Great shows don’t just happen. They’re built in prep. Airchecks usually focus on what comes out of the speakers. But sometimes the best way to improve performance is to go upstream and review how the show was built in the first place. If you fix the preparation process, most other mistakes, errors, and shortcomings take care of themselves. And yes, you can aircheck show prep.
Show prep is where everything starts. If the process is broken, even the most talented cast can’t rescue weak content. And if the prep is dialed in, execution becomes sharper, funnier, and more focused.
Most shows fall into one of two traps: Over-prepared, where every word sounds rehearsed until the show sounds stiff, scripted, and fake, or under-prepared. In this case, they squiggle a few topics on a Post-It note, then wing it. The show meanders, hoping something spontaneous happens.
Great shows find the system that fits them—and then attack it with passion, focus, and discipline.
