Jump Back Ball Shop Nights have been a great way to get a behind the scenes glimpse into this year's Passport to Party theme.
With only one week until set up day for Jump Back Ball, saying it’s crunch time would be an understatement. Over the last month, members of Partners have met a couple times each week in the Hanna Building, putting together the decorations for the event. Since the first Shop Night on January 31st, it’s been really interesting to see this year’s theme come together.
With a theme like Passport to Party there is a lot to cover at one event, so I figured I’d highlight what can’t be missed and what to keep an eye out for in the decorations (you can also click the links to learn more about the real-life international festivals).
The first stop at the party is Germany's Oktoberfest for dinner.
- After AMP 150 kicks off the evening with the VIP pre-party, partygoers’ first stop in their around-the-world trip is Germany’s Oktoberfest. While dining on Sammy’s food, a Polka band will entertain guests.
- After dinner, the State Theatre Mezzanine opens up for a celebration of Chinese New Year. This is where you’ll also find the party’s casino tables.
- The first band – The Menus – take the State Theatre Stage at 8:45 during the Running with the Bulls party.
- Guest can also grab a drink from the ice martini bar and a photo opportunity with Bonhomme, the official ambassador of the Quebec Winter Festival, or party with jugglers, dancers and other street performers from the Thailand Full Moon Party.
- Towards the end of the evening, the late-night band Radioactive will perform in the State Theatre Lobby which will be transformed into the Jaipur Kite Festival.
The Quebec Winter Festival will feature a photo opportunity with Bonhomme. A particularly handy group of Partners are busy building him (that's just a glimpse at his face).
Throughout the State Theatre, decor created by PlayhouseSquare Partners will be reminiscent of scenes from the various festivals – from the table settings and centerpieces to what’s hanging from the walls and the ceilings. One of my favorite incorporations of the theme has been the kites for the Jaipur Kite Festival. In addition to featuring such a recognizable symbol, the kites are also being used as a canvas to highlight the 20th anniversary of Jump Back Ball.
Each kite will feature a design from a past theme, such as last year’s ‘Carnaval,’ ‘Rome If You Want To,’ and ‘The Ruby Red Romp.’ Helping to paint the kites has been a lot of fun and – as a Jump Back Ball first-timer – a great way to look back at the last 20 years.
The kites at the Jaipur Kite Festival feature previous Jump Back Balls' themes - a fitting nod to this year's 20th Anniversary. Scott snuck a picture of me painting the 'From Tie-Dye to Super Fly' kite.
The theme doesn’t have to stop with the decorations. As I mentioned in my post on getting ready for the evening, ‘black tie creative’ means you can incorporate an around the world trip into your outfit. The PlayhouseSquare blog has posted a few tips on what to wear if you want to dress for the theme.
There are three shop nights next week (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 6-9 pm) if you want to learn more about Partners and get a behind the scenes glimpse into Jump Back Ball. Then there’s set-up day next Friday in the State Theatre. Stop by the Hanna Building at E 14th and Prospect and check it out.
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