On-site Corporate Entertainment for Toyota in Palm Springs: New Toyota new car review 2008

On-site Corporate Entertainment for Toyota in Palm Springs: New Toyota new car review 2008
by Jeffrey Finn
To reward their employees, Toyota asked Hot On Broadway to provide an event full of "wow moments". But with challenging room and stage layouts, can a customized Broadway show be built in time to reward the audience?Here's how Hot On Broadway met the challenge...This annual black-tie event was located at the beautiful Esmeralda Resort in Indian Wells, CA just outside of Palm Springs. The attendees were all US-based owners of Toyota dealerships within the domestic Material Handling Unit. Following an outdoor cocktail reception, awards ceremony, and dinner for 400 guests, our cast of twelve Broadway performers took Toyota's event to a new level.The exciting challenge in producing this event was that the stage dimension - designed solely for the purpose of Toyota's business meetings - was just 12-feet deep, and a very long 88-feet across. Clearly, not ideal dimensions for a Broadway show with full singing and dancing. We knew we had to keep the choreography, including entrances and exits, on a tight linear plane.One effect that enhanced the audience experience was that above the stage was an 88-foot long video screen, seamlessly divided into three sections. The center section of the screen featured a dimensional central curve out towards the audience. It was a unique and exciting compliment to the stage design. The high definition video and media designed exclusively for the performance added a thrilling element to the Broadway performance utilizing IMAG, video, logos, and close-ups of the audience.We accommodated this stage challenge by embracing a very presentational approach to the event. Our twelve actors "coupled off" for many of the songs, capturing the entire audience across specific locations of the wide ballroom as we spread the show across the wide stage. Most importantly, this approach brought the entire audience very close to the show, and achieved a direct connection with each of the performers.Our cast was pulled from the Broadway productions of Chicago, Grease, Les Miserables, Rent, Mary Poppins, The Phantom of the Opera, and others. Opening with "Oh, What A Night!" from Jersey Boys, the audience enthusiastically celebrated the entertainment, and jumped to a standing ovation at the conclusion of the evening. Other hit songs that wowed the crowd that night included "Circle of Life," "All That Jazz," and "We Go Together." Autographs, photographs, and a meet and greet with the cast continued long into the evening.In the end, all of Toyota's objective were not just met, but exceeded, and everyone was thrilled with the Broadway entertainment. Our company was honored to be part of such a successful event.