ACADEMY ANNOUNCES 89TH OSCARS® GOVERNORS BALL CREATIVE TEAM
Academy governor Jeffrey Kurland, event producer Cheryl Cecchetto and master chef Wolfgang Puck will return to create this year’s Governors Ball, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ official post-Oscar® celebration, which will immediately follow the 89th Oscars® ceremony on Sunday, February 26. The Ball’s 1,500 invited guests include Oscar winners and nominees, show presenters and other telecast participants.
"The theme of this year’s Governors Ball is ‘magical transformation.’ As they enter the Ball, guests will transition from a dazzling sea of red to a tricolor motif of eye-popping gold and red on an infinite blanket of white," said Kurland. "The unique design of the space has been meticulously created to celebrate Oscar gold."
As the chair of the Governors Ball, Kurland will oversee the décor, menu and entertainment planning, as well as design the attire to be worn by the evening’s staff. Kurland is an acclaimed costume designer whose feature credits include "Hannah and Her Sisters," "Radio Days," "Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Erin Brockovich," "Ocean’s Eleven," "Inception," "Beautiful Creatures," "Tomorrowland" and, most recently, "Ghostbusters." He received an Oscar nomination for Costume Design for "Bullets over Broadway." This will be Kurland’s eighth year serving as Governors Ball chair.
Cecchetto, along with her Sequoia Productions team, will work with Kurland to manage every detail pertaining to the event, including décor, entertainment, food and personnel. Sequoia Productions’ clients include the Television Academy, G’Day USA, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Westfield and the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay. This will be Cecchetto’s 28th consecutive year producing the Governors Ball.
For the 23rd consecutive year, legendary chef Wolfgang Puck will set the stage with a Governors Ball menu pairing Hollywood glamour with culinary whimsy. Eric Klein, the new Wolfgang Puck Catering executive chef, worked alongside Puck to create more than 50 imaginative dishes, from one-bite hors d’oeuvres to small-plate entrees that will be passed throughout the evening. New menu items will include Moroccan spiced Wagyu short rib topped with a parmesan funnel cake; taro root tacos with shrimp, mango, avocado and chipotle aioli; gnocchetti with braised mushrooms and cashew cream; lobster corn dogs; made-to-order sushi, custom poke bowls and an array of shellfish; plus a selection of Puck’s signature dishes such as smoked salmon Oscars, chicken pot pie with shaved black truffles, and baked macaroni and cheese. The pastry team of Kamel Guechida, Monica Ng and Jason Lemmonier will offer a dessert menu brimming with innovative and playful desserts served at multiple dessert stations, plus the ultimate dessert buffet featuring Puck’s sought-after 24-karat-gold chocolate Oscars. Wolfgang Puck Catering CEO Carl Schuster will direct more than 900 event staff through the evening’s intricately detailed logistics to deliver guests a true restaurant-style hospitality experience.
The Governors Ball will take place in the Ray Dolby Ballroom on the top level of the Hollywood & Highland Center® immediately following the Oscar telecast.
The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 7,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is under construction in Los Angeles.
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