Got our tickets in the mail last week. Jump Back Ball is almost here!

12 days and counting until the curtains go up on another Jump Back Ball.

Between now and February 22, when Scott and I aren’t celebrating Valentine’s Day, our fifth wedding anniversary, and going to work, you’ll likely find us on the fourth floor of the Idea Center at PlayhouseSquare — painting, cutting, pasting, and perhaps (but hopefully, not) glittering.

It’s Jump Back Ball Shop Night season. And, as always, anyone is free to stop by, help out, and get a sneak peek at this year’s James Bond-themed decor.

At last night’s Shop Night, Scott and I had a chance to paint a few of the cloth banners celebrating the different Bond films.  Kimberly and I painted “happy trees” on a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. And I even got to use a nail gun for the first time. Once I overcame my fear of accidentally hurting someone with it, it was easy and fun.

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As Scott wrote in last year’s Shop Night guest post, you don’t need to be crafty like Q to help out. The only requirement: have fun!

We’ll provide you with a light dinner. And in case you need another reason to attend, every Shop Night you go to will get you a raffle entry for an overnight stay at the Wyndham Hotel the night of Jump Back Ball.

You still have 3 chances to attend a Shop Night and be entered into the Wyndham Hotel raffle. Join us between 5:30pm and 8:30pm at the Idea Center on:

• Wednesday, February 12
• Monday, February 17
• Thursday, February 20

You can also join us on Friday, February 21 for Set Up Day. If you’d like to help assemble the event’s decor throughout the State Theatre, begin arriving at the State Lobby after 9:30 a.m. If you can only stop by during your lunch hour, we’ll be there all day.

Still need Jump Back Ball tickets? Although general admission tickets are sold out, a few Sponsor level tickets remain. Sponsorships start at $1,500 which gets you 4 VIP tickets to Jump Back Ball. That breaks down to $375 per ticket, plus $1,220 of the sponsorship is tax-deductible. Head over to playhousesquare.org/JumpBackBall/sponsor.html for more information.

Already have your Jump Back Ball tickets? Check out my post on James Bond costume ideas.

Disclosure: I’m on the board of PlayhouseSquare Partners, the organization that hosts Jump Back Ball. I also blogged about the event’s kickoff party as a Jump Back Ball blogger.

What are you wearing to Jump Back Ball 0023: Shaken Not Stirred?

Jump Back Ball is less than two months away, which means it’s time to think about what to wear. If you usually go the dress-and-tux route for Jump Back Ball, but always wanted to try a costume, this year’s Shaken Not Stirred: JBB 0023 theme is perfect. It’s easy to take your formal wear one step further and turn it into a James Bond-inspired costume.

After scouring the internet, I’ve compiled my favorite James Bond costume ideas and broken them down into four categories. However, before we get to that, I have a quick Jump Back PSA:

Did you know you can still get tickets to Jump Back Ball?

This year’s general admission and VIP tickets sold out in less than two weeks. If you missed your chance to purchase a ticket and can’t wait til next year, there are still a few Sponsor level tickets. As far as event sponsorships go, it’s more affordable than you may think.

Sponsorships start at $1,500 which gets you 4 VIP tickets to Jump Back Ball. That breaks down to $375 per ticket, plus $1,220 of the sponsorship is tax-deductible. A $3,000 sponsorship ($2,440 tax-deductible) gets you 8 VIP tickets, plus a 1/4 page ad in the program, logo recognition in select promotional materials, and a listing in all season playbills,

So if you still need a ticket, head over to playhousesquare.org/JumpBackBall/sponsor.html for more information or go here to purchase a sponsorship.

Now, on to Jump Back Ball costume ideas!

Bond, James Bond

An elegant tuxedo or suit matched with a couple of gadgets, and you’re all set as James Bond. However, don’t think you need to stick to a classic black tux. Bond has sported many different suit and tuxedo styles over the years — from Connery’s white dinner jacket to Lazenby’s ruffled shirts. Just don’t forget to practice your British accent.

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Check out thesuitsofjamesbond.com for a detailed look at all of James Bond’s outfits and accessories, as well as Black Tie Guide’s 50 Years of James Bond Tuxedos, which goes through Bond’s evolving style in each of the films.

Bond Girls

Similarly, the right evening gown and hairstyle can transform your outfit into a Bond Girl costume. Learn more about every Bond Girl at 007James.com.  If a slinky dress isn’t your style, try Elektra King’s ski suit from The World is Not Enough. It’s not just gorgeous, but also perfect for our current sub-zero temperatures. 

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Here are a few more links for Bond Girl inspiration:

• Rent the Runway’s Most Iconic Bond Girls
• James Bond Skyfall Style Guide
  
• How to Dress Like James Bond’s Leading Ladies

James Bond Villains

Who says you have to be a good guy? I personally think it’s more fun to be bad:

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For more villainous ideas, peruse 007James.com’s Top 10 Bond villains and the James Bond wiki for the full list of foes.

Bond with a Twist

None of those costume ideas strike your fancy? Try one of these, which put a twist on the typical James Bond costume:

Switch it up: You don’t need to restrict yourself to playing a Bond girl if you’re a woman, or Bond if you’re a guy. If there’s a character you really like, go for it. I’m taking my own advice and going as Oddjob this year – matching a black gown, his trademark bowler, and a golf club as a nod to his caddying.   

Scuba Bond: If you can get your hands on a dive suit and don’t mind walking around in flippers all evening, dress up as James Bond from Goldfinger. Bonus points if you reveal a tuxedo under your divesuit halfway through Jump Back Ball. As Mythbusters confirmed, it’s possible to do this without messing up your tux. If you think the full suit is too much, try a scuba mask and snorkel.

Group Costume: Last year, our friends had a great time going as the suspects from Clue. If you’re looking for a group costume this year, look no further than MI6 and Bond’s allies. In addition to James Bond, you have Moneypenny, Q, M, M16’s Chief of Staff Bill Tanner, and CIA agent Felix Leiter. If you have a large group, you could even do Vintage vs. Reboot MI6 with everyone dressed up as the different versions of Moneypenny, Q, M, etc.

Eve Moneypenny from Skyfall

Blofeld’s Cat: Appearing in seven James Bond films, Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s cat didn’t care that his owner was an evil mastermind, as long as he was fed. If you’re looking for an offbeat costume for two people, you can go as this pair. 

James Bond Spoofs and Spinoffs:  From Austin Powers‘ Dr. Evil and Inspector Gadget‘s Dr. Claw to Get Smart and Johnny English, there are many James Bond parodies full of costume ideas. And then, of course, there’s James Bond Jr.

Bond, James Bond …Ornithologist??? When he wrote Casino Royale, Ian Fleming wanted an ordinary name for his extraordinary spy. As an avid bird watcher living in Jamaica, Fleming read the book Birds of the West Indies written by ornithologist James Bond. Fleming gave Bond a first edition of You Only Live Twice in 1964, signing it: “To the real James Bond, from the thief of his identity.”

James Bond, Ornithologist

I seriously pestered Scott about going as James Bond, Ornithologist for three weeks until he decided to do something else. It’d be an easy costume – a tweed suit, old bowtie, pipe, and a book made up to look like Birds of the West Indies. You could even get a fake bird to rest on your shoulder as a final touch.

Seriously, if anyone dresses up as James Bond, Ornithologist for Jump Back Ball, please find me. I want a picture with you.

Disclosure: I’m on the board of PlayhouseSquare Partners, the organization that hosts Jump Back Ball. I also blogged about the event’s kickoff party as a Jump Back Ball blogger.

Jump Back Ball 0023’s Ticket Kickoff is Nov. 7

With Halloween on Thursday, everywhere I turn I see costumes. Although my holiday plans this year may not include masquerading, I’ve been busy planning an outfit for another event: PlayhouseSquare’s Jump Back Ball on February 22.

This year’s theme is Jump Back Ball 0023: Shaken Not Stirred, and last month’s trip to the James Bond Villains exhibit at the International Spy Museum helped inspire Scott and me.

However, before we can put the finishing touches on our costumes, we need to get our tickets to Jump Back Ball — and so do you!

Tickets for last year’s Jump Back Ball sold out only one month after they went on sale. On the one hand, that’s fantastic for the event, which raises money for PlayhouseSquare; Partners has raised more than $2.5 million for the theatre district since 1991. On the other hand, it means your window for purchasing tickets is getting smaller and smaller.

Why should you attend Jump Back Ball? I think of it less as attending, and more of experiencing.

Yes, the dinner, open bars, and 2 bands make it worth the ticket price. However, there’s also the fact that you get to dance the evening away on the State Theatre stage, have fun playing games throughout the theatre, and take in the beautiful – and crazy – costumes some guests wear. Or dress up in costume yourself if tuxes and dresses aren’t your thing.

If you’ve never been, here’s my recap and photos from last year’s Jump Back 2 Spaces.

What happens at Jump Back Ball, doesn’t stay at Jump Back Ball

You can guarantee yourself a pair of tickets to this year’s Jump Back Ball by attending the Ticket Kickoff Party on Thursday, November 7. 

This year’s kickoff party will take place from 6 until 7pm at Cibreo Privado (1438 Euclid Ave., downtown Cleveland). PlayhouseSquare Partners can get their tickets early at 5:30.

Why Should You Go to This Year’s Jump Back Ball Kickoff?

#1 Save the most money on your Jump Back Ball ticket: Tickets will be their cheapest at the kickoff. General admission costs $150 for non-Partners and $200 for the VIP party sponsored by Dante. General admission prices will increase the next day by $15, plus a $3 per-ticket handling fee.

#2 Enjoy free appetizers and drink specials.

#3 See the brand-new Cibreo Privado. Cibreo has transformed the old E14th Street Theatre into a beautiful private dining and event room.

#4 Purchase a ticket and be entered to win free drinks, PlayhouseSquare loge tickets, free VIP party upgrades, a stay at the Wyndham the night of Jump Back, and more!

#5 The first 250 people to purchase tickets will also get a free long sleeve t-shirt that says “Will You be Shaken or Stirred?”

Save Even More: Join Partners and Jump Back Ball tickets cost only $115, an even bigger savings than in years past. Also new this year for Partners is an exclusive half-hour presale from 5:30-6pm and a Partners-only line to purchase tickets. That makes the 100% tax-deductible membership worth it to me every year (along with the other benefits of being a Partner like early ticketing, special event discounts and the knowledge that I’m helping PlayhouseSquare).

However, if you have any questions about Partners membership or Jump Back Ball, feel free to shoot me an email at clueintocleveland (at) gmail or stop by the ticket kickoff and ask me. I love talking about both.

See you next Thursday, Mr. Bond!