Seven Ideas for a Variety Show Party

You may recall a blog I wrote last winter—10 Ways to Add Fun to a Musical Coaching Retreat—inspired by Acappella Omaha’s annual two-day retreat. We have a highly renowned Sweet Adelines International coach come work with the chorus a few weeks before spring competition, on a Friday night and all day Saturday, and then we have a fun night of entertainment in an after-party closing out the retreat. We like to have as many members participate in the entertainment as possible, and we encourage it to be related to the theme, but it doesn't have to be. I thought it might be fun to make a list of different ideas for how to put something together for such an event, in case helpful to some of our members or others looking to have such a party. The following are Seven Ideas for a Variety Show Party...

1) Write a song parody based on the theme of the retreat or party. We had a crazy fun example of this at last year’s retreat, where the theme was “The Rhythm is Gonna Getcha”. Three of our members dressed in gothic chic with pillows under their blouses, called themselves the Baby Mamas and rewrote Rhythm of the Rain to be about their pregnant condition as the “rhythm method fails again". It was hilarious!

2) Choreograph a dance or learn one from an existing video and perform it at the party. A fun one out right now is to UptownFunk by Mark Bronson featuring Bruno Mars. There are already several videos on YouTube, some teaching the choreography from the music video, and some with their own choreography. If time allows, you can teach some or all of your dance to the group!

3) Create a skit around a song the whole group knows and invite them to sing with you. In Acappella Omaha’s case, this is easy enough because we’re all about learning music together. However, there are many songs most people would know which could be used. If songs don't appeal, you might rather do a skit with funny characters. One of the chorus' favorite running skits is the adventures of Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris and Natasha that four of our members create around the theme each year. It's TOO funny!

4) Teach something. Since we had a rhythm-related theme last year, I taped a how-to video for members who might like to learn the cups cadence made popular by Pitch Perfect, and everybody had a cup to perform it throughout the retreat and party. I also taught the Bim-Bum-Bitty rhythm song at the event itself. 

5) Play a game with the audience. Some television games give good ideas for this, like Minute to Win It, Whose Line is it Anyway, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, etc. The caution is taking too long. Usually timeslots are in the five-minute range, but you can find creative ways to do shortened versions.

6) Facilitate a group art project and have a contest for the best creation. This idea is wide open for possibilities. One suggestion might be to break into teams—each with a roll of toilet paper—and have the groups create fashion designs using one of their members as a model. 

7) Be a comedian, magician, a puppeteer, etc. A party crowd's usually an easy audience. Try something new, stretch your comfort zone, strutt your stuff, show a side of yourself nobody's ever seen. You'll have an amazing time and so will your audience!

These are just a few ideas to get the juices flowing. I’d love to hear what fun performances you and your friends may have come up with at past parties. Please share in the comments section below and happy creating!

Today’s Quote:
What do you call a computer that can sing? A dell.
-- Unkown