THE CLIENT RAVES:

“Thank you making our New York Rainbow Room Gala Event a huge success. Our client was very impressed by the performance and your Broadway stars. It was a perfect fit for the group!”

Client: Edelman for Widex Hearing Aid Co. Inc

Show: New York City Marathon Team Congratulatory Dinner

Location: The Rainbow Room, New York, NY

Initiative: As a sponsor of New York City's world famous marathon, Widex wanted to celebrate their colleagues and employees who triumphantly completed the race. As most of the attendees were international guests, Edelman and Widex approached Hot On Broadway to create an evening that not only celebrated Broadway as the heartbeat of the city, but also was an overall celebration of New York in the Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center. To provide the highest level of comfort to the international guests, Hot On Broadway also needed to supply a cast member who was fluent in multiple languages to serve as an emcee host for the event. Finally, due to the near-constant use of the Rainbow Room by other events (including on the day of the show), our challenge was to stage a Broadway production with virtually no tech time.

Solution: Through meticulous diagramming of the venue in our off-site rehearsal studio, we rehearsed the production with our Broadway performers so that we could provide choreography and staging moments in all of the various performance areas that the Rainbow Room offers. One creative goal was to use the New York City skyline as an integral part of the set. This reinforced the choice location and our belief that the Rainbow Room's 360 degree view offered a backdrop that no scenic shop could outdo. To aid in streamlining the tech time, our director and producer worked extensively with the venue and tech staff to coordinate a minute-by-minute schedule weeks in advance, determining the lighting effects, colors, and a sound package that was quickly and reliably installed.

Results: With selections of New York standards by Billy Joel and Frank Sinatra, as well as hits from Rent, A Chorus Line, Chicago, and The Lion King, the audience was treated to a luxurious evening. Our emcee host, also one of the Broadway entertainers, provided multilingual translations of announcements with on-the-spot humor, making the international guests feel especially connected and welcome. The inclusion of a customized playbill containing the song order and performer headshots also provided Widex the opportunity to offer a heartfelt congratulatory message celebrating the attendees' accomplishments. The finale to the production was an audience sing-along to "New York, New York," ending the night, and an unforgettable New York City experience, on a high note. During a meet and greet with the cast and attendees, Edelman raved,“Thank you for all of your help in making this a success - everyone loved the performance! We look forward to our next event together!”