To produce a successful pageant, as with any event, it is important to pay attention to details. There are many things that go into the direction of a pageant and it is important to know what these are before jumping in.
Awards Are Important to Pageant Contestants
Awards are very important to pageant contestants. There is a bigger draw to cash awards than most pageant crowns or trophies, but still most pageant directors do not offer cash unless they are a scholarship pageant. It is also very hard to promise cash awards for a first year pageant when the pageant director has no idea the number of contestants it may draw.
Remember, pageant directing is a business and a pageant director must watch out for the bottom line no matter what. Directing a pageant is risky business. There are no guarantees. Therefore when developing the pageant application remember to include a prize list. If some of the awards have not been decided upon such as optional pageant awards then just list the awards as “a nice award” or something of that nature so pageant contestants know they will receive something.
Locating a Pageant Venue
Consider your pageant's venue. What does this type of pageant call for in a venue? Some places to consider are schools, convention centers, hotels, performing arts centers, civic centers, etc. Call the town’s Visitor and Convention Bureau or Chamber of Commerce for other ideas. If the pageant will be a large, multi-day pageant, the pageant director should contact the local Visitor and Convention Bureau who may negotiate a deal due to the pageant bringing business into their town.
Finding Pageant Judges
Now for the pageant judges and competition auditors. Large incorporated pageants such as Miss America© and America’s National Teenager© require that their judges do not receive compensation. These pageants' directors feel that using uncompensated judges prove that their judges are completely unbiased. The pageant judges’ accommodations and food are taken care of but not their transportation to or from an event, and they are not compensated for their time. Smaller pageants need to be prepared to compensate the judges for their time. The pageant director should take into consideration the distance the judges will have to travel and their meals on the way to the pageant and back. Pageant judges that can ride together are a great advantage.
Try to obtain judges that do not judge pageants regularly in the area and try to avoid judges that are local pageant directors. Start seeking pageant judges well before the pageant date and have them reserved for the pageant date. Sometimes judges will have unexpected issues and one will lose one or more at the last minute. In these instances, the pageant director may not be able to avoid hiring local judges.
Try to choose judges that are known and respected as pageant judges or pageant directors and/or are approved by their state’s Miss America preliminary pageant. Not every pageant contestantwill be satisfied and some might be unhappy with the situation but be honest with the contestants, and let them know the chosen judges will have an unbiased and professional manner. Before taking the judges to their positions, it may be feasible to mention to a judge that may be less experienced that they are representing pageantry and should give contestants the utmost respect by dressing and acting in a professional manner.
Judges should dress in business attire and keep chit-chat to a minimum. Be sure the expectations are understood by all pageant judges. Type out a “Pageant Judge’s Guidelines” sheet and insert the document into the judges’ books as a subtle reminder of expectations. Items might include paying attention to every contestant, from the time she makes her first step on to the stage until her exit. Be sure the pageant emcee knows not to proceed to the next contestant until they have received a nod from each judge. The pageant judges need to take their time and the contestants will appreciate it!
Choosing People to Help at the Pageant
Next, the pageant director will want to consider what staff is needed for the pageant. Do not think that the pageant can be handled by one or even two people alone. It cannot. Positions to consider include admission, contestant check-in or registration, line-up, stage manager, judge’s escort, and general gofers. Some venues will provide a headset communication system that can be utilized to run a smooth pageant. Even without a communication system, the pageant director can use cell phones with a head set as a substitute. The pageant director never knows when some piece of information from the contestant check-in table needs to be passed on to the stage manager.
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