A Salute To Meeting Planners!

Broadway on the Driveway's 2010
Fiddler on the Roof Set, Designed by Mike Dace 

Our set designer, Mike, from St. Louis, MO used to do a lot of work with Meeting Planners International. He loved planning corporate events and conventions of all shapes and sizes. His design and decorating ideas stemmed from his consulting work with Disney's Magic Kingdom, as well as his background in film and live theatre. When Mike came on as our theatre company's set designer, we had found a treasure of a designer!

Broadway on the Driveway's 1997
Fiddler on the Roof Set

My respect for meeting planners & desigers climbs as I recall the event planning gems of wisdom we learned from Mike along the way. Take a good look at his "Fiddler on the Roof"set design (above). Now look at the "Fiddler on the Roof" picture from our theatre company's first "Fiddler on the Roof." set (left).  Yes, the show was performed ON our driveway. And yes, the Fiddler was ON the roof! CRAZY, NO?  Read more: here  A far cry from Mike's set design!

Guest Dancer Ballerinas: Gracie & Lacy's 2008
Christmas Dessert Theatre

Mike designed our Christmas Dessert Theatre for the "Gracie & Lacy Show."  We talked about the venue, staging & songs in the show. At our design meeting Mike pulled out a cactus, a camel and a sombrero. I was confused. Apparently, I had missed a "S" in "DESSERT." I had asked him to design a "Christmas DESERT Theatre Show!



Mike quickly re-grouped and designed a Candy Cane set (above)
with corrugated cardboard from STUMPS and a good ole' pipe & drape system.

"The Gracie & Lacy Christmas Show" 2012

Back in the day, Mike had an unforgettable
experience with pipe and drape that tops many a convention horror story. His client requested draping around the perimeter of the event space.  The ceilings were exceptionally high. . . so you can imagine, there was a lot of drape! The night before the event, the fire marshall made a surprise appearance with the pleasant news that their drape was not flame retardant. . . and it must come down.  Mike's team stayed up all night. . . spraying every last inch of the drape with flame- retardant spray.  The next day, they were severely ill and sleep deprived - but the event was BEAUTIFUL.

Hey, the show much go on! Three cheers for meeting & special events planners!

Favorite Special Event Venue In Charleston, SC

I'd like to sing the praises of a new favorite venue! I highly recommend the North Charleston Convention Center & Coliseum. 

They offer a variety of unique rooms, performance, conference & exhibit spaces.  

We performed "Remembering Judy Garland" in the Montague Terrace room, and were pleased by the flexibility of this space.  

We credit the organizational skills of the amazing staff for such a great night!

The room was transformed into a performance venue and the show was catered dinner theatre style.  The technical staff and technicians were professional and accommodating.  Audio was top notch and we had a seamless soundcheck. 

Built-in mood lighting options were available to coincide with our colors and theme.  Which color would you pick for the "Remembering Judy Garland" show?  

GRACIE & LACY TIP: 

Ever been trapped in a special event catastrophe? Sometimes you can remedy an "event gone south" by consuming vast amounts of coffee and chocolate, and by tossing your i-phone into a pond. 

In more dire cases, you might be able to get a note from your doctor, stating how "out-of-your-mind" you were to take on the nightmare in the first place. 

While there are some venues out there that should never have been born. . . the North Charleston Convention Center & Coliseum is a true winner!  

We'll definitely look forward to bringing the Gracie & Lacy Show back in the future.

Andersen and Associates 2015-16 Entertainment Roster

Andersen And Associates Inc: Pop, swing, big band, jazz, blues, Motown and flamenco/world music

Entertainment Roster: http://www.andersenreps.com/our-roster

Gracie & Lacy: http://www.andersenreps.com/gracie-lacy

Contact:  http://www.andersenreps.com/contact-us-form

Helpful Links: South Arts Performing Arts Exchange, Arts Midwest, ISES Special Events Society, The Disney Event Group, Mainstage Artists, Gaillard Performance Hall Foundation

Meet in Charleston

Special Events & Conventions in Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC: Special Event Destination

From a black-tie ball to an upscale dinner party on a rooftop, to a golf tournament on Kiawah Island, to an international corporate convention, to a military tribute on the USS Yorktown . . . Charleston offers a you a plethora of choices.

Pineapple Fountain in Waterfront Park: Charleston, SC

When my sister Lacy and I relocated our entertainment company (GracieAndLacy.com) to Charleston, we were overwhelmed by the scope and variety of Charleston event planners, venues, caterers, and entertainment offerings. If you're considering Charleston for your next special event, here are some helpful tools:

CHARLESTON FACILITIES & VENUES
The above link is an extensive list of venues & facility rental information.

CHARLESTON CONVENTION CENTER
Shortly after moving to Charleston, I attended an event at the Convention Center. State-of-the-art lighting and audio/visual support set the tone for one of their many attractive spaces.   Meeting planners will want to check out the photo gallery of these event rooms, including: exhibit hall, ballroom, performing arts center, coliseum and various unique event spaces.

The Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC

THE DOCK STREET THEATRE
This theatre is known as the first theatre in America!  My great, great, great, great Uncle, George Alfred Trenholm (Secretary for the Confederacy during the Civil War) used to own this building back when it was known as the Planters Inn.  Complete with a 450-seat theatre (with a lovely balcony), old fashioned box office and beautiful courtyard for refreshments in-between acts, this historic theatre has a fascinating history. The theatre is generally open to the public for tours during business hours.

GracieAndLacy.com

THE GRACIE & LACY SHOW
Be sure to come by and say hello! When our show is not on-the-road, folks can catch our act at the Footlight Theatre. Check the schedule for tickets & showtimes.

GRACIE & LACY
Corporate & PAC entertainment

Footlight Theatre, Charleston, SC

THE AMERICAN THEATRE
I enjoyed a lovely tour of the American Theatre my first trip to Charleston.  Imagine your event displayed on an attractive Hollywood inspired marquee. The facility is equipped with a small vintage movie theatre, large art deco ballroom with platform stage and an equally classy, but intimate space for smaller gatherings.

JMC CHARLESTON
The event professionals at JMC can assist you every step of the way in planning your next gala, corporate event or convention. Lacy and I were lucky enough to take a "backstage" tour of the JMC warehouse.  We were amazed by the rooms full of beautiful chinaware, unique props, furniture and decor.  So magical!  JMC's  "photo by party type & venue" page showcases the range of possibilities their talented team has to offer to make your event a success.

BELMOND CHARLESTON PLACE
Check out the theatre & ballroom space inside
the Riviera!
Virtual tour

Gracie & Lacy's Charleston Adventures

Judy Garland sang it well, "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning" or anytime for that matter!  Once I laid eyes on Charleston, I knew we had clocked our time doing mid-west winters.  The time had come...we were ready to relocate to a sunnier home-base for our traveling sister act, "Gracie & Lacy."

Lacy and I came to Charleston, SC to scope out the lay-of-the-land during a spring vacation.  In the words of the Charleston, SC CVB: "Everything you've heard is true - now start packing."  And that's just what we did!  We hurried home to St. Louis, MO, packed our bags and were living in the lowcountry a month later.

Whether you're seriously planning to move to Charleston, or whether you're on vacation...innocently toying with the idea...here's a tip: If you happen to find an unoccupied dwelling place while house hunting, you'd better snag it up quick.  In fact, you've got about 30min. to get back to your hotel and make up your mind. If you don't....DING! TIME'S UP. Someone else has already beat you to it.  We were lucky because, we found a happy place to live the very last day of our vacation.  And due to the nature of our entertainment company, Gracie & Lacy, our highest priority was closet space for the vintage costumes! As luck would have it...our back room has an entire wall of closets.  Hooray!

Well, needless to say, we love Charleston!  And this blog post includes all of our favorite spots to eat, shop, walk, sight-see, eat and then eat some more.  FYI: When you visit Charleston, eating becomes your favorite past time. This is why you'll want to check out the Charleston Swing Dance Association - to burn off all those calories! See Gracie & Lacy snapshot (right). This was our "last hurrah," shall we say...before returning to St. Louis to pack our bags, load our costumes and move down south.

Now, back to the topic of southern food.  Here are some places you must try if you are to have the full Charleston experience!  Also, take a look out at the list below of our favorite Charleston destinations.

My favorite bird down south...the egret.

THE HOMINY GRILL
Please don't judge, but this place serves the best bacon & sausage in the universe.  Oh, yes, you must also try their famous grits.  If you want coconut cake, just buy it at breakfast.  If you come back later in the afternoon like we did, it will be gone.

THE GLASS ONION
I ordered dinner here after I left a tapas restaurant with my stomach still growling. Ahh, the Glass Onion...the land of fried chicken and buttermilk.  Get the buttermilk with the chicken, you won't be sorry.  Also, put your name on the list for fried chicken about a week in advance (yes, it's that popular).

KING STREET SHOPPING
Walk the cobblestone streets, tour a historic church, ride in a horse-drawn carriage, but by all means, go shopping on King Street.

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM
Make time for this museum.... then you will be able to tell your friends that you visited the first museum in America!  Legend has it that George Gershwin was inspired to write the score for the musical, "Porgy & Bess" on Folly Beach. Among many other relics and incredible pieces of history, the very piano upon which George Gershwin composed "Porgy & Bess" is on display at this museum.

THE DOCK STREET THEATRE
Catch a show at the historic Dock Street Theatre.  This theatre is known as the first theatre in America.  It is beautifully restored and is open to the public for tours.

RAINBOW ROW
Get a cup of coffee and take a stroll by way of the historic pastel houses on East Bay Street, known as Rainbow Row (below left).  Try not to covet the well-watered, un-neglected, vibrant flowers in the window boxes. While you're heading east, extend your walk along the East Battery.  Upon arrival, take in the fresh air, the breathtaking houses (below right), and walk through Battery Park.

Rainbow Row

Historic House on East Battery

Fundraising Ideas For Theatre & Special Events

Fundraising For Our Musical Theatre Company:

Below are some fundraiser ideas that we gleaned from our theatre days in St. Louis! Many of these fundraising plans can be adapted for meeting and event planners in conjunction with charity galas and corporate events.

Before Lacy and I began touring full-time as Gracie & Lacy, we ran a theatre company in St. Louis, MO called Broadway on the Driveway. Once upon a time...when we were eight and ten years old we went to see a show on the Goldenrod Showboat.  Mesmerized, we hung a bed-sheet curtain across our garage door, creating our own driveway theatre.  With a cast of 15 people under age 12, we directed and produced our first musical. The driveway shows grew exponentially until traffic jams and two hundred patrons in lawn chairs prompted a friendly visit from the local police.  It was time for broadway to move off the driveway...and find another venue.

Singing In The Rain, 2006

After a few years of producing in churches and schools, we decided to make the leap and secure an expensively sparkling performing arts center for our upcoming musical, "Singing in the Rain." The show would cost $10,000 to produce and the production would be presented free-of-charge. Never mind the fundraising...at least we knew how we were going to make it rain!

Over time, our annual musicals expanded to a volunteer team of 150, with a cast of 90, an orchestra of 20, a full production team, two-turtle doves, and a partridge in a pair tree. Six musicals later, the production costs were six times greater (and climbing!).
Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. Let the fundraising begin!

The Scheidegger Center, 2012

APPLY FOR GRANTS:
-Check Out: Young Singers Foundation
-Grant for projects benefitting young people

CHARGE A TECH FEE:
-Cast & volunteer tech fees cover technical needs
-Secures commitment level of volunteers/cast

SELL STATIC SLIDE ADS:
-Our most successful fundraiser
-Slides run before/after show, during int.

Satin & cardboard Christmas presents

-Slides save exponentially on printing costs
-Put business contact info in printed program

PRE-SHOW RECEPTION:
-Our 2nd most successful fundraiser
-Sell tickets to a special pre-show
-Reserved seating, dessert, meet the cast, etc.
-Popular with: Seniors, church groups, tour buses

CHRISTMAS SHOW:
-Build enthusiasm w/Christmas show fundraiser
-Feature talent in variety show (min. rehearsal)

-Dessert theatre style or theatrical venue
-Ticketed event

SWING DANCE:
-Rent a ballroom and throw a swing dance
-Offer a free lesson before the dance
-Charge entrance fee
-Accept donations for catered refreshments
-Award prizes: dance contest, costume contest

DONATION BOXES:
-Make donation receptacles available in theatre lobby
-Make mention of their location in program

ASK FOR GIFTS IN KIND:

The Gateway City Big Band, 2006

-Ask your supporters for gifts-in-kind
-List the items folks can sponsor: backdrops, royalties, venue
-Make list of items folks can donate: fabric, lumber

GIVE YOUR EVENT A CATCHY NAME
We called our swing dance fundraiser for
"Singing in the Rain" "SPRINGING FOR THE RAIN"


A FEW MORE TIPS...
-Vendors may have special rates for charity events

Springing For The Rain, 2006

-Less expensive to rent linens than purchase & launder
-Venues may require flame retardant pipe and drape

Below is one of my favorite pics from the last broadway musical we produced in St. Louis.  Today, Lacy and I perform full-time as Gracie & Lacy based on the east coast in Charleston, SC.  Our vintage hollywood-era touring show travels nation-wide...if you catch our show, you might just notice a re-purposed costume from our St. Louis musicals!  For instance...I'm costumed as a toy soldier tap dancer (right) wearing HAROLD HILL'S band leader hat (pictured left).  Check out: GracieAndLacy.com

The Music Man, 2012

Gracie's Dance: GracieAndLacy.Com