Travelling Shows: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

As a stagehand for an international vacation company, I see a lot of travelling acts that come to our ship to perform for our guests. Some stay for a month, some stay for a few voyages and a few leave after a single show. Over the last few months I have seen a variety of acts and performers, not all of them on the same caliber. I decided to take some time to reflect on some of the acts I’ve seen and what makes the act successful.

THE GOOD

These guys have been in the circuit for a long time, and are VERY good at what they do. They know their material back and forth and practice constantly for better results. Their act has variety in it, but still works as a cohesive whole or under one theme. They might slip up every now and again but that just comes with performing live. They have material that their audience likes, or are able to connect with their audience if it’s something they’ve never seen before. They’re prepared for every rehearsal and are courteous to the orchestra and staff. Probably the best example I can think of is an act called Goucho Del Plata. He and his partner Valentina were a long-time South-American Cowboy act on our ship, and they got along famously with everyone. If he dropped something or slipped up in a show he would play it off and keep going, and occasionally would change up parts of his act to keep it interesting for himself or try something new. I loved watching them every cruise and it taught me a lot about how travelling acts work.

THE BAD

Maybe they’re new to the industry. Maybe they lost their luggage in the airport. Maybe they don’t have an act that resonates with their audience. Maybe they’re just bad. Whatever it is, these guys are rarely invited back for a second show. They tend to have poor or disconnected material that can confuse the audience and leave them scratching their heads thinking “what just happened?”. Sometimes they flat-out can’t perform the material they’re trying to do, or use material that is obviously beginner level. Their props are unwieldy and multiple, and require frequent and frustrated aid from the stage staff to sort out. (Not to say many props are a bad thing; I’ve seen an excellent comedy act with a ton of props, but most of them could fit in a few boxes.) Sometimes they’re just really, really bad at what they’re trying to do. And rarely, but it does happen, we get an act who manages to incur the wrath of the PM. Whatever happens, the audience tends to end up smaller than it started out.

THE GOOD WITH BAD MATERIAL

This group is the middle ground. They could be really good, or have the potential to be good. But they don’t have a good act. Sometimes It’s poor material, material that doesn’t fit the audience, or they just had a string of bad luck. We have a Motown act called Sonz of Soul currently performing, and their first couple of shows fell flat-the first because the drummer threw his back out and they had to use canned music, and both shows because they were an English-speaking group performing for a Mandarin-speaking audience. Once they got in front of an English crowd, however-BOY did they bring the house down. They got one of the only encores I’ve EVER heard on this ship.* Sometimes a point in the right direction is all they need.

THE VERDICT

I’ve seen a lot of really good acts. I’ve seen acts that I didn’t think would be good and ended up surprising me, like the world-famous harmonica players. And sometimes I see someone that is supposedly really good, but their act is flat, like a magician who used beginner tricks and logic puzzles rather than anything really dazzling. And some we just hate because while the audience loved them, they were hard to work with backstage. In the end it just depends on the performer as a person and how good they are at their act. I’m going to leave you all with some tips for the budding travelling acts out there:

-Practice, practice, Practice! (This really should go without saying)

-Know your audience: If your audience mainly speaks Mandarin, you should probably learn some Mandarin. Know the demographic (Or at least ask for an estimate) and prepare for it. I know one guy showed up prepared for a mandarin-speaking audience and got an English-speaking one instead. The two require very different types of music because of cultural differences.

-Be prepared. Keep the most essential parts of your show in your backpack rather than your luggage in case it gets lost on the way. (this includes your flash-drive back-up) Ask ahead of time if you can have the dimensions of the stage if your act needs certain needs or has a lot of props and moving around. Know what charts you need for the orchestra. Find out what the audience demographics are. If you don’t speak English and the crew do, make sure you have someone that CAN speak English. Or, you know, learn English.

-Be flexible. Sometimes crap just happens. A light could blow; an orchestra member could injure themselves or Another act went down with the flu. Have some-back up material if you need to change your show after you arrive at the venue. Don’t be scared, just be aware that something could change.

-Be reasonable. If the Production Manager tells you that you can’t do something, it’s probably for a good reason. (like not going barefoot onstage. We’ve seen that one, and it violates a safety rule.)

-Be Nice. The orchestra and stage staff, especially on ships, are often busy doing other sets or setting up other shows. They work really hard to learn the music and cues you’ve prepared for your act in an hour or two. Be aware that we have needs to.

-Pack your Act. This goes double on a ship where we have VERY limited space. We don’t want to get left holding that one drum you left behind “just in case” you come back in the future. Make sure your act is packed up and ready to move when it’s time to go. If you do have a lot of props, work it in such a way that those props can store other boxes. Like that comedy act I mentioned earlier; Most of their props fit in a few boxes or bags, but it didn’t look that way when they were onstage.

Well, that’s all from the Tinker this time! I’ll try to write more about my travel experiences in the future, but I wanted to get this out there for fun.

Until next time, Travellers!

*If there WAS another encore, it was in Mandarin and I couldn’t understand it.

Travelouge: Shanghai #2!

Greetings, Travelers! Today I bring you tales of a land far from your home with oriental dining and marvelous goods from around the world. This place is Shanghai, China. Now, I only got to spend a couple hours in this wonderful place, but I did get to try some marvelous food and see what a Chinese mall looks like. (Spoiler alert: it’s a lot like ours)

Once again, I only had a couple of hours before I had to return to the ship, but that was alright because this particular mall is really close to the port; 10 minutes by taxi. I traveled with my co-worker for this particular adventure, mostly because he knew a good dumpling place and wouldn’t stop making slurping noises at me until I agreed to come along.

The dumplings were really good. There was also soup, but by the time it arrived the dumplings had filled me up and I felt bad for not being able to eat the soup. It was a big thing of soup. They also don’t keep their soda cold. It arrives in a can, not warm, but not icy like we Americans usually drink it.

After lunch we wandered around the mall to see what shops there were. I think Chinese and Japanese malls organize themselves by department or category rather than any store wherever there was an open space. So women’s clothing on one floor, men on the next, ect… There was only one electronics store, though, which I’ve noticed elsewhere; They seem to have specialty stores for electronics rather than buying them in malls. Malls seem to be mostly for clothing, souvenirs and restaurants.

They also have daycares for children. Literally, a mall outlet that is designed as a play land where you can drop off your kid while you go shopping. They even take little walks around the mall for you! It was really cute, actually. It’s probably easier on the parents, their fellow shoppers, and the children. The Parents don’t have to worry about keeping track of their kids, the other shoppers don’t have to listen to screaming or complaining children, and the children get to play and not sit on a bench while their parents shop. It’s a pretty good deal all around. I wonder why we don’t do that? (Probably because we’re afraid of kidnapping or something.)

They also had a GIANT ball pit. Like, heaven for kids. I didn’t see anyone playing in it though. I’m sure it was pay-to-play, but I wasn’t sure if there was a height limit. I totally would have tried it out if we had time, though. It looked really cool.

So we wandered around, did some basic shopping for souvenirs and such, then met up with a couple of our musicians for a taxi back to the ship. (Which ended up being a good thing, because they told me a change in the schedule I hadn’t heard about and really should have.)

And that’s Shanghai! I promise there will be more blog updates in the future: I’ve been busy and haven’t had a lot of spare time for writing. (and when I do get back to my cabin I’d rather sit and play Skyrim and not think.) But I’ve had some great adventures and there will be more to follow!

Until next time, Travelers!

Travelouge: Nagasaki, Japan

Greetings, Travellers! I come to you today from the beautiful, wonderful Port of Nagasaki, Japan! No, I didn’t make it to the Bomb museum today, but I hope that the next time we are here I can make it! …which is in September. Stay tuned, folks!

It’s true that Nagasaki is a beautiful port. The streets are clean and there are parks everywhere. Even the terminal has grass! It doesn’t feel like a big city, which I love. It felt really open, at least until you start wandering the side streets. (No, Grandpa, I was not wandering the side streets! That just happened to be the fastest way to the restaurant that our friend knew of…)

I did make it to a nice local restaurant today. The menu had both Japanese and English text so I was able to read it enough to order hamburger meat with some beans and some sort of coleslaw thing. It was actually pretty good. (I don’t like coleslaw though, so I didn’t eat it.) It also came with a sidebar option, which was a drink, a soup and three mini desserts. I forgot to get the soup, but I did get some orange juice and some dessert. (éclair and a jello that tasted like coffee.) The third option for dessert was yougurt so I decided to pass. They even had free wifi! (which is a big deal when I have to pay $4 for an hour onboard.) I was able to chat with my boyfriend and download the new pokemon Go app. I couldn’t get it to work right away though, so It may have to wait until my next port day.

After that we wandered around a local mall. It was a beautiful place. It was outdoors, but there was a glass ceiling overhead, so it was both outside and inside. We didn’t really have a lot of time to shop, though. While my friends shopped I spent some time looking at merchandise and pondering the differences between US and Japanese marketing techniques. I did see some really cool shops that I would love to visit when we come back. There was even a pet store!

I’ve heard rumors of cafes in Japan and maybe South Korea that are centered around animals, like Pet cafes, where there are cats running around that you can pick up and pet. I’d love to visit one of those at some point. I really feel like cuddling a kitten right now. (Or my boyfriend, but that has to wait until I’m back in the states. <3)

Unfortunately, we left the ship early afternoon and only had a couple hours in Port, so we had to get back to the ship. We took the tram car back, which cost us a grand total of 120 Yen per person. (That’s about $1.20 in US currency) It was a flat rate too, which I love. They were really prompt, and fast-it took us longer to get on the ship from the terminal than it did to get to the terminal from the mall.

I really hope that our Next port day in Nagasaki will allow more time for sightseeing. I would really love to visit the bomb museum, from an American-seeing-the-reprecussions-of-our-actions standpoint, and I heard about a beautiful catholic church near the terminal I would love pictures of. (my friend Ben had pics, and I want to get some at some point!) There’s also an observation deck up on a hill that allows you to see ALL of Nagasaki, so that’s also on my to-visit list. Finally, there’s the Peace Park, which I think is near the bomb museum so those can be visited at the same time.

As always, there are pictures of my Adventures HERE if you want to see them. (They upload faster for me there, but it still takes time if there are a lot. Pics come when I can upload them.) I add them all to the same album so make sure you check the whole thing if you don’t see anything new right away.

Safe Travels, folks!

-Tinker

Travel Tip: Asians do not and do not like tipping. They consider it rude and an insult, as it insinuates that you need more money rather than a reward for a job well done. (Unlike in the US where we really do need more money.) So if you do not get tipped by a Japanese or Chinese guest, this is probably why. Don’t get insulted, it’s part of their culture.

Travelouge: Fukuoka, Japan

Travelogue: Fukuoka, Japan

Greetings from the Open ocean again! I just spent the most wonderful day in Fukuoka, Japan. My first time onshore in two weeks! I was only ashore for a few hours, but I still had a lot of fun!

I left the ship early in the afternoon after helping over 3,000 guests debark for excursions and tours. After a quick lunch and a change of clothes, I was ready to head out! I decided to travel with my friends from the production cast, and we went to a mall known as Canal City.

Eat your Heart out, Mall of America.

Seriously, the place was beautiful. Half of it was open-air, some was inside. Beautiful plants and fountains filled the place. I’m told there was a fountain show on a regular basis, but I didn’t get to see it. There were a TON of amazing shops, but I didn’t buy much because I’m trying to save my money. I did start to plan out birthday presents and souvenirs, though. Take a look at this lovely Link!

There were also some restaurants, including what I’m told is a REALLY good sushi place, but none of us were very hungry so we didn’t stop. I did buy two items on my trip: A belt (because I seriously needed one for work) and a gorgeous red hat that was 70% off the original asking price of $50 so I bought it. (Plus it looks like Carmen SanDiego’s hat and how could I possibly resist?)

After a few hours we got tired out (and crew all aboard was approaching) so we returned to the ship. It was a short mall excursion, but I still had a lot of fun! I can’t wait for the next time we’re in port. I’m told there are some old castle ruins with really beautiful gardens, and I can’t wait to see them!

Until next time, Travelers!

The Open Ocean

Travelogue: The Open Ocean

Greetings from Asia! I know you all haven’t heard a lot from me in the last week or so, and that’s because I’ve been super busy! Between constant trainings, work, seasickness and longing to go into port, I’ve been on my feet a lot and crashing hard when I crawl in my bunk at the end of the night.

I know you’re all (and by all I mean Mom) super curious about my job, what it’s like living on a ship and working in a place that is never in one spot for too long, and to be honest I’d love to tell you all about it. HOWEVER, Security’s a pretty big deal on the ship (It’s actually this week’s safety topic) and I want to be careful about what I share. There’s a fine line between innocent chatter and accidentally sharing something that could put the ship in danger if anyone ever wanted to attack it. So if I keep some details close to the vest, that’s why. So no pictures of my cabin or work areas for now. :P

However, I can give you a quick run-through about what my average day looks like:

Morning: Haul myself out of bed and shower, then go to breakfast…on the opposite end on the ship. Breakfast has been pretty good, but if I show up too late the French toast gets cold and starts to harden, so I’ve learned to go early. Late morning, I usually have some form of training. Because I’m a new hire, I go through a WHOLE slew of trainings to ensure that I don’t panic if something happens onboard. Again, safety and Security are two very large concerns. But rest assured I know which fire extinguisher to use should I see flames.

Afternoon: Sometimes I have additional training (Company policies, etc.…) and sometimes I have work. My work schedule not only varies each day, but each cruise, because each cruise is a little bit different. I usually manage to fit lunch in there somewhere too. I usually have an hour or two I can sneak onto the internet and chat with family if it’s not too late in the evening their time. Or play Tomb Raider.

Evening: THIS is where most of my work day happens. Because I’m a member Stage Staff, most of my work is helping with productions. I could be operating a spotlight or moving a piano in the pit. I also do a lot of crowd control, which I’m okay with talking about because 3,000 guests see me do it on a regular basis. We have a parade on the Royal Promenade (our “Main Street”) that opens every cruise, and I help set up the props and keep people from running onto the parade route (which seems to happen every cruise) This is important because parts of the parade have bikes and performers that move VERY quickly, and the last thing I need is some little old lady getting run over by a giant panda. (Royal Caribbean is partnered with Dreamworks, so certain dreamworks characters appear in our parade and at special events.) I do a lot of setting up/taking down miniature stages for bands to perform on throughout the day.

I also assist with crowd control on our Ice Show. Because it’s a copyrighted event, I have to endeavor to stop people from recording the show. Thankfully it’s really easy to see the record button on phones. At one point in the show the Zamboni comes out dressed up as a train and a few children are allowed to ride. I have to stop EVERY OTHER CHILD in the theater from jumping on. Ok, so it’s the parents we have to worry about-the stories I’ve heard about parents trying to get their kid on the train make me jumpy every time it comes out.

I mainly work in the Savoy, our large theatre. It’s not only security but professional pride that keeps me from talking too much here; Theatre’s no fun if you know all the behind-the-scenes stuff. :P but This is where I run Spotlight or help move things backstage.

Also dinner. That’s in there somewhere too.

Late evening after I’m done, I come back to my little cabin and either crash right away (which is more common when the seas are rocky and I just want to sleep) or I’ll sit on my computer for a bit and write letters and blog entries. I don’t stay up too long, though-I have to get up early the next day and do it all again!

Until next time, Travelers!

Musings on Intercultural communications

In my week aboard the Mariner, I've come to realize just how much we rely on language, both vocal and physical, to communicate. A person's stature can relay so much about their mood, their thoughts, their goal. Certain movements and sounds are constant across all languages and cultures, such as shouting, pointing, and waving arms in the air madly.

The only reason I've noticed, naturally, is because I can't speak Mandarin and have to rely on other communication methods to get my point across with our guests. Particularly on the matter of recording a copyrighted performance. (when I say 没, I MEAN 没. )Thankfully I can sign up to take Rosetta stone language courses onboard, so I've done so. I've learned about three words in Mandarin Chinese, (Hello, No, and Thank you) but it's not quite enough to get me by when someone asks how to get to the restroom.

So stay in school kids, and take those language courses. You never know when they will come in handy.

(and I promise I will get pictures for you all eventually, but the weather's been lousy and I'm stuck on board as the Duty staff for this week.)

Cruiser Q&A

Or: I have the nosiest mother in the world. <3

Hey Folks! So I've completed Day 3 of my time aboard my lovely ship, and I've got to say that I've learned a lot. I've also gotten both homesick and seasick (and I'm not sure which is the easier of the two to manage) A lovely anonymous reader of mine (coughmomcough) asked me some questions about my life onboard, and I will endeavor to answer them as best I can while still respecting the privacy of our guests and my fellow crew members.

Q: What is your cabin like?

Small. Really. Really small. It’s even smaller than my dorm room was at college (and that’s saying something!) There’s two tiny closets, two beds, and a miniscule desk with some shelves. And a bathroom/shower that wouldn’t be out of place in a travel trailer. It’s a space designed for efficiency, not comfort.

Q: What is the food like?

Delicious! While it’s not quite as high quality as what is served to the guests, the food we crew get to eat is really good, with a lot of variety. It’s a buffet style, but I don’t eat a lot because I have a small stomach (which is really annoying when there’s a lot of food and my eyes get bigger than my stomach.) I usually try to get some bread and fresh veggies along with whatever entrées are being served. Breakfast in particular is delicious. I’ve yet to find a good dessert though…

Q: What is your average day like?

I Don’t know yet! I’m still in the process of training, which involves classes in the morning for general ship rules, policies, etc.…. In the evening I’m shadowing my co-workers on events to find out how things are run, how the equipment operates and so on. The first two weeks are going to be different than my normal schedule, but most of my work takes place in the afternoon and evenings, meaning I’m up late but I can sleep in a bit if I feel like it.

Q: What is the primary language spoken on the ship? Do they use more than one?

English is the primary language spoken by the crew on the ship-it’s required. I’ve heard a lot of the crew speak in their native language though, mostly between themselves when they’re more fluent in it. We have a very diverse crew from all over the world, and naturally a lot of different languages! The main language spoken by the guests is Chinese as they are currently our primary demographic-which creates an interesting challenge when Chinese who don’t speak English try to ask for help from staff and crew who don’t speak Chinese (like me)

Q: How are you adjusting to the time change?

Slowly. The first couple of days when I flew over and joined the ship were really rough because of jet lag and anxiety. Now that I’m starting to even out into a more consistent schedule my sleep cycle is starting to regulate. I get about six hours a night, but it’s my own body waking me up and not my alarm so I can’t really complain. Plus, I take a nap in the afternoon between training and work.

Q: Are you seasick much?

I wouldn’t say it’s full-on Seasickness-I can still work, I just get a bit off-balance and wobbly, but it is taking me a bit to get my sea legs. Right now I just have to realize when I’m hungry or haven’t eaten in a while, and try not to read or work on the computer during rougher sea days. It’s mostly been when we’re on the open ocean.

Q: Is there anything that you miss?

Oooooooh, yes. Now that I’m halfway across the world I’ve come to realize just how much I love my family and miss them. (and appreciate their ability to help with stuff, like things I forgot to pack and getting paperwork that I forgot I already had. :P) I also really miss talking with my online Friends-I really took Discord (an online communication program like skype but for a lot of people) for granted back in the states, and now that I get about an hour of internet every day (if I care to pay for it) I’ve come to realize I really miss the connectivity it gave me. As much as I love my new job, I really look forward to the day I get home and get to see everyone again. <3

And that's it! If you have any questions about my job, what I've seen or want to pester me about other stuff, feel free to shoot me an e-mail leave your question in the comments below!

Until Next time, Travelers!