My Weekend Managing The Some Good Ideas Stage At Camp Good Life

By Will Merison

Imagery by Department Two

The Some Good Ideas stage at Camp Good Life was a melting pot of, well, good ideas, and it was my job all weekend to manage the stage.

It’s a great job. I have done it for a number of years now and I think I am starting to get the hang of it - I'd call myself a semi-professional at this point on the basis that there is still about half I don’t know.

So here are my five top tips to managing a stage successfully (expect tips 6-10 in 2031 when I will be fully professional):

ONE.

Your stage must be tidy and chairs must be neat. Much harder than it sounds, especially early in the morning if people are using the chairs to nap. Move them slowly so as not to wake them.

Two.

Your microphones need to be working. Say “check check” into the mic with confidence so people think you know what you are doing.

Three.

Get your acts to the stage. Armed with phone numbers and bad signal you must track down whoever is on next. Most of the time the person you are looking for is, in the Good Life’s case, on the helter skelter.

Four.

Listen to each talk start to finish. This is the best rule. The trick is to look like you are on hand to help if anything goes wrong, when in reality you are just enjoying the talk.

Five.

Now it is time to get the performer off the stage. Subtlety is key. You cannot panic them. Catch eye contact, nod knowingly and lift your palm up to indicate that they have five minutes left. Simple.

N.B. I have never had someone not leave the stage so I am unclear about what the next move is. There is always next year…

So I’ll hopefully see you in 2022 for another incredible year of events by The Good Life Society where you will be able to see me further perfecting the art of stage management.

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Good goods. Transparently priced.