Several nights of entertainment in Northern Michigan

Working with travel management firm, Crossing Boundaries, Empire Entertainment designed and executed a complete entertainment program and provided all production in connection with three evenings of entertainment for a Midwestern insurance company's top incentive award program. The Diamond Club program was held for approximately 150 independent insurance brokers and their spouses. On the first night of the program, Empire provided production support for Michigan dance music ensemble, The Persuasion Band. On second night of the program, guests traveled to the Bay Harbor Yacht Club via ferryboat where they were treated to a dinner in a beautiful tented setting and a sunset concert by one of the Irish Tenors, Ronan Tynan, backed by a 41 piece local orchestra. For this performance, Empire secured Ronan Tynan, the 41 piece Interlochen Orchestra and provided all production including staging, sound, lighting and logistical management.

One of the challenges of this event was how to provide generator power to the tented setting in a way that the noise of the generator would not interfere with the peaceful lakefront setting or the incredible vocals of this world-class tenor. Empire's solution was to build a separate tent around the generator and treat the insides with sound absorbing materials. The result was a perfect performance with several standing ovations. On the final night of this program, Empire put together a surprise disco show featuring DJ / Emcee D Brown, four dancers in hot pants & afro wigs and headline performances by disco diva Gloria Gaynor ("I Will Survive"), Sister Sledge ("We Are Family") featuring all 4 original sister singers Kathi, Debbie, Joni and Kim, and The Village People ("YMCA," "Macho Man," and "In The Navy"). The performance kept the guests dancing and was the pinnacle of this incentive program. One of the challenges of this performance was how to mount a show on an island where all staging, sound and lighting had to be shipped by ferry and then carried up to the hotel by horse cart. Empire managed these challenges and produced a show the likes of which the 216-year old Grand Hotel has never seen.