7 Tips for Choosing a Theme That Fits Your Event

Our Show Designer, Lisa DeWolf has put together a wonderfully informative list of tips for selecting a theme that’s appropriate for your event – it’s been all over Twitter lately, so I wanted to share it here. Check it out, and click on any photo to get to the Pink Flamingos’ theme page!

When themes seem to go bad, 99.9% of the time it’s not the theme’s fault. They only “go bad” when mismatched with their function. It’s similar to choosing socks—you wouldn’t couple gorgeous, forest green, thermal knee socks with high heels, nor would you select hot pink fishnet stockings to slide into ski boots.

There’s far more to a theme than meets the eye. Listed below are seven specific functions that a theme can serve. The key? Choose the function of your theme before choosing your theme.

1. Creating a Rack to Hang Your Hat On.

The function of this theme is to serve as “the rack” on which to hang your overall conference message—the identifying catch phrase or rallying motto. For example, the focus of one conference was entirely on “quality.” While this could have been a potentially dry topic, they chose a catch phrase that provided a very colorful theme: “Trek to Quality and Beyond,” a Star Trek theme. This provided the “rack” on which to hang all of their advertising, invitations, programs, breakout sessions, signage, etc. Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike enjoyed this lighthearted and creative use of a theme.

Make sure it’s a Stylish Rack.

2. Featuring Your Destination.

This function is more obvious. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in New Orleans, go for a Mardi Gras theme. When in Hawaii, a Hawaiian theme is delightful. And when in New Mexico, consider a Route 66 theme.

Getting your Kicks is always a hit!

3. Transporting Guests to Another Place.

The function of this theme is to transport your guests from Padukah, Kentucky, where your event may actually be, to a more exotic, far away destination. Consider, for example, a Parisian theme at The Moulin Rouge, or a Venetian theme titled, “Ciao, Venezia,” or a pirate theme in the Caribbean, ‘Ahoy, Mates!’

Bonjour.

4. Transporting Guests to Another Time.

Transporting guests to a time in the future or past is a fun way to celebrate a variety of events, including anniversaries. If your company or association gathers for a 40th anniversary, the theme can be based in the 60s when the company or association began. For example, imagine a Woodstock or Sergeant Pepper’s theme. For 100-year anniversaries, a theme that takes you through the decades is exciting. One company’s president used to be in a band in the 70s, so they chose a Studio 54 disco theme. Basing your theme on the movie Back to the Future allows
part of the evening to transport guests to the 1950s, then beam them into the 1980s. No matter what time capsule you choose, you’ll want it to have flexibility. If only one time period dominates, it will inevitably alienate those who can’t relate to that time.

Flapper Girls from the 20′s

5. Honoring Your Guests.

These themes place 100% of the attention on your guests, who become the “stars.” Consider these example themes: “Here’s to the Winner,” “Hats Off to You,” “A Night at the Oscars,” “The AT&T Academy Awards,” “The AOL Walk of Stars,” or “Simply the Best.”

“Oh my gosh! It’s that celebrity that I love! I must have his autograph!

6. Giving License To “Blank”.

The function of this theme is usually a directive for that specific event: “License to Party,” which can be a spy theme, or “License to Chill,” which can be an island, Jimmy Buffet theme. This type of theme announces the intent of the event, like giving license to share this special evening with your spouse or license to network, etc.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it…

7. Just For Fun/No Particular Reason.

When your theme doesn’t need to serve any of the functions listed above, you can select a theme just for fun: a Broadway theme, underwater theme, Hollywood theme, sports theme, fantasy theme, country theme, motivational theme, and so on. The key to selecting a “just for fun” theme is that it not pigeonhole your event the entire time. It works best to establish the theme at the outset. Your entertainment should support that theme for the early portion of the event, then have the freedom to include the variety that will keep everyone engaged all night long.

What themes have you tried that have been successful? Do you have any theme ideas to share? Give a shout with your ideas!

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The Pink Flamingos and “Route 66 Live” gets their Kicks at the Tamaya

The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa is truly one-of-a-kind. It’s quite stout, standing only 3 stories at it’s highest. But what it lacks in height it makes up for in sheer luxury (this is not promotional – it’s just so cool!). As a matter of fact, it was ranked in the top resorts in the USA by Condé Nast.

The Tamaya across their top-rated golf course

The Tamaya is full of energy – the location provides expansive, breathtaking views of the surrounding reservation, which means unparalleled sunrises and sunsets, and wonderful views in any direction you look in. That, along with the lovely and accommodating staff, are the main reasons that The Pink Flamingos LOVE to perform there. As a matter of fact, we performed there twice last week!

Night number 1…

We performed in the same ballroom both nights, but by the layout you would never have guessed it. The first night, the larger ballroom was cordoned off to the smallest it could be for the event. We performed for AAA/CAA, an audience from all over North America. The emcee was hilarious, the audience was FANTASTIC, and the night was cozy and intimate. The second night for Coaches VS Cancer, however, the ballroom was opened up to it’s full, expansive glory, with beautiful backdrops and decoration – and the staff was just as attentive, urgent and friendly as as they were the first night, which made everyone’s lives easier. We even had the oppurtunity to perform and dance with congressional candidate Janice Arnold Jones.

When we can count on the hotel to provide the things we need in a timely fashion (like power and staging, etc), we can focus all our energy on great setups and shows. Here, we even had time to have one of our techies get up and play a song on the guitar!

In short, the Tamaya and The Pink Flamingos go together like bread and butter. We love the views, the rooms, and the staff – we love it all!

Christmas in Paris Theme

Mais, Oui! That’s what we said when we were asked by Western Air to put together a Christmas in Paris Themed gig! Mais, Oui!

Not that we ever say no to a theme! And hey, a couple weeks after doing this particular gig- which was in Phoenix by the way- where did we get a gig… Yup, Paris!
Anyway, one of the things we enjoy most about being a convention entertainment extravaganza/ theatre show band/ performer think tank or whatever you want to refer to us as, is brainstorming and producing interesting ways to incorporate themes.
How do we start coming up with ideas for themed event entertainment? We ask ourselves, how can we represent the clients theme through costumes, characters, song selection, theatrical numbers and video support?

For our Christmas in Paris theme we created meet & greet French characters. What a BLAST!
Our production team considers what character would be fun for each of our performers to put on and be able to create a unique dialog with the audience they will be interacting with for up to an hour. What would suit each personality best and what costume and props go with that character?

Our  meet & greet characters for this theme consisted of a Mime, a saucy french waiter who wanted to put pepper on everything, some Parisian street jugglers, a leopard in a jungle that just popped out of a Rousseau painting, a french maid who wondered who needed dusting, a very comical Pierrot clown that gave clothes pins to the guests to wear on their beautiful suits and dresses…. It’s amazing what clowns can get away with!

Our characters broke the ice with the audience creating a super fun atmosphere preparing them for what was to come.

On to the show…
What would entertain this audience while they are eating their dinner and fit in seamlessly to their French theme?
One word….. Vignettes!
Our very talented singers were able to pull off some amazing vignettes for this group. We placed them at the turn of each entree so they wouldn’t distract but instead deliver the most powerful hit.

To engage folks as they entered the room our French waiter sang “Be our Guest” in his divine french accent and super long French Moustache!
A fully costumed Phantom sang “Music of the Night” from the depths of the Paris opera house. An amazing singer performed three French Opera numbers completely en Francais! A costumed Liza sang “Cabaret” while a dancer performed a “classically cabaret” styled dance silhouetted behind a screen. These vignettes were the perfect addition to their meal!
Our video screen backdrop also really helps to support the theme though out the evening showing classy shots of Paris or French scenes perfectly timed within a song or theatrical number.

Being Pink and being Flamingos, we absolutely CANNOT resist having the audience participate in the show. What better way to make the night memorable and special to each individual? Have them be part of the show or revel in the sight of seeing their friends and coworkers up on stage having the time of their lives!
So, after dinner we get up and get dancing! Sticking in a few key numbers and Parisian costumes (cute and colorful can-can girls!) to keep their theme intermingled through out the night. For this particular event we created a special “Western Air” can-can line dance that we taught the audience in the midst of the dancing.
We got the audience participating in a number of creative ways from rubber guitar playing to a spotlight on a guest singer.

We really feel that we can tackle any theme put in our path. Not only that… but we truly enjoy what we do and we think it shows!