Sometimes there are stages that are more challenging to work than other stages. This stage and audience configuration is a good example of that.
First, let’s tackle the obvious: there’s a walkway between the benches and the bleachers. Unfortunately, that’s just how it is, and there’s not really anything you can do about that.
The bigger issue is getting on and off stage; it’s a high stage, so a lot of stairs, and the stairs are off to the side. It’s good that they are on the side; if they were on the front of the stage, the handrails would be a visual distraction. It just takes a lot of time for me or someone from the audience to get on and off stage.
I have a spot in the show, right after my introduction, where I need to hand something to someone in the audience. That’s dead time while I walk on and off stage.
Here’s what I did:
Opening bit, then walk into the audience to give the thing to someone in the audience.
2nd trick happens on the floor in front of the stage.
After the second trick, I bring someone from the audience to the stage with me for the third trick.
For the fourth trick, it happens on the floor in front of the stage. This trick needs access to people so they can hold things at different points.
When the fourth trick is done, I bring someone from the audience back to the stage with me and send them back to their seat when the fifth trick is done.
The final trick happens with me solo onstage.
There are a lot of ways to deal with the “long walk to the stage“, however for this situation, moving my show between the floor and stage worked great; it reduced the dead time a lot. This makes the show feel tighter!
-Louie