations may be higher than usual. In addition to a great performance, you may also wish to incorporate acts that leave employees motivated and feeling good about the company.
“As a result of the economy, clients are going to expect great value from their investment in entertainment,” says Creighton. “Acts that can help deliver a message will continue to be in demand.”
And that’s one thing about entertainment that’s recession-proof.
Get into the Act
Looking for the right act for your event? Start with these family-friendly entertainment options.
Encore Creations: Courtesy: Encore Creations
Speaking to All Age Groups
This cirque-style show features an eclectic group of talented performers. Teatro Storvandre combines acrobatic acts with some relatively new performances, only seen by a few audiences. “It has universal appeal because the adults can see the performances in light of their difficulty, while kids see the bright colors and whimsical routines and enjoy it as well,” says Eddie Diaz, CEO and creative producer of Encore Creations, which owns the performance. “It brings in elements that can both appeal and speak to those from all age groups.” www.teatrostorvandre.com
Taylor Mason: Courtesy: The Nashville Group
A Family Entertainer
This “Last Comic Standing” star has also worked side by side with big-name comedians on the “Thou Shalt Laugh” DVD series, including Patricia Heaton, Tim Conway and Sinbad. His ventriloquism act, combining music and comedy, will keep the entire family laughing from start to finish — and better yet, is 100 percent clean and G-rated. Mason has received two “Family Entertainer of the Year” awards. He has said that his faith has driven him to perform where there was a gap in the entertainment world — acts were either inappropriate for kids, or too boring and childish for adults. He fills that gap by keeping audience members of all ages entertained. www.taylormason.com
Circ X: Courtesy: Circ X
‘Beautifully Bizarre Entertainment’
“We specialize in beautifully bizarre interactive entertainment and theatrical circus artistry,” says Diana Lozano, founder and artistic director of Circ X. “Our brand of entertainment transcends any particular age or demographic.” Most of the cast (including herself) are high school teachers at the New World School of Arts Conservatory in Miami, which means they have a greater understanding of how to entertain young people and adults, she adds. “In the past, we have been booked on the same day in the same costumes for drastically different events — a Sweet 16 during the day, an art opening in the evening, and a more adult party into the wee hours of the morning,” she says. www.circx.com
Denver and the Mile High Orchestra: Courtesy: Denver and the Mile High Orchestra
A Great American Band
Denver & the Mile High Orchestra (DMHO) is a modern horn/pop band hailing from Music City USA — Nashville. The band comprises a seven-piece horn section and a four-piece rhythm section, and is led by vocalist Denver Bierman. DMHO was also one of the top three finalists on Fox’s “The Next Great American Band.” Their influences range from horn bands like Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire to classic songwriters like Billy Joel. This group has a power-packed sound that has been entertaining groups with audience members of all age groups. www.denvermho.com
Skill, Artistry, Interactivity
Montage: Courtesy: WonderWorld EntertainmentPresented by WonderWorld Entertainment, Montage is a grand show of circus routines and skill starring former members of Cirque Du Soleil. “Acts include contortionists, pole climbers, hand balancers and aerialists, to name a few,” says Michael Manzanet, owner and creative director. “Cirque entertainment has always been family-friendly. Adults can appreciate the skill and artistry of the performance, while younger audience members can appreciate the interactive characters and colorful costumes.” The show is packaged to fit any venue, requires no rigging and can be tailored to fit the needs of any event. Manzanet offers this example: “[Corporate client] Gulfstream wanted an ‘Under the Sea’ theme for their corporate event, so we were able to creatively adjust the show as well as specifically create costumes to fit that theme,” he says. www.wonderworldla.com
Les Oiseaux Du Paradis: Courtesy: LODP
Experience Aerial Ballet
If you’re looking for something unique that will leave guests of all ages in awe, Les Oiseaux Du Paradis (LODP), an aerial ballet experience, is a great pick. Children enjoy the beautiful costuming and visual aspects of the performance, while adults appreciate those elements along with the skill and artistry involved. The two-person team comprises Elsie Morin and Mathieu Roy. Together they have performed at exclusive events around the globe. And they can bring their performance to any venue — from an office complex to a resort or hotel. LODP even offers world-class wines from a European vintner produced exclusively for the team’s performances. www.lodp.biz