Our Work

Fitch ratings is one of the world's largest ratings agencies, responsible for providing data to financial firms around the world to help them assess risk and opportunity. On the occasion of the company’s 100th anniversary, Fitch Ratings and its branding agency, Addison, launched a new online and live event series entitled the Why? Forum to underscore Fitch’s commitment to qualitative and quantitative research, and to promote greater transparency by showing how Fitch asks the ‘why’ questions that provide deeper insight into the events that move markets.

For the inaugural Why? Forum event, Fitch and Addison tapped Empire to serve as event producer to bring the vision to life. The event took place at the New York Public Library in the historic Edna Barnes Salomon room with an audience of 150 senior financial executives and analysts from the world of institutional investing. The Why? Forum featured a panel discussion with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of Defense William Cohen, and former National Security Adviser Robert Gates. The panel was moderated by Esquire Editor Mark Warren, and Fitch rating’s Asia-Pacific head, Brett Hemsley.

Following the panel discussion, which largely focused on risk and threats around the world, historian and best-selling author Niall Ferguson delivered a keynote address entitled “Why is there cause for optimism?” which provided a powerful counter-point to earlier perspectives. At the conclusion of the stage program, the extraordinary gallery of historic artworks in the Edna Barnes Solomon room was illuminated with a colorful series of Why? Forum projections, which modernized the room tnexpectedly coorng as the cocktail reception began.

For this ambitious and forward-thinking program, Empire served as overall producer, helping to secure the keynote speaker and contracting the panelists, handling all technical production, scenic and staging, catering, and guest logistics.To learn more about this innovative series, check out the Why? Forum website at www.whyforum.com.

Empire is a leading producer of thought-leadership forums that provide insight to business decision-makers worldwide.

Since launching over 2 decades ago, Travel Channel has become the world’s leading travel media brand. Their emphasis on providing experiential programming featuring high-end adventure, foreign lands and exotic palates has won over a highly-coveted viewer demographic. So when it came time to plan a Fall Ad Sales event, they wanted the party to represent the authentic experiences reflected in their programming.

Empire signed on to produce this year’s party dubbed “1 Night, 4 Countries, No Jet Lag.” Held at ESPACE on West 42nd Street, the blank canvas space was transformed into four large vignettes – Spain, Italy, Croatia and Morocco.Spain’s substantial backdrop included a fully-fabricated representation of Barcelona’s Plaza Real, complete with archways, orange trees, rustic wooden bar tables and a live flamenco band with dancers. Alongside a buffet of delectable Spanish tapas, guests enjoyed a Jamon Iberico carving station while tasting a selection of Spanish Sherries.

In Italy, a contemporary Milanese street café offered seating on black leather banquettes under outstretched awnings. An oleologist (a sommelier of olive oil) from Eataly taught guests how to properly taste and appreciate premium olive oils, while guests posed for Instagram photos on the Vespa scooters parked beside the café. Croatia -- the gem of the Mediterranean now known for its chic seaside resorts, featured terracotta-topped beach cabanas and sleek white lounge ottomans. Dubrovnik’s medieval walled city could be viewed through carved stone ruins.

Draped fabrics in blue and purple jewel tones created a sultry setting for Morocco’s souk filled with antique colored glass lanterns, pottery, glasses and rugs. Guests relaxed in the hookah lounge and received henna tattoos and haggling lessons while Moroccan musicians played traditional instruments accompanied by belly dancers.Watery blue LED lighting transformed the central bar area into the Mediterranean, perfectly tying in all four countries.

Travel Channel on-air talent was integrated into each of the vignettes in a variety of ways including a printed itinerary with expert tips that helped guide guests through the authentic experiences. For this highly detailed event, for which every element needed to be authentic, Empire was responsible for sourcing the venue, design, technical direction, site management, entertainment & activities, and overall event management.The travel Channel client was thrilled with the execution of the event and felt that it captured exactly the quality and authenticity embodied by their programming.

Empire is a leading producer of upfront and advertising sales events for the media and advertiser supported industries.

For the first time in college league basketball history, The BIG EAST Conference hosted Media Day for the men's and women's college basketball teams on the same day. To bring this carefully-watched event to a wider audience, Empire was contracted to produce a livestream webcast of both conferences. The conference kicked off at The Chelsea Piers Lighthouse and included star college players and nearly 300 members of the media.

The event was webcast live on www.BIGEAST.com and can be viewed via the link below.

https://new.livestream.com/bigeast/mediaday

Empire served as the webcast producer including technical production and creative direction. Empire is a leading producer of live webcast and broadcast events.

A catwalk is inherently glamorous, but the charity: water WaterWalk is a reality check. In 2013, W Hotels partnered with charity: water, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean and safe drinking water to every person on the planet, to help raise funds and awareness in new markets. As part of their sponsorship of the previous year’s charity: ball, the W Hotels pledged to host cocktail parties touring charity: water’s signature Waterwalk to six different cities- Boston, New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, Scottsdale, and Los Angeles.

Together, we helped create an evocative and enriching experience that brought the reality of how far people in developing nations have to travel for clean drinking water. For each participant who walked the Waterwalk, an assembled catwalk that symbolizes the distance it takes for 800 million people to find water, W hotels Worldwide donated $45 to bring one person clean water in Orissa, India. The local hotels invited tastemakers, hotel guests and press to this special cocktail party for their chance to walk the walk and give back, while enjoying drinks courtesy of Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

charity: water Founder Scott Harrison, came to the kick-off event at the W Boston. W Hotels Worldwide’s Global Music Director, internationally acclaimed DJ and music producer Michaelangelo L'Acqua also made it to W Boston to help launch the Waterwalk campaign and set the beat to this Happening. At the W French Quarter the Stooges Brass Band kept guests dancing all night, including the Pussyfooters, local Mardi Gras celebrities. Ultimately, every city created it’s own flair while helping spread charity: water’s mission.

We’re honored to continue to help produce charity: water’s events, while helping W Hotels Worldwide implement their corporate sponsorship.

For more information about the organization, please check out their website: www.charitywater.org.

Coined the “Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth,” the Maker Faire is a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, this all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, hobbyists, engineers, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors celebrate what they have made to share with the world.

When Zazzle, a leading e-commerce website specializing in custom made products and one of Maker Faire’s valued sponsors debuted in their first New York Maker Faire, they turned to Empire to help curate the Zazzle experience during the weekend-long, highly publically attended event at the New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York.

Empire worked closely with Zazzle to create an inviting family oriented interactive experience set under a 40’ tent in the center of the festival. Over the course of the weekend where over 10,000 enthusiastic innovators attended, children and their families gathered in the Zazzle space to create their own arts & crafts. From coloring in Empire’s custom designed Zazzle robot postcards to dressing up in mini robot costumes while posing for a photo booth, to creating personalized buttons, kids of all ages unleashed their inner “maker.” Empire also created a unique display showcasing Zazzle’s unique and customizable products.

Empire was proud to work with Zazzle on the Maker Faire, showcasing innovation and experimentation across the spectrum of science, engineering, art, performance and craft to bring about a nurturing ground for this growing community of creative and curious people.

To learn more about the Maker Faire and to find the nearest Maker Faire near you, you can go to http://makerfaire.com.

Empire was proud to manage the tour of The Gazette in Helsinki for their 2013 World Tour finalé. The Gazette is a popular Japanese visual Kei rock band (a Japanese genre similar to glam rock) formed in 2002. The five band members are known for their extravagant visual kei makeup and hairstyles, with each member having his own defining style and personality. They have huge fan bases in Japan and all over the world, and tickets for their show in Helsinki sold out within an hour.

On event day, fans of the Gazette started to line up at 7:00 a.m. carrying carefully-crafted gifts for the band members. Once the doors to the Circus were opened, they quickly filled the 1,500 seat venue. Empire Asia’s Tokyo office was responsible for managing the Gazette’s tour in Helsinki including overseas promotion to the band’s fan base. The concert was a huge success, ending with fans crying audibly and hugging each other, overwhelmed by joy.

Empire is a leading producer of global concert events, both public and private.

First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a luncheon at the Studio Museum In Harlem for the spouses of visiting heads of state in town for the United Nation’s General Assembly. Along with Obama and Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Secretary of State John Kerry, 50 first ladies from around the world toured the museum, dined on a special meal created by chef Marcus Samuelsson, owner of Red Rooster in Harlem, and enjoyed performances by television and Broadway star Audra McDonald, The Dance Theatre of Harlem and the LaGuardia School musicians. The Studio Museum of Harlem was selected for its historical and cultural importance; “There’s a reason why I wanted to bring you all to Harlem today,” Obama told her guests. She said the neighborhood “is infused with a kind of energy and passion that is quintessentially American,” which acts as “a thread that connects all of us here today, no matter where we’re from or what language we speak.”Performances by children from the Dance Theatre of Harlem and The Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts inspired audience to remember the importance of youth and the first lady encouraged the women in the room to use this “opportunity” to share ideas on improving the lives of women and children in their respective countries.The First Lady went on to encourage dialogue stating “Don’t be shy, make sure that you talk to the ladies at your table about the great work that you are doing in your countries, because you are all doing some wonderfully powerful work. Ask others about what they are doing in their countries.”

Empire provided all décor, design, production, stage and talent management and logistics for this important diplomatic initiative. Empire is proud to serve the White House and U. S. Department of State and to have been chosen to support this historical event.

Empire Entertainment’s Tokyo-based Asia Division recently introduced Japanese Kawaii (“cute”) Culture to Paris with a tour of Kawaii fashion ambassadors during the peak of Paris Fashion Week.

The Tokyo Crazy Kawaii Committee chose Paris, France because of its influence in world fashion and beauty and the fact that France hosts the highest number of annual visitors in the world.

Kawaii is a word that means “cute,” but it also contains other nuanced meanings such as having a generous attitude towards others or being accepting of various styles. With this three-day convention, simulating a mini Tokyo through fashion, food, music, and anime, Tokyo Crazy Kawaii Paris was successful in promoting awareness of such aspects of Japanese culture and creativity to large and influential audiences in Paris.

Empire Entertainment was responsible for bringing Kawaii to Paris by coordinating and directing a 109 Booth, which simulated 109, the iconic teen-fashion shopping mall in Tokyo.

The event was a huge success and attracted large crowds each day. A follow-up event has already been scheduled for 2014.

After serving the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office (Kantei) at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting project in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2013, Empire Japan was again chosen to be a content producer for the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, otherwise known as Summer Davos held in Dalian, China.

For this amazing event, Empire was responsible for the core elements such as an event emcee, content producing and stage direction. Everything from titles, themes, copywriting, speaker liaison, stage direction and production were managed by the Empire team. The president of Empire Entertainment Japan, Theodore Miller, had the honor of being selected by the Prime Minister’s Office to serve as the event emcee throughout the night, presenting and interviewing the roster of distinguished speakers. One of the evening’s highlights included a speech and facilitated interview by Miller of Mr. Hakubun Shimomura, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and Mr. Yuki Ota, Olympic Fencing medalist and Tokyo 2020 Bid Ambassador. Both Minister Shimomura and Mr. Ota had just returned from Buenos Aires, where they played key roles in helping Japan and Tokyo secure the 2020 Olympic bid, and newspapers on the day following the event announced that Japan’s Prime Minister had decided to appoint Mr. Shimomura as Minister in charge of the 2020 Olympics.

Other speakers at Summer Davos’ Japan Night included: Mr. Ichita Yamamoto (Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy / Minister of State for Space Policy / Minister in charge of Information Technology Policy), Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura (Senior Vice-Minister of Japan’s Cabinet Office), Mr. Klaus Schwab (Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum), Mr. Yorihiko Kojima (Chairman of the Board of Mitsubishi Corporation), Mr. William Saito (CEO and Founder InTecur), Mr. Yoshiaki Fujimori (President and CEO of LIXIL Corporation), Mrs. Lin Kobayashi (Founder and Chair of the Board of International School of Asia, Karuizawa), Mrs. Nancy Singleton Hachisu (Author of the best-selling book “Japanese Farm Food”).

Empire is proud to serve governmental organizations throughout the world with creative and production services for their leadership forums and conferences and is a leading producer of Head of State events.

With the designation of Tokyo as the location for the 2020 Summer Olympics, Empire’s Tokyo-based division is uniquely positioned to serve global brands and clients with their future events, hospitality and Olympic activations.

On September 27th, 2013, Start Today CO., LTD., which manages Japan’s largest and most frequently-visited fashion shopping site “ZOZOTOWN”, launched a new online fashion site targeting young women called “LA BOO.”

To achieve maximum exposure, the client sought to secure on the most recognizable faces in the fashion world today, international supermodel Cara Delevigne. Empire’s Asia division negotiated for and contracted the world famous supermodel and also coordinated the arrangements for the photo and video shoot in London.

Using a top notch shooting crew, the television commercial, along with an outdoor campaign and a tie-in with Japan’s iconic mascot “Fu Nasshi,” the LA BOO campaign yielded excellent response across the board and has exceeded all of the clients goals.

Check out the commercial here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz81YyowP_Y

Empire is a leading source of talent for advertising and marketing campaigns across all platforms.

On August 2, 2013 Empire worked with longtime client, Accent on Cincinnati, to present two fantastic headline concert artists for a major Ohio-based insurance company. The 2,000 insurance representatives (and their spouses) gathered at the Duke Energy Convention Center were first treated to an opening set by The Midtown Men, four of the original cast members of the Broadway smash-hit "Jersey Boys", backed by a 7-piece stellar band. Recommended by Empire for their high-energy, charismatic performances, The Midtown Men did not disappoint, giving the crowd some of the great Frankie Valli songs featured in the Broadway production including "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry." Their set also included a number of surprises including the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love", the Jackson Five's "I Want You Back", and the Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreaming". The set left the crowd on the dance floor begging for more. And more was what the audience received as Michael McDonald and his band took the stage to perform the songs that has earned him five Grammy Awards, including "Keeps You Running", "You Belong To Me", "I Keep Forgetting", and "Yah Mo Be There". McDonald's set also included a number of the Motown classics that he has covered over the years such as "Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Saving the best for last, McDonald ending the set "What A Fool Believes", followed by encores of his Doobie Brothers hit, "Taking It To The Streets", and a phenomenal rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City."Empire is a leading provider of headline musical entertainment for corporate events for over 20 years and has delivered artists including Aerosmith, Keith Urban, Bon Jovi, Usher, Prince, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Bruno Mars and hundreds more for our clients' events, galas, and parties around the globe.

In 2012, Empire collaborated with Benchmarc360, Inc. to contract Sammy Hagar as a surprise performer for a direct marketing and distribution company's annual conference. When that same company wanted to keep things fresh for the 2013 event, Benchmarc360 asked Empire to bring in one of the biggest comedy stars in the world. After considering performers including Jerry Seinfeld and Ray Romano, Benchmarc360 Empire secure TV and movie star, Kevin James.The star of CBS' "The King of Queens" as well as major motion pictures including "Here Comes The Boom", "Paul Blart: Mall Cop", "Grown Ups", and many more was a huge hit with the 1,500 attendees. Knowing he was a surprise to the group, James started the show by apologizing "to anyone who was expecting Bon Jovi". From there, he performed a 45-minute set of non-stop laughs on topics ranging from the undeniable awesomeness of onion dip and his disdain for hot-tubs to his family life (he told the group that in spite of being told by friends that he would love all of his children the same, he found that he "really doesn't care as much for the second one"). James was happy to mention the client's name a few times during his set, and even worked their conference theme "Game On!" into one of his routines.

Following the set, Empire helped coordinate a meet and greet where Kevin James greeted a number of VIP's and took photos with each of them. Empire also arranged for Kevin to shoot a brief, impromptu video saying some kind words to one of the conference’s production team event who had fallen ill, and was unable to attend in person.

Empire is a leading source of comedic performers for corporate events and has secured many of the biggest names for our clients over the years including Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, Dennis Miller, Ray Romano, Dana Carvey, Frank Caliendo and Ellen Degeneres among others.

When multinational information technology corporation Hewlett Packard (HP) wanted the support of a truly international production company to unite their most valued customers with partners from across the Asia-Pacific, they once again turned to Empire’s Japan office for assistance. Over 350 of HP’s most valued customers, channel partners, and staff were invited to converge at the Hilton Osaka hotel, where Empire’s team set about the task of creating and delivering a logistically flawless event.

Aspects under Empire’s scope of responsibility included staging, seating, coordination with the hotel, collateral materials and simultaneous. The summit focused on the theme of storage technology and included participation by several important partners such as the Intel Corporation. Over the course of two days, a series of keynote speeches and special breakout sessions, all participants were able to discover and discuss the latest ideas and systems in a comfortable, organized environment.

In addition to the keynotes and breakouts, Empire also designed and directed the build of an HP Technology Showcase area that facilitated learning about HP and its partners, as well as provided a place for guests to mingle and relax. The gala dinner that followed featured the live action and digital dance troop “Enra” performing in synchronization to a computer-generated projected background, custom prepared to highlight the summit’s ideas covered earlier in the day.

Empire is a leading global provider of services for corporate meetings and events with extensive experience in the technology industry. We are delighted to have successfully produced another important event for one of the most highly-regarded clients in the technology industry.

A week before the event, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York contacted Empire requesting headline talent for their 13th annual charity event, Casino Jazz Night. Empire was asked to identify singers who live locally in New York City with established name recognition. Within hours Empire secured Melanie Fiona, a two-time Grammy Award winning R&B artist who recently released a hit album called, THE MF LIFE. Melanie cooperated with the time constraint, in which she had only 30 minutes of rehearsal on the day event with the house band, Hank Lane Orchestra. After the scheduled program, honoring select members of the real estate industry for their philanthropic contributions, Melanie got on stage and performed 3 songs that blew away all the attendees. She sang two covers which were Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" and Sia's "Titanium" along with her original song, "Watch Me Work."

Empire is a leading resource for headline entertainment for not for profit events.

150 years ago, the United States stood at a crossroads. Deep in the heart of the Civil War, the Union and Confederate Armies met upon the rolling fields of Gettysburg, PA in the early days of July 1863 for what has become known as the turning point of the war. The Battle of Gettysburg not only changed the tide of the war in the Union’s favor, but it sent the country on the trajectory that led towards Civil Rights and our current state of freedom.

It was this relevance that the National Park Service (NPS) and The Gettysburg Foundation had wanted to convey to the dignitaries and general public attending the commemorative event on Sunday, June 30 entitled “Gettysburg 150: A New Birth of Freedom.” Empire worked closely with the NPS to produce a fitting tribute to the fallen soldiers and citizens of our nations past who were most directly affected by the battle.

The program began with the Presentation of Colors by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard, accompanied by Country Music superstar Trace Adkins singing the national anthem a capella. As guests took their seats, the Superintendent of the park welcomed everyone along with remarks from the foundation’s President and the Director of the National Park Service.“This is one of America’s sacred places in terms of the ferocity of what occurred here, in terms of the sheer drama,” said John Jarvis, director of the National Park Service. “Gettysburg is one of the touchstones of the American experience.”Former ABC journalist Charles Gibson served as the evening’s master of ceremonies, introducing the keynote address by presidential historian and Pulitzer prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin. Following her remarks, the United States Army Band kicked off the music for the theatrical “Voices Program” led by LTC Jim Keene and composed by SGM Douglas Richard (both from USMA West Point).

Nearly 8,000 guests enjoyed this original theatrical production created across multiple stages, which was directed by Empire CEO J.B. Miller. Empire designed, scripted and created this stunning program with the help of Donna Lawrence Productions that not only entertained the guests but drew media coverage from 50 outlets representing both national and local media. In it’s coverage of the event, The Patriot-News wrote, "[The program's] star being the dramatic readings of the writings of those entrenched in the great and terrible battle that was Gettysburg. The story was told through different forms of media like re-enacted videos and drawings straight from 1863, but the most gripping, no doubt, was the readings of those people whose lives were either taken, or changed forever…” Empire brought on Donna Lawrence Productions to help with the scripting and media creation. The evening culminated with a candlelit vigil, underscored by the thunderous sounds of The Old Guard’s 21 Gun Salute.

Over 100 credentialed media representatives from outlets reaching a worldwide audience covered the event and A&E partnered with NPS and Gettysburg Foundation to webcast the event live on History.com- which can be viewed via C-SPAN's coverage HERE.

Empire served as overall producer and was responsible for all elements of the event including content and creative direction, staging, set design, sound, lighting, video, technical production, casting, script development, music composition and coordinating between the various entities involved.

Empire is honored to be have been given the opportunity to work on this historic and momentous occasion commemorating an important moment in our Nation’s history.

BizBash Magazine, the leading and most respected publication in the event industry, recently named President and CEO of Empire Entertainment, J.B. Miller, as one of "The Top 50 Innovative Event Professional of 2013. Heralded for Empire's use of cutting edge technology and immersive event design, Miller was cited as "An event innovator and groundbreaker—joining an elite group that proves the value of face-to-face events, empowers their peers to consider the unconventional, and reveals a redefined image of what the industry is today."

BizBash executive editor Anna Sekula wrote "We’re excited about this creative group of innovators, the folks that keep the industry looking–and moving–forward. J. B. Miller took risks and experimented with new ideas without losing sight of goals, which is the reason we decided to highlight him and the other 2013 Innovators and and their work.”The article, “50 Most Innovative Event Professionals” is featured in the BizBash summer issue, the Innovation Issue.The full list of innovative people and brands can also be found at: http://bizbash.com/innovators-2013

J. B. Miller's profile can be viewed at: http://www.bizbash.com/jb-miller/new-york/story/26276#sthash.2osTm9lr.dpbs

In the past few months, Empire's New York, Asia and Latin America divisions have successfully produced dozens of major events, spanning the globe. Empire will proudly celebrating its 20th year anniversary this coming September.

The Fragrance Foundation Awards are, simply put, the Academy Awards of the fragrance industry. Each year, the Awards recognize leading perfumers, perfumes and outstanding achievement in the field of fragrance. This year, Fragrance Foundation President Elizabeth Musmanno tapped Empire Entertainment to produce the awards show on June 12, 2013.

The celebration was held at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall and was hosted by¨“Saturday Night Live’s” Dana Carvey. The program began with a cocktail reception in the Alice Tully Hall atrium among a gallery of large, printed floral walls that surrounded lounge seating. A press tent outside also displayed a similar floral pattern step & repeat in front of which all of the attending celebrities and presenters were photographed.Following a brief cocktail reception, guests made their way into Alice Tully Hall for the Awards presentation. Carvey kept things moving with his lively humor and fragrance industry material. In his opening monologue, Carvey talked about some of the fragrances that didn't make the cut this year including Governor Chris Christie's Ravenous, Breathalyzer by Reese Witherspoon, Hans & Franz Pump, On the Scent by Dog the Bounty Hunter, and Satan's Scent by The Church Lady. Following remarks by Elizabeth Musmanno and Fragrance Foundation Board Chair Jill Belasco, Carvey began the awards section of the program and presented the first of several categories. Among the highlights of the show was the Fragrance Celebrity of the Year Award presented to Taylor Swift, who wore a stunning white Emilio Pucci gown as she delivered her acceptance remarks. Other presenters that evening included André Leon Talley, Dita von Teese, Connie Britton, Sky Ferreira, Australian twin models Jason & Zac Stenmark, and Public School design duo, Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow. The program also included a live reading of an original work of poetry by Obama Inaugural Poet, Richard Blanco.

In addition to Taylor Swift and a multitude of fragrances, this year’s winners included Allure’s Linda Wells and Perfumer of the Year Lifetime Achievement winner, Alberto Morillas. The after-party was held in the Alice Tully Hall atrium where a lighting change and sleek furniture transformed the room into a luxurious late-night lounge. DJ Donna D'Cruz spun a mix of sexy international songs that perfectly suited the perfumed atmosphere of the evening, as guests drank cocktails and sat outside on lounge furniture in the sunken plaza on Broadway, masked privately by large floral-printed walls. For this production, Empire served as overall producer, coordinating all talent, technical production, stage design, room design (with Buero NY and set designer Philipp Haemmerle), talent, and stage management to ensure an efficient experience.

Empire is a leading producer of events and programs for the luxury brand industry, as well as a leading producer of award shows. Empire congratulates all of the 2013 Fragrance Foundation Award winners.

Open since 1888, Katz’s Delicatessen has been a beloved New York City institution through 23 presidencies, two World Wars, three depressions and many generations of food lovers. More than a century later, Katz’s sits on the same lower East Side corner — serving up heaping piles of pastrami to hungry throngs of New Yorkers, tourists and celebrities. When this iconic delicatessen turned 125 years old, they called on Empire Entertainment to produce their unique three day celebration.Kicking off the festivities Empire produced a 200 person Shabbat dinner, closing the restaurant to the public for one of the very few times in its history. Guests dined under the neon lights while enjoying a four course tasting menu of tribute dishes prepared by some of New York City’s hottest celebrity chefs including Joey Campanaro of the Little Owl, Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese, Bill Telepan of Telepan, and pastry chef Sarabeth Levine. Each chef took Katz's signature ingredients and put their own spin on their notable dishes. Between courses, host Gilbert Gottfried joked with the crowd and shared his own experiences. Katz’s owners Alan and Jake Dell also spoke and provided anecdotes of some of the best Katz's moments over the decades.

All proceeds from the Shabbat dinner benefited Henry Street Settlement, another lower East Side institution celebrating its own 120th anniversary this year (www.henrystreet.org). Among the many notable guests in attendance were Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, NYC Comptroller John Liu, mayoral candidates Joseph Lhota and Adolfo Carrion, Jr., entertainers Marilyn Michaels and Jackie Hoffman, Chef Wiley Dufresne (WD-50, Adler), Chef Marcus Samuelson (Red Rooster), and Chef Daniel Holzman and Chef Michael Chernow (The Meatball Shop) among others.The celebrations continued throughout the weekend with a first-ever main stage that Empire built inside Katz’s to entertain guests with a constant stream of bands, Vaudeville and Catskills performers and talent hosted by American Idol's Devyn Rush.

Capping off the momentous weekend was a full day of activities on Sunday, June 2, which was proclaimed ‘Katz's Delicatessen Day’ by Mayor Bloomberg. In addition to twelve straight hours of live music and entertainment on the in-store stage, the first ever Katz's Delicatessen World Pastrami Eating Contest was held on an outdoor stage at the Lower East Side BID DayLife Festival. Hundreds of members of the media and spectators turned out to watch ten ranked professional competitive eaters consume over 140 half sandwiches in 10 minutes. Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, the top ranked competitive eater in the world, won the golden pastrami sandwich trophy after consuming a whopping 13 sandwiches. He was absolutely a crowd favorite with all chanting his name.As the weekend wound down, the celebration did not! The restaurant lighting was turned off and the neon signs blazed as Katz’s Deli transformed into a night club where patrons danced to live music and DJs until midnight.Empire Entertainment served as overall event producer, developing the program for the weeken's activities, coordinating all logistics, dinner registration and seating, décor, celebrity chef procurement & talent booking, technical production, and onsite management for the three day series.

Empire is a leading producer of food-related events and is proud to be the producer-of-choice for a variety of New York Institutions.

When a private client sought to celebrate an important birthday party with a unique event in his home, he turned to Empire Entertainment to help him plan a most memorable affair. Working closely with his staff, Empire was able to negotiate and secure the services of Keith Urban, one of the most dynamic performers and all around professionals, we’ve had the pleasure to work with at Empire. Over a period of six months, Empire worked closely with the client and the event’s designer to develop a tented solution in the beautiful waterfront backyard to accommodate the evening’s events.

When the day arrived, the weather was perfect. Guests arrived down a stately gravel driveway, flanked by 10-foot high hedges, and pulled up in front of a cocktail tent overlooking the water in which Empire had programmed light and client’s preferred background music. Guests then moved into a tent to be seated for a dinner followed by remarks and a tribute video. But it was not until the guests moved into the entertainment tent that the full scope of the party’s plan was revealed. Inside this large tent built with a sunken pickled birch wood dance floor and cowhide banquettes, the production and design team had created the perfect environment for an entertainment presentation and after party.

One of the client’s family members performed a 20-minute set with a seven-piece band at the top of the show, wowing the audience. Immediately afterwards, a birthday cake was presented to the sounds of Stevie Wonder's “Happy Birthday”, after which, the main event commenced

Keith Urban took the stage with his full band and played a 90-minute set that included all of his hits, including several covers by artists such as Billy Joel and AC/DC. The audience danced the entire set and Keith Urban even brought some of the guests up on stage to sing with him. At one point, Urban went into the crowd, played a guitar solo, signed the guitar, and gave it to one of the stunned attendees. Towards the end of the set, Urban invited the man of the hour onstage to sing with him to Steve Miller Band’s "The Joker," and ended the show with a special guitar version of "Happy Birthday." After his final encore, Keith Urban left the stage and the evening transitioned into a dance party led by a DJ, spinning tunes until the last guests left at 1:30 AM.

For this ambitious private client project, Empire served as overall entertainment producer. Empire worked closely with the client’s office to secure and contract all performing talent and entertainment, provide all technical production, including a custom lighting rig built to conform to the shape of the tent, and Empire provided all talent logistics, stage management, and onsite production management.

From parties in remote New York locations, to the South of France, Buzios and Bodrum, Empire is the leading producer of private celebrations and events and the world's leading provider of headline entertainment for private events.

When a private client wanted to surprise his mother with a very special 80th birthday performance, Empire Entertainment helped produce “EGOT” (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) Award-winning performer Liza Minnelli, and her trio for the occasion.Taking place at their home in Woodstock, Vermont, outside with the gorgeous scenery of Summertime Vermont, the intimate birthday celebration called for a classy and entertaining show, that the guests ranging in ages from their teens to their 80’s could enjoy.

Following dinner, Liza Minnelli took to the stage, as the birthday girl cheered along in surprise. Sitting on blankets and cocktail tables directly in front of the stage, guests clapped and sang along as Liza performed a 60-minute set of her hits including “Liza With A Z,” “Cabaret,” “Ring Them Bells,” and a very energetic performance of “New York, New York.”

The show culminated with Liza inviting the lovely and musically talented guest of honor to the stage, where she got to join in a duet of Liza’s encore, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.”

Immediately following the song, a 15-minute firework display was set off, ending an incredible night. For this event Empire was responsible for advancing all technical and logistical details, including driving a truck stage and Steinway piano onto a very narrow private road, and producing all elements in a very remote location. Empire Entertainment is a leading producer of private events and family celebrations in the U.S. and around the world.

One of Empire's private clients recently reached out for help seeking headline talent for his daughter's Sweet 16. Empire was able to immediately secure the birthday girl's favorite band and up-and-coming stars, Timeflies, for this special occasion. The birthday party was held at a popular lounge in Stamford, CT . Although it was not a typical performance venue, Empire worked with the venue and the band to install a stage with professional sound and lighting that could create a concert experience for the guests and have the band shine like their large venue shows. On the night of the party, DJ L, who was also recommended and booked by Empire, opened up the party and then a couple hours later, Timeflies showed up from the back and completely surprised the birthday girl and her 100 friends with an hour long concert of their hits.

Due to complete secrecy in planning, the birthday girl didn't have a clue that Timeflies would be appearing until the moment they were introduced. The band went above and beyond in their performance, inviting her onstage and letting her stay on stage throughout the entire show. All the guests were thrilled to see Timeflies rock the stage. The party ended with a friendly meet & greet and photo shoot with all the guests. Empire is a leading resource for headline talent for all types of private and family celebrations and we have delivered artists that include the Jonas Brothers, Pharrell Williams and Timeflies for Sweet 16 events.

When Korea’s KDB Daewoo Securities needed a breakthrough concept for their marketing campaign, they turned to Empire's Tokyo-based Division.Empire Entertainment, working together with KDB’s agency, proposed artist and photographer Alexa Meade as the ideal solution for their needs. PBS said the following of Alexa “In some ways, artist Alexa Meade is a traditional figure painter. But she works on an unusual canvas: the actual human body. And she takes a classical concept — trompe l'oeil, the art of making a two-dimensional representation look three-dimensional — and turns it on its head. Her aim is to do the opposite, to collapse depth and make her living models into flat pictures." Using her unique painting technique, Alexa delivered a truly attention-grabbing commercial and set of campaign materials, which KDB successfully leveraged for their through-the-line campaign. Empire developed the creative concept for the advertising campaign together with Alexa, and also provided rights management and talent management services on this project. Empire is a leading producer and source of talent and creative elements for major commercial campaigns worldwide. Past Empire commercial projects have included work for clients ranging from Samsung, EA Sports and Asahi.

Empire Entertainment once again had the pleasure of producing the 6th annual Internet Week New York festival, which featured hundreds of events around New York City from May 20 -23, 2013. IWNY returned to Metropolitan Pavilion and the Altman Building for the festival’s headquarters, the location for 2010 and 2011.

With more than 10,000 visitors over the week and hundreds of companies represented, including Google, AT&T Adworks, MLB Advanced Media and Aereo, the space was strategically organized to create more intimate spaces, including two stages, a classroom and a lounge furnished by official design partner Design Within Reach.

Highlights of the week included:· The opening day party at Internet Week HQ featuring Performances by HITS and DJ sets from The Juan Maclean, Benji B and Brendan Fallis· A keynote presentation by Vice Media Founder Shane Smith and former MTV CEO Tom Freston· Keynote presentation by Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times, who answered the question “When Everybody’s a Reporter, What’s a Reporter to Do?”· Surprise appearance by Fred Armisen who had a sit-down conversation with NYC comedian and covered everything from SNL to zoo animals to brunch, with a little bit of Internet thrown in the mix.· Joan Rivers’ brutally honest conversation about the Internet’s impact on comedy, the role Twitter is playing in her career and her entry into producing short-form wed video.· Randi Zuckerberg sat down to talk about her growing media empire, her vision for the future and her passion for helping people untangle their modern wired lives.· Architect David Rockwell shared his thoughts on how to create new experiences through interactive environments and the increasingly dynamic role technology plays in design today.

The festival again include activations in two separate theatre spaces to accommodate longer presentations and conferences. Taking place in the Altman Building, Mediapost held two daylong conferences, OMMA Social and OMMA Data Driven Marketing. CM Summit hosted their 2-day conference on bridging data and humanity. On the 2nd floor of the Metropolitan Pavilion, the second theater hosted #Twitter4Brands Conference and AdAge’s Marketing and Technology Summit.

Empire oversaw the 6th Annual Internet Week New York festival headquarters from conception to completion, coordinating registration for the thousands of guests, stage management and producing all of the presentations in the theater and on both HQ stages, and managing the event sponsors from the design process for their footprints in the space and all of their needs from load-in to load-out.

Empire is a leading producer of trade events, expos and event marketing / presence marketing installations with extensive experience in the technology industries.

For the second year in a row , MTV Tr3s joined forces with Empire Entertainment to help them produce their annual Upfront. This year the event took place at one of NYC’s landmark entertainment venues, Webster Hall.

Hosted by José Guillermo and Rafael Vazquez of Circo Hermanos Vazquez, this event wowed and amazed attendees with both spectacular stage performances and talent roaming the floors. As a finalé to the presentation reggaeton and hip hop star Daddy Yankee performed his hits to an exhilarated crowd, setting the upbeat tone on the dance floor for the rest of the eveningEmpire transformed the venue into a symbol of the brand’s bilingual and multicultural appeal through Tr3s’ new show, Circo.

With a host of stilt dancers, contortionists, fire-eaters, snake charmers, acro-balancers and strongmen, combined with creative technical, scenic and decorative production, Empire successfully turned Webster Hall into a Mexican-themed circus.

Once the stage was set and the ambiance achieved, guests were given a preview of what is to come next for the hit television network. Featured programming included Familia de Circo, which takes a behind-the-scenes look at a forty-year old family circus led by five Mexican brothers. The Divas Del Azucar jumped out of a cake to present their reality series - Bakers for the Stars. Also announced was that the Unplugged series will showcase Ricardo Arjona as he does stripped-down acoustic performances. Colorful uplights and authentic décor accents completed the aesthetic, giving guests a transporting experience in a well-known venue. Mexican food was passed and the open bar kept drinks flowing freely. On an evening in New York City when many competing Upfronts were taking place, guests packed Webster Hall to capacity to enjoy Tr3's much-anticipated party. From conception to execution, the client’s objective and vision was achieved in every aspect throughout the seamless event. Strong partnerships with Webster Hall and Empire’s trusted vendors and crew led to the precise implementation of the event creative and plan. Empire is a leading producer of Upfront events with a strong track record of producing major events for multicultural audiences and clients with diverse consumers.

In its 17 years, The Webby Awards has become the internet's single most important annual event, celebrating achievements within the world's most dynamic and fast-growing industry. Equally important, the Webbys documents the creative culture of innovation that is rapidly remaking our ever-more interconnected world. At this year's Webby Awards, web achievements by celebrities including Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Spacey, and Ben Stiller, were celebrated alongside accomplishments of President Obama’s tech team, GIF creator Steve Wilhite, NASA’s Mars Curiosity team, and others.To begin the evening, guests enjoyed Cipriani’s famed Bellinis while networking across the street at The Museum of American Finance.

When it was time for the main event, attendees crossed Wall Street for the dinner and the show.Patton Oswalt served as host for the second straight year, and began the show noting that “50 percent of Internet bandwidth goes to Netflix and YouTube, another 49 percent goes to porn. And that last 1 percent is what we’re here to talk about today.”Consistent with tradition, it was the Webbys renowned 5-word acceptance speeches that stole the show. Steve Wilhite, accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award for inventing the GIF, cleared up an age-old internet mystery, with his 5 word video acceptance that spelled it out for the audience “It’s pronounced ‘JIF’ not ‘GIF”.Some winners used their five words to more poignant effect, with Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (“Athlete of the Year”) telling viewers to “Treat others with empathy,” and another winner, referring to the legalizing of gay marriage stated “equality…..38 states to go.” Others treated the moment lightly: Ben Stiller, accepting with two other members of the “Burning Love” cast, was introduced jokingly by his colleagues as “Beyoncé”, and he simply said “gracias.”

The evening also featured many humorous videos as well as a brief performance by Tanlines. The most anticipated moment of the night came from comedy legend Jerry Seinfeld. Receiving the award for Outstanding Comedic Performance. He summed up what many think about the Webby tradition saying “Why five words? It doesn’t……” but then waved his hands at the audience in mock frustration, before exiting the stage.But Seinfeld’s question may have been answered earlier in the evening, when Kevin Spacey, receiving a Special Achievement Award for his work in “House of Cards”, said of his brief speech: “The Oscars should do this.”This was the 9th consecutive year that Empire Entertainment has produced the Webby Awards. Empire was responsible for nearly every element of the event including the cocktail reception at The Museum of American Finance, the red carpet and step & repeat, the video lounge where winners recorded their five word speeches, permitting & tenting, registration, signage, talent wrangling, technical production, and stage management. Empire was also responsible for producing the after-party at Amnesia NYC. Together with an A-list team of partners including creative directors Andrew Fried and Tommy Kail, set designer David Korins, talent coordinator Lesley Roy and others. Empire was proud to execute what many called the best Webby’s yet.

Empire is one of the internet industry’s leading event producers.

Founded over 60 years ago with the purpose of making great opera available to a modern, wide-reaching audience, the New York City Opera is one of New York’s leading cultural institutions. In April 2013, the New York City Opera chose the occasion of the premiere of La Périchole for its annual gala and Empire was honored to serve as the Gala producer.

La Périchole is a madcap comic opera loosely based on the life of a Peruvian street-singer who maintains a love triangle between the Spanish viceroy and her true love and fellow street-singer. The gala began with a Peruvian-themed pre-show cocktail reception at New York City Center.

The reception featured a gallery of printed images of Peruvian textiles and Peruvian floral arrangements and linen patterns. Following the performance, guests made their way to the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel for a French-themed dinner dance. In this grand space, Empire worked with the Plaza Hotel and Great Performances catering to create an elegant environment to complement the French menu. The Avalon Jazz Band played onstage throughout the evening. At one point New York City Opera’s General Manager and Artistic Director George Steel took the stage to deliver remarks and to introduce performances by some of the evening’s lead performers which included a rendition of Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose. The evening’s gala was generously sponsored by American Airlines, Van Cleef & Arpels, Clos du Val and Bellavista.

Empire was responsible for venue coordination, technical production, décor and design, coordination of catering, ground transportation, security, staffing and stage management for both events.

Empire is proud to serve many of New York’s leading cultural institutions including the New York City Opera.