Planning for a Crowd

The most important number to know when planning for a crowd is the maximum fire code room capacity. This is not just an arbitrary figure for you to double or triple as needed, this is the number you must restrict yourself to in audience planning. No joke — we once had fire engines arrive screaming at a library when a disgruntled father, whose tike couldn’t see well in the crowd, got irritated enough by overcrowding that he dialed 911 in protest! This didn’t bode well for the librarian’s future. And, packing in more than the max number is just plain dangerous should an emergency occur. If you can predict potential crowd size, and they won’t all fit into your space, we suggest you:

- offer multiple show times, or

- move to a larger venue, or

- limit your crowd size (keep reading for the how-to’s)

Managing the Numbers

Here are some successful ways other event planners have managed or limited the size of their crowds:

- count the heads as they enter — first come, first seated — turn-away the overflow or offer them the next show [be warned that this method can result in agitated folks, probably not the smoothest approach to customer service]

- require pre-registration or advance ticket distribution — when they’re gone, they’re gone [be aware that this approach requires LOTS of pre-publicity and you'll need to be ready to turn-away those at the door who hadn't read the fine print]

- restrict daycare groups – limit their numbers with advance reservations or don’t allow daycares to attend at all [they're always looking for free entertainment, but is this really your primary audience?]

- restrict the age of the audience — for example, limiting the audience to schoolers (ages 6 years and older) will greatly reduce the number of infants, noisy toddlers, and noisier parents

- restrict the audience to children ONLY – that’s right, "no adults" – and advertise a strict set of audience age limits [OK, we know this makes you cringe, but we know of LOTS of schools and libraries who have successfully weaned their parents from needing to sit with their kids at shows, it can take a couple of years and a few confrontations, but it CAN be done -- call us and we'll put you in touch with those with experience]

Controlling the Audience

The crowd shouldn’t control you, YOU should control the crowd. Here’re some proven tricks of the trade to help you control the masses:

- keep your audience in a holding area – seat them just 5 minutes before show time, the performer will love you forever and the audience volume will stay much lower

- mark the seating areas — if on-the-floor seating, mark the audience areas with blue painter’s tape to show them the boundaries [no mess to remove]

- use staff or volunteers — position them around the room to guide the audience to the seating areas and to enforce the boundaries during the show

- restrict strollers — ban strollers all together or require them to be kept at the back of the room [they take way too much space and are an exit hazard in case of emergency]

- require parents with infants or toddlers to sit nearest the exit doors – announce that noisy youngsters must immediately be taken out of the show area [be prepared to enforce this during show time, as we've had many mothers stubbornly refuse to leave, which ruins the show for the rest of your audience]

- provide a quality microphone/speaker system – set the volume loud enough to maintain the audience’s attention over light chatter

- introduce the performer — announce whatever house rules you and your performer have agreed upon, such as the use of cell phones or video recorders

- instruct your audience how to exit the show area – position staff or volunteers to keep the crowd moving-on out

- provide a private and safe entrance and exit route for your performer – especially when they’re lugging props or animal crates [nothing worse than getting swarmed with your arms full]

- exude confidence and professionalism at all times — be polite, but firm, if challenged — crowds will usually behave according to your expectations, IF you make your expectations perfectly clear

1. Arrange for the performer to load/unload at a door with easy access to the show area (it’s no fun to drag crates through a lobby packed with patrons), carts with wheels will need ramps or elevators.
2. Reserve the performer a parking space (NOT in handicapped, in fire lanes or on the grass — parking tickets do happen).
3. Provide a volunteer or staff member to offer to help haul their supplies or at least to guard their supplies in-between trips to their vehicle.
4. Keep the audience out of the show area until 5-minutes before show time, to allow for a calm set-up and mental prep time.
5. If an audiovisual or speaker system was requested by the performer, set it up and test it prior to their arrival.
6. If payment is due on the day of the show, give the performer their check upon arrival, so you don’t have to be hunted down later when you are busy with patrons.
7. Provide a cold bottle of water right before show time.
8. If it’s a children’s program, quiet the audience before they enter the show area and insure they are seated in an orderly manner (not a herd of noisy buffalo).
9. Limit the number of audience members to comfortably fit the area and/or to comply with fire code (it’s not much fun when the firemen arrive uninvited – yes, it’s happened).
10. Request parents with infants or strollers stay in the lobby area (best case) or at least to stay in the back row, near an exit door (2nd best case).
11. Help the performer maintain audience control by stationing volunteers and staff to enforce any specific performer rules (i.e., noisy children must leave, cell phones off, no photography, no one past the taped line, etc.) – you are paying performers to entertain, not to police your patrons.
12. Forewarn the performer if media reporters will be in attendance – introduce them to each other and help them set-up photo opportunities during or after the program.
13. Start the show promptly on time — hold prize give-aways or awards until after the show is over and give the performer the option of packing-up and exiting before you get started.
14. Provide a warm welcome — stand up, engage the audience’s attention, and enthusiastically introduce the performer to the audience.
15. If allowing late arrivals, reserve an area for them in the back of the room and escort them to their seats with minimal disruption.
16. When the performer concludes, lead the audience in an appreciative round of applause, publicly thank them, and give them a "plug" for their business — mention their website or make business cards available.
17. Instruct the audience which way to leave the meeting area and keep the crowd exiting in an orderly fashion (performers usually have other commitments and need to leave on-time).
18. If your audience was pleased, don’t let the performer leave until you tell them so – pass on all the positive comments you overheard and, ever-so-gently, pass on constructive criticism and suggestions – performers are sensitive folk, but they all want to improve their programs.
19. If you felt the performer’s work was exceptional, by all means write them a quick email or note and tell them so – offer to be used as a referral or an endorsement.
20. Performers rarely get to see media clippings about their appearances, so sending them an original newspaper or magazine clipping for their scrapbook will make you their favorite librarian!

Are they licensed? Anyone who displays a mammal (something with fur, even a bunny in a magic show), must be licensed by the federal government – it’s called a USDA-APHIS "Class C" Exhibitor’s License. Ask for the performer’s USDA license number to be sure they are following federal animal care standards and that they’re inspected annually by government officials. The license number should be in this format:  ##-C-####. A reputable exhibitor will not be offended – they will be amazed that you care about the animal’s welfare. To confirm they are licensed, go to the USDA-APHIS list of approved exhibitors.  Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, you can now also access their latest federal facilty inspection report, to see if they were in violation of any Animal Welfare regulations. In addition, ask anyone with any animal (not just the furry kind), if they hold the required state, county or city permits for the animals they keep. Again, they shouldn’t hesitate to professionally answer your question. If in doubt, contact the Animal Control office in the city in which they reside, to ask if they hold any needed permits.

Are they insured? Professional animal exhibitors carry at least $1 million in business liability insurance. In today’s litigious society, you should ask for proof of insurance in order to protect yourself. Again, a reputable performer won’t hesitate to send you proof.

How are the animals handled? If you’re able, observe one of their shows. Watch carefully how they handle the animals. Is it done with care? Are the animals’ bodies fully supported? Does the handler insure that the animal can’t risk harm to themselves or to an audience member? "Tailing" a snake (dangling it by the tip of its tail), letting an animal crawl freeing on their body, or wrapping a snake around a kid’s neck, are prime examples of a performer who’s in it for "show" and "scare tactics." This should be a major red flag.

Is there direct audience contact with the animals? Audiences love to touch, so most performers offer some form of limited or controlled touch with animals that pose little to no risk. Watch how the animal is restrained. A professional handler will restrain the animal’s head and offer a spot to touch that is far from teeth and claws. In addition, they should require use of hand sanitizer immediately after direct contact. Ask if they do this. If not, insist that they do. At Zooniversity, we do not allow contact with any animal that could incur harm, we just don’t take chances. We strongly agree with federal recommendations that there should not be direct contact with primates (lemurs, apes, monkeys – even the cute ones in clothes) or with big cats (even those tiny tiger cubs). It is our opinion that doing so is a headline waiting to happen.

What’s their training, expertise and affiliations? Anyone can buy a few animals and make a website. We field many calls from folks with a snake or two that want to know how to do this for a living. Unfortunately, these folks are out there, without licenses, without inspection, without insurance, and without the foggiest notion about animal welfare or audience safety. Ask about their education, their training, their practical experience, and their affiliation with professional zoological organizations. By doing your research upfront and asking the right questions, you can feel good about the organization you’ve selected.