New Year...New Website!

I'm starting off the new year with a new website!! It's at:

WWW.GEOFFREYSHORT.COM

I'd love your feedback! Check out the pages for "Gypsy" my next directing project coming up in the Spring at Brecksville Theatre on the Square.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Video: Planning Music Entertainment from Geoff Short and DJ Scott Jones

Check out this cool video courtesy of Mystic Image Video. Me and DJ Scott Jones hosting an information video about planning music entertainment from Jerry Bruno Productions.

Jerry Bruno Productions Preview Video from Mystic Image Video on Vimeo.

Check Out "STAGES" Part 8!

Enjoy Pt. 8 - A behind the scenes look at the Junior Class Songwriter's Showcase of new music called "First Takes" both at Baldwin-Wallace and as the class takes the show on the road to Night Town in Cleveland Heights.

This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short, STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.

Cool AVENUE Pic from Genevieve Nisly!

Thanks Genevieve Nisly for the great Avenue pic!


The singers of The Avenue at the Hillbrook Club, 2009 (l. to r.) Leigh Peterson, Geoff Short, Tiffany Marchak).

CHECK OUT "STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program" - PART 7!!

Enjoy Pt. 7 - The big day for nervous high school seniors auditioning to get into the exclusive BW Music Theater program plus a look at the audition day master class with Broadway Casting Director Bob Cline including performances from a few BW seniors.

This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short, STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.

BOOK AND WIN AN IPOD NANO!

Book and win an iPod Nano!

Need holiday entertainment? Planning to book your 2010 wedding or event entertainment soon? Don’t wait! Request a contract, sign and return with your deposit by Dec. 31st and you’ll be entered to win a brand new iPod Nano!

The iPod Nano 8 GB holds 2,000 songs and takes 8 hours of video! Find out more about the iPod from Apple.

Pass the word! Anyone who books with a signed contract between today and Dec. 31st is entered to win! Visit JerryBruno.com for entertainment options from bands and DJs, jazz and ceremony musicians, to specialty acts like tribute bands, magicians and dancers.

A View from the Stage: Night of the Living Speech

The beast was among them...dressed as one of them..and it was hungry.

The newlyweds were flushed with excitement. They had painstakingly planned every detail of the reception....the perfect flowers...the perfect band...gourmet dinner...special dances...the......toasts...

It wouldn't be long now. It had been too long since the thing had fed. The unsuspecting victims were just now enjoying the salad course. Soon the thing would eat too. Only one thing would satisfy its insatiable appetite...time. And lots of it. It was just waiting for its cue...

..."and now ladies and gentlemen...a special toast from the Best Man..."

SUPPER TIME!!

The timeline was dead.

Fiction? Unfortunately in too many cases, no. I always remember a "toast" being something along the lines of "over the teeth and through the gums, look out tummy, here it comes!"..but too often a well-wishing Best Man or Maid of Honor sees this custom as their 15 minutes of fame - literally...15 minutes.

One question I always like to ask clients is "what is your goal for this reception"? Most people say that they want their guests to have a great time, to stay and dance and make the event one people have great memories of. In short, they want to throw a great party.

So why do so many people seem to forget what makes a great party?

True, a wedding reception is not an ordinary party...but there are some ingredients for successful parties that are universal, no matter what the occasion. One of those ingredients is the ability for the hosts to take the focus off themselves and put it onto their guests. This may seem contradictory to the very reason this event is happening in the first place- to celebrate the new union of the two most important people in the room. But the happy couple is THE reason everyone is there in the first place and the big white, fluffy dress is a big clue as to who the center of attention is. Making 200 guests - who have already dedicated an entire day to celebrating the rookie-weds - continue to sit through long speeches and toasts to further drive the point home can be the very definition of overkill.

And it can kill your timeline.

The bride and groom are most likely not going to be aware of what time it is - or rather, how much time they're losing - at any given point of the reception. Nor should they. But the band the bar and the bus boys definitely know what time it is. That's our job as planners and bandleaders and DJ's - to keep things moving and on schedule. And ready or not at the end of the night, the party is going to come to a close. Hopefully by this point it's your guest's feet that are tired from dancing and not their rear ends from sitting all night. You've probably paid good money for the band or DJ. You should get the most out of your investment and let them do what they do best..fill the dance floor. I've seen more than a few brides with that surprised look as though the dancing just started, and it seems we're "already" thanking the audience and going into our last dance.

Besides, wedding toasts are kind of like inside jokes - filled with memories that approximately 2% (according to statistics I just made up for this blog post) of the entire crowd were involved in and thus, care about. Making guests endure long winded speeches about things they weren't involved in is kind of like inviting friends over to sit through a slide show of your last trip to the Grand Canyon.

Don't forget the show business aspect of throwing a party. Appeal to the larger audience. More elements that everyone can enjoy - like dancing, eating and drinking - can help ensure a fun reception.

None of this is to suggest toasts should be done away with. But if brides and grooms make it clear to their respective Best Men and Maids of Honor from the very beginning of the planning process that their timeline is limited, things can move more swiftly to the true business of partying. A brief toast can still be funny, congratulatory and heartfelt.

And the time-eating beast will have to eat elsewhere.

Geoff Short

Geoff is the Sales and Promotions Manager at Jerry Bruno Productions and is the bandleader of JBP’s band The Avenue. Contact him at geoff@jerrybruno.com.

THE AVENUE – from Jerry Bruno Productions

Seated: (l. to r.) Tiffany Marchak (Vocals), Geoffrey Short (Vocals), Leigh Peterson (Vocals
Back Row: (l.to r.) Ray Porello (Drums), L.R. Smith (Keyboards), Ian Indorf (Trumpet), Joe Blues (Guitar), Bob Kessler (Bass), Chris Vollstadt (Saxophone), B.J. Bishop (Trombone).

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 6

Hope you enjoy the latest episode of "STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program"! Pt. 6 - "The Wild Party" finally opens!

My Wife the Hero

My wife is a hero. Her name is Lisa Dwyer-Short. We call her Dubba. She works with children with multiple handicaps in the school district where we live. Like most teachers, Dubba doesn't make a fraction of what her most important work is worth, but I have seen her create miracles for kids who never would have dreamed of some of the opportunities she has created for them. She constantly is thinking of ways to expose her developmentally disabled, autistic and physically handicapped students to new experiences. My heart bursts with pride when I think of the school talent shows that ended with acts she put together featuring her students dancing on feet and in wheel chairs and the look of pure joy on their faces as their able-bodied classmates stood and roared in support. No one claps for these children, but Dubba creates opportunities for them to feel love and support where they never could have imagined it before. Even things that seem so simple to most people are unimaginable to these children and Dubba makes them real. Creating a birthday party for a disabled teenager who only wants the things every teen girl wants. A party with gifts and cards and cake, but most importantly one attended by so many "regular" students who just came to give the birthday girl a hug. All of which probably would never have happened without Dubba. She fought for permission to take the girl to see "New Moon"- something the girl never could have imagined and something she never will forget. But more importantly, it's the every day, hard, thankless work of loving, teaching and advocating for these kids that Dubba and so many people like her do that is really miraculous.

I am used to applause. OK...I am kind of addicted to it. But it's work like Dubba's that is some of the most important work I can think of because it's work that gives back to the world, that contributes and makes the world a better place -makes someone ELSE'S life better...and she hardly ever gets applause at all. Yet she deserves a standing ovation. I just wanted her and so many like her to know I notice, I appreciate it, I am in awe of it and I proudly stand and applaud.

We creative types are always looking for inspiration. For me I only have to look at the work Dubba does every day. A true hero.