The Performance Lab Program July 23-29, 2006

Imagine what it would be like to get up in front of an audience, perform, and then sit down with them afterward and have them tell you what worked well in your performance. Listening to their feedback, you could begin to get a clear picture of your own strengths and challenges as a performer, and you could start maximizing the good things in your show and correcting the things that didn’t work so well. Imagine again that you could spend some time working on the issues raised by your audience, and then perform for that same supportive group of folks again, working out the improvements to your show and gaining the confidence that would come from smoothing out the rough spots in your set. You’d then be able to sit down with that group again and see how your improvements had worked. Think of how much better your performance would be in a very short time. Think of the confidence that you would gain. That, in essence, is what the Performance Lab is all about. This program is designed for all performers – professionals, non-professionals and all those in-between – who have a serious interest in moving to a higher level in their performing activities. Of practical necessity, the class size will be limited to eight ‘acts.’ Singles, duos, trios and bands are all welcome. Acts with more than one member will perform as a unit.
During the first part of the week, the class will spend a good share of its time working on performance skills in a lab setting on the Warren Wilson campus. During this time, class members will be performing for each other and critiquing those performances with attention to such issues as stage presence, material selection and effectiveness, structuring sets, and building rapport with an audience. Each act will have multiple performance opportunities during the week and will be able to benefit from the advice and support of a unique group of knowledgeable peers who have experience on both sides of the microphone. Each person in the group will also be functioning as a teacher by offering insights, perspectives, and experiences during the critique process, a time in which the classroom rings with the laughter of self-recognition. If you suffer from stage fright, you’ll find that you’re not the only one. Unsure of what to say between tunes? You’re not alone. At a loss to figure out why your favorite performance song doesn’t go over, while the one you think is a lightweight brings the house down? You’ve got company! According to the wishes of the group, part of each day during this time will be devoted to the practical business matters any performer will face in trying to find work and/or expand their range of performing opportunities. The topics covered will be determined by the class participants in advance of the Lab Week, but likely issues to be addressed include successful promo kits, effective booking communication, where to find valuable booking resources, putting together a good website, setting fees, knowing when to put out a recording and what to do with it, and developing a long-range plan. Part of the group’s work during the week will also focus on the development of a community of performers who can be mutually supportive of each other in working toward their individual goals.
The second part of the week will offer a unique opportunity to do further work on performance skills in ‘real-world’ settings when the Performance Lab hits the road to do a series of concerts in the North Carolina area. This year’s venues will include the Fiddle and Bow Society in Winston-Salem, the Charlotte Folk Society in Charlotte and the Purple Onion in Saluda, all of which regularly feature nationally-known touring acts. All are well-established venues who have supported this program for a number of years, and they will provide friendly and receptive audiences who know what the Performance Lab is all about and will be eager to hear this year’s new crop of talent. The acts will be presented as a revue, with each act doing a short set as a part of each show. These concerts will offer a valuable chance to work in optimal performance situations before knowledgeable and appreciative audiences. On the day following each performance, the group will critique the previous evening’s show. The multiple performance opportunities available to the class, both on- and off-campus will allow participants to identify areas of strength and to understand how to make the most of them, as well as work on areas in which they are less confident in a supportive and constructive environment. Opportunities for individual and small group work will be available through the week as well. Spaces are limited. For application information, contact: Eric Garrison, Box 339, Hyde Park, NY 12538, 203-972-3261, or egarri5110@aol.com

The Instructor

The instructor and coordinator of the program will be Eric Garrison, who is also the Coordinator of our Contemporary Folk Week. Eric brings a unique body of experience and a number of different perspectives to his teaching role at Performance Lab Week. As a musician and songwriter, he works in venues from Boston to Atlanta. As a producer and studio owner, he has worked with many independent musicians over the years and knows the ins and outs of both the recording and marketing processes. Eric also books concerts for Connecticut’s Carriage Barn series and the Library Living Room series in Hyde Park, NY.