Prom Staging: Make Your Event the Best of Show

Looking for perfect venues? Let an expert help you score them.

Striking light-filled columns add to the height and drama of these brilliant stage sets.

By Jimmie Vann

Have you ever held a pageant, prom, or other event in a venue that looked promising, but turned out to be disappointing? My company has had to become a miracle worker on more than one occasion when asked to provide scenery, sound, lighting, and production personnel for an event scheduled in a substandard site.

One such event was held in a particular hotel ballroom because it was the off-season and the hotel rates were low. The hotel had essentially provided the ballroom for free in order to book guests in its rooms. When I arrived to inspect the site, I found the ballroom less than accessible. In order to move the truckload of equipment to the ballroom, we had to roll most of the equipment through the kitchen to a non-freight elevator, up to the second floor, down 100 feet of narrow hallway, and through a 3-foot-wide door. The only other option was to go through the main lobby and up the escalator. Obviously, this hotel did not have events in mind when they built the ballroom.

Before deciding on a particular auditorium because of its price, location, or beautiful structure, ask the company or companies that will be providing services for you if there is anything about this hall that would affect the price or quality of service(s) they are going to provide. Many times, local companies are familiar with various venues and know exactly what it will take to produce a high-quality event, and can tell you whether or not your location is workable. If the company is not familiar with your location, a professional in the business of event production can usually size up a room or auditorium with a site inspection and point out potential problems. Addressing these issues ahead of time can save you dollars and frustration later. Here are some key considerations:

Functional space. Does the room suit your event? For instance, does the facility have enough dressing rooms and are they conveniently located adjacent to your stage? Are there separate restrooms for the contestants or performers? Remember that, in a pageant or similar type of event, contestants often have very little time to change outfits between segments. The path to and from the stage needs to be short and not on a slippery surface. You may need to rent pipe and drape if you do not want the contestants to be seen entering the stage. Another consideration is power for hair dryers and curling irons. The average wall receptacle cannot handle two 1500-watt hair dryers.

Convenient access. If you have scenery, sound, lighting equipment, or staging to erect, determine whether the room is on the first or second floor or how far it is located from the loading dock, which can tremendously affect the man-hours needed to complete the project. It's important to have wide enough doorways, hallways, and freight elevators to move equipment and scenery into the room.

Staging and/or runways. Find out if the facility will provide staging or if you will have to rent it elsewhere. Portable staging comes in all shapes, sizes, and heights, and in a variety of surfaces. (If your event involves modeling, you will not want carpeted staging or uneven staging with raised outer edges!) If the facility is going to provide your staging and runways, be sure to verify that enough staging will be available on the date of your event. Quite often, a facility will inadvertently overbook their staging if they have several events happening simultaneously.

Sufficient electrical power. Check to see if the room has enough power for your event. If you're planning on powering a sound system and stage lighting, wall receptacles will not be enough. Nothing can ruin your event more than having either your sound system or lighting shut down in the middle of your event. Most venues have extra power available, but making use of it usually involves securing an electrician at a cost of $500 and up. Most facilities charge for the extra electricity used, but that cost can be negotiated. In extreme cases, a portable generator can be secured from companies that specialize in portable power. While more expensive, this solution is definitely needed for most outdoor events.

Lighting headroom. A room with a 12-to-13-foot ceiling height places stage lighting so low that those on the stage are looking almost directly into the lights, which is quite uncomfortable. It also creates harsh shadows and a less desirable look. If you are going to use stage lighting, look for, at a minimum, 15 to 16 feet of ceiling height to let you achieve a 45-degree angle from your lights to your subject.

Acoustical properties. Does the room have an adequate sound system, or do you need to rent one? If you don't have much experience in this subject, consult a professional, because sound is a tricky area. Most sales personnel at hotels and auditoriums cannot assess whether the sound system will meet your needs. In most cases, a hotel ballroom will not have an adequate system, especially if you're using production-quality music. Hall systems are usually suitable for speech and background music. The acoustics of the room should also be checked. Some of the most beautiful rooms in the world have the worst acoustics, and bad acoustics will result in muffled or garbled sound. That's because even the best sound systems cannot take the echo and reverberation out of a room.

Hidden extra costs. Ask about additional charges ahead of time. These can include fees for use of the wall outlets, extension cords, tables and skirting, extra chairs, pipe and drape, spotlights, dressing rooms, box office, sound system, stage lighting, audio/visual equipment, air conditioning on non-event days, and technicians and overtime for weekends.

When it comes to finding the right venue, the old adage, "Buyer beware," still applies. A great deal on the surface is no bargain if the facilities are inadequate or interfere with the success of your event. Let your service suppliers be part of the decision process and yours will be a more satisfying experience.

Jimmie Vann is a producer of pageants, model searches, and theatrical productions with over 20 years experience. As head of Vann Presentation Services, he has worked with both small and large budgets at local, national, and international events to create environments that are both functional and beautiful.