Empire Helps the Happy Hearts Fund Raise over $1 million to Rebuild Haiti at the Land of Dreams Gala Featuring Josh Groban and Wyclef Jean

The Happy Hearts Fund, an organization founded by model Petra Nemcova and dedicated to rebuilding sustainable schools in areas devastated by natural disasters, held their annual Land of Dreams event at the Metropolitan Pavilion on November 5th, 2011. This year’s event focused on Haiti and the tremendous need following the devastation of the 2010 earthquake. Empire was engaged to help produce the multi-faceted evening and to transform the Metropolitan Pavilion into an authentic environment that showcased the best of Haiti. On the evening of the event. Guests traveled over a mango carpet, past a projected departures board and were checked in for their journey to Haiti by stunning stewardesses in full uniform who handed out boarding cards and passports to all of the Haitian sites inside.Once inside festive music from a traditional Haitian band and specialty rum cocktails welcomed guests to the warmly lit reception in the expansive event space. Surrounding the room, a series of Haitian vignettes showcased highlights of Haiti. In the Iron Market Guests sampled mango, pineapple, bananas and Haitian coffee beans displayed in large wooden bowls and baskets. In the Pirate Bar, costumed bartenders served rum concoctions and Caribbean specialties in front of an authentic recreation of a pirate ship. In the Haitian School, guests read hand-drawn phrases in Creole on a blackboard and also wrote their own names on individual bricks symbolizing their individual commitment to provide the bricks needed to build new schools. In the Haitian Art station guests admired colorful paintings by Michel Brudent, a renowned Port au Prince artist. In the Urban Zen space Donna Karan’s team created a visually sumptuous display of Haitian housewares and crafts including handmade ironworks, carved wooden candelabras, papier-mâché sculptures, and horn jewelry. In the Beach Shack Haiti’s beautiful coast came to life around an aged wood structure outfitted with swaying palm trees, a projection of the water lapping Caribbean shores and a real live Macaw parrot. In the final station, Empire recreated Haiti’s iconic Citadel, where volunteers shared facts about the legendary fort and important Haitian history alongside a full size cannon, cannonballs and Haitian flags. After the cocktail reception, guests moved into the North Pavilion for the seated dinner and program. Bloomberg Television’s Margaret Brennan, the emcee of the evening, introduced the founder of the Happy Hearts Fund, the stunning Petra Nemcova and Executive Director, Phil Caputo who welcomed guests and set the tone for the evening to come. The dinner program also featured remarks by honorees Rene Haugrud and tireless Haiti relief activist Sean Penn who has lived and worked for much of the past year in Haiti. Grammy Award-winner Josh Groban and his band gave a heart-felt performance of three songs including his famous, “You Raise Me Up.” After dinner auctioneer Simon De Pury, of Phillips de Pury & Company, raised over $1 million dollars in an action packed live auction that included lots ranging from use of a Caribbean villa and an insider’s Victoria’s Secret Show experience to a custom James Bond mission and an exquisite Damien Hirst artwork entitled Mantra that sold for $100,000. For the grand finalé of the evening, Haitian musician and global sensation Wyclef Jean and delivered a high energy party performance that drew Petra Nemcova, Sean Penn and the rest of the guests out of their seats, onto the stage, and past midnight as they danced on chairs and tables in their black-tie attire. In addition to the evening events, Happy Hearts Fund hosted 300 children at the Metropolitan Pavilion earlier in the afternoon for an array of educational, interactive and kid-friendly activities all focused on Haiti. The Children learned traditional Haitian dances, painted their faces, created Haitian jewelry, learned to draw with a renown Haitian artist and even talked to the parrot.Working closely with Happy Hearts Fund, Empire served as Producer of the Land of Dreams, managing elements including décor, technical production, performing talent and stage management. To learn more about the efforts of the Happy Hearts Fund or to donate, please visit happyheartsfund.org. Empire is proud to serve charitable organizations like the Happy Hearts Fund and to help support their important work in Haiti, Indonesia, India and Peru.