BACKING UP THE THEME

Souvenir Menu.  The menu plays two roles in this dinner production, as a take-home souvenir and it contains the information used in announcing the “Oscars.”

Basic: Print the menu items individually on white paper. Fold and include in the package for the favor (see Favor below).

The “Oscar” Award Envelopes. To announce “Oscars” you will need 9 Award envelopes (for the cocktail, 3 appetizers, soup, entrée, salad and 2 desserts). The outside is a replica of the envelopes used for Oscars. Inside is a sheet of paper with the Oscar information from the menu for one of the dishes, to be read out loud by the guests (see Production below). For each, use a white envelope, 7½x8½ inches. Type or print on the front of the envelope in large, bold, black letters the category name, Best ….(fill in the appropriate phrase).  For example, you would type Best Cocktail on the first envelope, Best Chicken Appetizer on the next one, etc. Type And the Oscar goes to….  on the back of each of the envelopes.

The “Oscar” information is in the menu (above).  It is the name of the movie, the year of its Best Picture award, and a description of the relationship between the movie and the dish it inspired. Type the Oscar information for each Best Picture on white paper, 7x8 inches, using large, bold, black letters. Place the paper inside the appropriate Award envelope.

Use a silver seal to close the envelope. Glue two small red ribbons (¼ inch wide x 2 inches long) at an angle of 45 degrees under the seal.

Production. Set the stage for Oscar Night.  Place a red carpet (from a party or craft store) at the entrance to your residence. Make sure your guests can’t miss it. Have your camera at the ready and take a flash photograph of each guest as they arrive. You can have a lot of fun with this, especially if the guests all arrive at the same time as instructed.  

Have all the ingredients ready for the martinis and complete them as quickly as possible. Have the Award envelopes ready.  Except for “Best Cocktail,” put the Award envelopes in a top hat (available in party-supply stores) or beautiful bowl and place it in a conspicuous place in your living room.  

Guests will pick out an envelope from the hat (or bowl) and read it at the appropriate time. Reserve the first envelope (“Best Cocktail”) for yourself so that your performance can serve as the model for your guests. As there are 8 Award envelopes in the hat, if you have fewer than 8 guests, you may pick an additional envelope for yourself or you may ask the guests to pick an additional envelope. If you have more than 8 guests, add blank envelopes to the hat; the total number of envelopes in the hat should be equal to the number of guests.

As Master of Ceremonies, your job is to arouse excitement and inspire award-winning performances from your guests.  Indulge that flair for the dramatic that lurks in all of us.  After taking flash photos of arriving guests, when all guests are assembled in your living room, tap a glass or ring a bell to get everyone’s attention. Announce with oomph: “This dinner is dedicated to the Academy Awards.  Each dish you will eat was inspired by a ‘Best Picture.’  In every dish, the ingredients and appearance reflect critical elements of its ‘Best Picture.’” Then, in ringing tones, announce as you read the front of the envelope:  “For the first award, for “Best Cocktail...” Pause, then read out the back of the envelope, “And the Oscar goes to…”  With all the drama you can muster, open the envelope, slowly draw out the paper and read the Oscar description: “My Fair Lady (1964)!  Can Henry Higgins (pronounce that ‘enry ‘iggins) change cockney Eliza’s destiny by teaching her the language of the British upper class?  He did, but left unanswered is whether Eliza’s dream of upper-class living with ‘lots of chocolate for me to eat’ was realized.  Let’s drink to her with an unambiguously upscale, chocolate martini.” Arrange in advance for your partner or a guest to start applause when you finish reading.  As the applause starts, pass out the martinis.  

Allow the guests to settle into seats and sip a bit.  Then, in theatrical manner, bring out the hat/bowl with the Award envelopes.  Announce: “I am Master of Ceremonies for this Academy Award night. YOU are the celebrities and YOU will announce the Oscars.  The Award envelopes are in this hat (bowl). Pick one, but DO NOT open it.” Have guests come up to the hat (bowl) and pick an envelope.  Now explain: “As I present each dish, I will announce: ‘For achievement in’ and then give the category of the Oscar. You will then look for the category of your award-winning dish on the front of the envelope. After I announce that category, turn the envelope over, read out: ‘And the Oscar goes to…’, then open the envelope and read out the information inside, just as I read the information about the martini.” 

Take it from there. Complete the preparation of each dish in the kitchen. When you bring out the dish, do it with a flourish and announce: “For achievement in (e.g., Chicken Appetizers, Seafood Appetizers, etc.).”  At that point, if necessary, ask the guest holding the envelope for that dish to stand up and read the envelope. Lead the applause when they are finished, then serve the dish.

Symbols. Oscar statue, red carpet, filmstrip confetti, red roses, balloons and the Award envelope.

Color. Make the color red paramount in your décor. Black and white will provide striking contrast to red and will suggest the original movies that were just black and white. Additional touches of silver and gold will add to the aura of Hollywood richness and glitz.

Table decor. Set your cocktail table with black and white cocktail dishes and napkins. Scatter film-strip or red-star confetti on it.  

Your dining table will be stunning with tablecloth or placemats in white or gold, white dishes on ruby chargers, black napkins and glassware in ruby or sparkling crystal. Make your centerpiece a replica of an Oscar statue (available in party and movie stores). Provide each place setting with a large red rose in a mini vase or floating in a small bowl of crystal or glass.  Cut the stem, leaving only enough to keep the rose in place.  Complete the picture with a scattering of star confetti in silver.  

Other decor. Display a large arrangement of red roses in your living room and another one in your dining room. To finish the look, display photos of the evening’s Best Pictures or CDs of their music.

Music. When guests arrive, play the song "Hooray for Hollywood." To go over the top, find the award-winning songs from the movies represented in the menu and play as each course is served.  This would be especially appropriate for the two dishes (cocktail and soup) based on songs from a Best Picture. Or play CDs of award winning movies.

Favor. Give each guest a DVD of one of the movies represented in the dinner. Try to match the movie to what you know about the guest. Wrap the DVD and the complete SOUVENIR MENU together in glittery white paper and tie with shiny black ribbon.

Note for Favor:  Thanks so much for co-starring in our production of Oscar Night. The enclosed DVD will bring stars (note pun, please) to your eyes and, we hope, moving (please note this pun too) memories of the evening.