Good Old-Fashioned Show Business
March 14, 2011 by Larry Green
Filed under Mobile DJ Stories
You Gotta Pull the Right Strings
Some years ago, when the Clarion Hotel Myrtle Beach was the Holiday Inn West, the groom, Anthony Constantino, chose to feature a Village People routine to immediately follow the cake cutting at his wedding. When it’s something the bride and groom want, featuring the YMCA at this juncture can be seen as an effective method to draw people’s attention back to the dance floor. During the cocktail time, it was up to me to recruit a team of macho-looking guys to act out my special choreographed moves. Normally, I experienced some rejection in gathering a crew of cooperative participants. It requires a special temperament to allow yourself to get up in front of a crowd and be a part of what is commonly construed as a really cheesy routine. On this day, as I approached the most likely candidates, I was making absolutely no headway. It was then it occurred to me. For years I had been going about this the wrong way. What I needed was some irresistible motivation. Just like Stanley Austin!
In the mid 1970’s, as a music teacher in New Jersey’s Caldwell-West Caldwell Schools, my supervisor mandated I take a course at Trenton State College entitled, “The Dynamics of Musical Force.” The professor was Stanley Austin. One of the most memorable stories he shared with us pertained to what he described as “good, old-fashioned show business.” Stanley was an enthusiastic dynamo, about 5 feet 7 inches tall. Recently discharged from the army, right after World War II, he was in Teaneck, NJ and needed work. Stanley grew up in a family involved with show business and he had a musical background. So, when he learned that Teaneck High School was looking for a general music teacher, he went to the school, reported to the assistant principal and asked for the job. The administrator took one look at him and snickered. The last music teacher had to be carried out in a straight jacket. Unfazed, Stanley just said he’d like a chance to show what he could do. Amused, the assistant principal led him to the cafeteria. It was the end of the lunch period, and because it was raining, the students were all inside. Covering up a laugh, the administrator told Stanley to go in and see what he thought of the students. He’d be back to get him in about five minutes. Opening the the door to step inside, what greeted Stanley’s eyes and ears was nothing short of bedlam. Amidst the frenetic energy of raised voices, flying fruit, and various groups of students standing around and carrying-on, he had one thought. This was a test. He immediately spotted and strode over to the largest, meanest-looking character he could find, slapped him on the back, and with an energized confidence, announced we’re going to get this whole place clapping. Then, with a big booming voice, he started singing “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” clapping along, and instantly, his big-bodied “sidekick” joined in. Soon, the whole cafeteria was singing and clapping, and when the assistant principal returned, to his astonishment, Stanley had everyone’s attention and was actually teaching a music lesson. Stanley’s explanation? “Show business. Good, old-fashioned show business.”
So, back to the task at hand—Anthony Constantino’s wedding and the YMCA. I decided to approach the biggest and most intimidating-looking groomsman in the room and persuaded him to do his good friend, a favor by finding us some “Village People.” I told him the truth, saying, in all sincerity, Anthony would be very happy if he himself served as one of the guys in the Village People line. He agreed and had absolutely zero problem gathering more than enough “volunteers.” Subsequently, I met with his team of recruits, coached them, and instructed them to be in position during the cake cutting so we could make a well-timed segue from the cake to the dance floor. Those big guys were charming. They were so adorable, the ladies flocked to the dance floor, which of course made it easier to continue the open dancing.
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