Decide if you want an exhibition or fundraising show. Decide on the kind of performances you are looking for and if it will be a competition. Once you have decided, then you can choose the appropriate venue and staff.  If the show is a competition, decide on the rewards for the winners. Make a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place with tiered awards. Consider making a winner for each performance category. Create a judging criteria. If you have judges, create categories and a point system. For example, 20 points for originality, 20 points for costume, etc. Create penalties for exceeding the time limit to keep the competition fair. The budget is the lifeline of your show. You will have to host your show at a venue, advertise for it, and buy supplies. Determine the size of your show and how large the budget needs to be to make it successful.  Find sponsors to help raise money to host the show and provide awards.  Application fees and ticket sales will help pay back your initial expenses. Set a spending limit for each show category such as advertising and rental fees. Assemble a group of community members - such as parents, local business owners, and teachers - and form a committee. This committee will help plan, promote, and organize the talent show.  An organizational committee will not only help take the pressure off of you, but will also give you support in emergencies. Designate a treasurer to keep track of your budget and expenses. Think about the size of your show. You want to be able to accommodate the size of your audience. If the show is small and the performers require minimal technical assistance, then a small meeting hall is the best. Larger halls require more advanced technical setups with PA systems.  Find a local school or theater to host the event. If you work with a place that already has the venue, contact the person in charge of its schedule. Remember your audience. Depending on the venue you choose, you will have the provide adequate seating. If you choose an empty hall, for instance, you have the choice to set up rows of folding chairs or tables for the audience to sit. Set your date as soon as possible. You want to make sure your venue is available and secure it. Plan your date around other major events the show’s participants might have. For instance, if your show is full of students, then you want to plan around tests. You will need people who are not performing or judging to help run the show. You will need stagehands and a stage manager, sound and light operators, and judges (if it is competitive) at the very least. Recruit people in the community who want to help but do not want to perform.  It’s important to think about every aspect of your show. You will need people to set-up, run the show, attend to the audience, and clean up. Host a tech training day. Some people without technical experience may wish to help with the technical aspects of the show. Holding a technical training day will help them gain experience and be able to help run your talent show.

Summary:
Choose the type of talent show you want. Create a budget. Create an organizational committee. Choose a venue. Set your date. Create a support staff.