The evening
Every branch of the family has its own version of how it all began, which recipe is the real one, and which cousins can be trusted at the tug-of-war. Cousin Dale has finally finished the family tree, and he’s going to present it after supper. With slides. They go one at a time, and somewhere around the fourth generation, the tree says something about one branch that the reunion will not recover from.
How your guests take part
This is a very interactive show. Upon arrival, every guest is assigned a part: They will interact with the cast as a cousin from one of the four branches, with a card that gives them a family legend, a secret to keep, and a job to finish before the night is over, like winning the tug-of-war or finding the cousin with the same birthmark. Your guests may want to come to more than one performance, as their interactions with the cast and the story itself will be different every time.
Larger speaking parts that are integral to the flow and plot of the show are filled by people in your organization or by finding actors from your local community theater.
We also know every guest has their own comfort level. Any guest roles that require speaking or otherwise draw attention to themselves are filled before the show by volunteers, who are also given a brief orientation. Any guest can trade a card with someone else or hand it to the actor hosting their table. Anyone can simply sit back and enjoy the show. Nobody is ever put on the spot.
The details
| Venue | Anywhere indoors you would hold a banquet, set up as the family reunion, with some open floor for the tug-of-war. Dale needs a microphone for his presentation. While not required, the primary cast members can also wear a performance microphone (we can help you find a local company to provide this service). |
| Equipment | Your organization provides a projector and screen for Dale’s slides. We provide the slides as a PowerPoint file. |
| The meal | Buffet only. If your local health department allows it, your organization’s people can bring the dishes potluck-style. |
| Your cast | Local actors for the roles we don’t bring, plus the ten to twenty guests who will volunteer for the smaller speaking parts. |
| Guests wear | Summer picnic clothing. For a winter show, consider providing secure storage for guests who need to change or take off outer clothing. |
| Music | Nothing in the show depends on a particular song. We walk you through any music licenses your venue needs. |