1.  Talk about maybe doing a coffeehouse… for about a year.
(Art Fidler and I had first discussed the idea of having a variety or talent show at OKTC way back in 2011.  Took this long to actually make it happen!)

2.  Choose a date.
(We finally decided on Saturday, January 26, 2013.)

3.  Get a team to help you.
(Got a team of some amazing Original Kids to help plan the event.  We decided on prices, max number of participants, how we wanted the show to run, and the name: An “OK” Coffeehouse.  The kids decided that the proceeds from the show would go to the OKTC fundraising effort to rebuild the theatre balcony.)

4.  Recruit performers.
(Sent out an email to the company for Original Kids who wanted to perform.  We had to extend the due date a few times.  Always be willing to accept latecomers.)

5.  Have an initial meeting.
(We arranged for the planning committee and performers to have a meeting where the performers would show off their acts and the planning committee would select which performers would end up in the coffeehouse.  We had a multitude of amazing acts, including improv, mime, and a variety of singers, many accompanying themselves.  In the end, we took all of them.)

6.  Have a dress rehearsal.
(I am very thankful that our tech director, Joe, was able to attend our dress rehearsal.  I didn’t even think about microphones and sound mixing… although seeing as most of the performers were singing, I probably should have.  What do I know?)

7.  On with the show!
(Just before the show, we practiced our big group finale, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python’s Spamalot.  Nice little preview for our upcoming production.  We did a “pass-the-hat-and-boot” at the end of the night and raised $177!)

Extra Credit:

• Find someone with Photoshop skills who can make you a personalized logo and/or poster.
• During dress rehearsal, first start with a cue-to-cue of all tech needs.  Then do a full run-through of the show.
• Next time, I think I’d schedule the performance at a time when the high school students aren’t in exams.
• Make sure to get someone to take pictures, since you’ll be too busy being amazingly proud of your team!

(Special thanks to the amazing Original Kids planning committee and performers, Joe Recchia, Art Fidler, and the OKTC box office team!)