Hi Omac,
I love doing themes, and I will think about it for you. How many people, and what do you spend on the favors? Is each table different, or all the same?

Kathleen

Our theme is "Musicals, & Show tunes"

We have anywhere from 220 to 250 attend.

We try to spend only a few dollars on the favors, and usually, the money is donated for that, but we still try to keep the cost down.

All the tables are the same, with the exception of colors or patterns.

I appreciate any help you can give.

How fun! Of course Damn Yankees seems like the natural connection, but I can't say I have any brilliant favor ideas associated with that show.

It would be cute if you could fashion your event programs to look like Broadway playbills.

You could use an iconic image from a different show as the centerpiece for each table - but that may get a bit tough by the 15th table or so :)

What about the gold top hats from A Chorus Line? One at the center of each table? They would work as a vessel to hold the favors. (Which if they are tissue wrapped or otherwise interesting looking would be about all you'd need for a centerpiece)

For favors - maybe something incorporating music notes? stars? comedy and tragedy masks? I always vote for food, but that's just me.

here's my 2 cents worth. I like the idea of the hats, or maybe you could make those scene chalkboards and some sparkly sprays out of the top (I hope that this makes sense) I always make centerpieces when I need alot of them, out of stryofoam, glitter, etc. Also for favors, their are so many that you could make just using a computer and plastic baggies. Google computer crafts or bag toppers to see what I mean. You can fill the baggies with candies taken to shows, or really whatever you want.

Good luck

How about sunglasses,...The Sun will come out tomorow??? Or something with stars? Those little blackboards made to look like the Take 1 take things. Billboards for centerpieces. You may be able to reduce actual show billboards....
But is it men and women?I am thinking, Diff show for each table would be fun...there are so many of them!
And the food isn't so far off...those movie theater size boxes of candy??
I;ll keep thinking..

Craftfetish
I love your idea about the gold Top Hats, and the masks,

and Kathleen, the sunglasses sound really cute.

My husband is always in the show, and is planning on being
"Liza Minnelli" and will lip sync New York New York.
2 years ago, he was Nancy Sinatra, Boots are made for walking. (Not a pretty sight, but we all have alot of fun.)

I thought about doing a skyline of NY, in black, of course,
and then outline some of the buildings with small white christmas lights.

Keep the idea's coming. I think this could be the best
show ever, thanks to all you

That's sounds funny! As a NY er I can appreciate your dh doing that song.
Tell us about last year's lunch...theme, favors, centerpieces etc. It will give us a better idea of what you are looking for...and I am taking the favor has to be gender neutral as men will be guests too?

Kathleen

Last years theme was tunes from the 50's & 60's

The centerpieces were just green plants, but each place
had a homemade plate, which a friend & I made using clear plates, and decoupaged different patterns & designs of fabric on them.

The year before, anything went. Whatever songs they chose.
For the centerpieces, I made baseball players from flower pots, using a styro foam ball for the heads, and different colors for the uniforms.

We gave each person attending a "gumball" machine that we made with flower pots painted bright colors, and a fish bowl to hold the gum balls. In our case, we just bagged up
jelly beans.

We have done Western themes, but usually it's what ever.

By the way, this past year my dh was Tiny Tim, and our closing number was "HAIR"

Perhaps if you can...round up playbills from Broadway shows (ebay?) or at a flea market. Also get your hands on oodles of sheet music-hopefully w/show tune titles, but not real necessary. I'm thinking you could fold the sheet music into little boxes, then decoupage them so they are stiffened, then fill w/colorful tissue paper and whatever 'goodies' you choose for the favor boxes.
Then, maybe for the centerpieces...using artboard (foamboard)..have someone design an outline of a Broadway theatre marquee (I know I misspelled that word LOL) and within the area where the show's name goes-decoupage the actual title & any graphic on the playbill-into the sign. Of course you'll need to do both sides. I think you can actually get an idea for the marquee by looking at Stumps Party online. These could be inserted or glued into a sheet of thick styrofoam,by making a slit in the foam, then surrounding it with silk flowers in your colors, gold foil or black music notes & a G Clef.

Sharon

Thanks for the idea's I've been e-bay looking for posters with Broadway themes on them, but the "real" ones can be pretty expensive.

I have a friend that is an artist in her own style, that said she would draw a skyline of buildings and we could paint it black.

I thought I could either outline the building tops with lights or get a rectanglular piece of styrofoam, write
Broadway on it, and encircle it with lights.

Maybe we could somehow make our own playbills, with our
"stars" names as favors.

How would small chinese take out boxes covered with sheet music, with candy etc. sound as favors?

That sounds really cute...you could make them out of scrapbooking sheets maybe?????? (sort of fold them yourselves)
Or you could get the kind of cardboard cups that popcorn comes in, fill them with a package of microwave popcorn and a few candies. wrap in saran and tie with a bow.
Not long ago at our Albertsons store I saw the boxes of "Usher Opera Mints" They were not at all expensive...you could print some fake tickets and tie them to the box with a curly ribbon....