Most recent event work has been as Production Designer
for little
divas. Most prominent was Cool Comedy, Hot Cuisine in
2002 at the Beverly Wilshire. A fundraiser for Scleroderma Research
foundation, this was the first year that the annual event was taking
place following
the death of its Chairman.
Created concept to use live butterflies
in centerpieces to evoke the foundation's idea of “re-birth” elicited
several jokes from guest Lily Tomlin – and Robin Williams,
who also quipped about the backdrop of ethereal graphics in giant
gilded frames that it was “from the Anna Nicole collection.”
Early event work began in 1990 with Labor Day LA,
a local fundraising organization which produced themed parties
over each Labor Day weekend.
First year, served as Production Designer for a mansion party themed SS
Bel-Air.
Created giant smoke stacks on the
roof spewing smoke, a gangway up the driveway past a sea of blue
an green
balloons on the lawn and porthole windows.
The next year, headed the Creative Committee and helped
select the Treetops Pavilion at the LA Zoo for a dance party
dubbed Caged
Heat.
The beverage bars and food stations were all decorated
in African, South American and Asian motifs and exotic dancers
were featured in suspended cages above the dance floor. Guests and
volunteer staff
donned costumes evocative of animals, Tarzan, safari etc.
Appointed Co-Chairman in the following year for a
party which became Rennaisance
Faire after my selection of a the venue - a two acre
castle-like estate above Sunset Blvd. owned at the time by the notorious
palimony attorney, Marvin Mitchellson (and subsequently by Johnny Depp).
Procured hundreds of volunteers, including an Andalusian
horse organization, which provided a jousting tournament on a lower
lawn (in lieu of casino
games), and Renaissance Faire players who provided general atmosphere.
Suits of armor, banners and pavilion tents adorned
the property, which also featured a tented entertainment area, which
was cleared
later
for dancing.
Barbecue chicken was provided, along with fully stocked
bars
sponsored by major liquor companies, to a record breaking 2000
guests – who
were all shuttled from parking at the Pacific Design Center.
From 1990 - 2000, handled the design and installation
of the VIP and Press Rooms for the annual Soul Train Music
Awards at
the Shrine Auditorium, including audio-video, staging, catering, graphics
and decor.
In 1993 (the night of the Northridge earthquake),also
performed this role for the CableACE Awards at
the Pantages Theatre.