For the past five years, Michael McLaughlin has been the force behind Lakeside’s annual Lip Sync show – billed as the “biggest and longest running” of its kind in the world.
The upcoming show – his sixth one – includes a record 27 acts, 27 costume changes and 32 performers.
“Many of the performers return year after year,” says McLaughlin. Becoming rock stars for a night, “they take a song and go crazy with it.”
He continues: “Typically we’ve put on three to five shows over the years. This year we are putting on four shows in three days.”
McLaughlin says Lakeside’s Lip Sync show began when he was asked to stage an English mime show (in the United Kingdom, Lip Sync is called “mime”). “The first few shows took place at Club Exotica in the Ajijic plaza, then we moved to the Auditorio”.
Soon, McLaughlin joined forces with the non-profit organization, Pro Auditorio, which raises money for the Auditorio de la Ribera in La Floresta.
“We started putting on fundraisers in 2000, and Pro Auditorio has raised money to remodel the venue and install air conditioning. We raised about US$9,000 during the last fundraiser.”
It takes McLaughlin about three months to get the show details together and point it in the right direction. “It’s a fun show to do and not a hard show for the actors. Certainly, they do way less rehearsing than they would do for any other show. And since I love dancing, there is plenty of dancing throughout the show.”
McLaughlin is too busy producing the show to perform in it. “I end up making many of the props for the show. I’d rather be the prop guy and make the costumes than act in it.”
How does McLaughlin choose the songs? “Performers come to me with a song that they want to do, or I find a song I want to do.”
Audience response also dictates his song selection. “I make songs interesting for the audience, and I try to keep the songs short because people have a short attention span. Most songs are three minutes. That way, if they don’t like the song, it will be over in three minutes. I also vary songs between fast and slow, and use different languages. It’s like a potpourri of music: Try a little of this, a little of that.”
In this upcoming performance, a performer will be miming an Amy Winehouse song. “There’s a whole Amy Winehouse industry out there,” says McLaughlin. “We were able to buy an Amy hairpiece and nine tattoo decals for the song.” Other mimed celebrities will include David Bowie, Prince, Bette Midler and AC/DC.
During his theater years, McLaughlin was part of an improvisational theater group, which he started in Sacramento, California. “I ran ‘RSVP’ for nearly 20 years and we played at every conceivable venue.
“Improv is so fundamental to comedy,” he says. “I have learned how to engage the audience. You can say I have a PhD in Audience!”
The show is not without its challenges. “The difficulty with this show is that none of the acts are related, which is also a benefit. The disadvantage is all of the many costume changes. The advantage is that the numbers don’t have to be in order. If someone drops out it won’t kill the show. You just eliminate their song.”
Another of McLaughlin’s challenges is that all the shows have consisted mainly of women. “I need to use women for male roles because I can’t get enough male players. Out of the 27 acts, there’s probably 20 female singers, and all the women are dancers. It’s like pulling teeth to get guys to do it!”
This year’s goal for McLaughlin is to “crack” the Mexican audience.
“Getting Mexicans to attend in large numbers is hard. Many other organizations have told me this. I’m hoping to set up an interview this month at a local Mexican newspaper with one of our Spanish-speaking performers.”
Also, their Sunday noon performance is geared toward Mexicans, with its lower ticket price and with the MC speaking in his limited Spanish.
What motivates McLaughlin to continue to take on Lip Sync year after year?
“I have fun,” he laughs. “The audience has a good time and I know the show is for a good cause. I don’t make it a grueling experience where everybody hates each other at the end of the run. It’s not like that at all.” And, with 20 years of theater background, you could say that show biz is in his blood.
The 2017 Lip Sync show runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 27, 28 and 29 at the Auditorio, with two shows on Sunday. For tickets and information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">.