WHAT A WEEK!
Marc Bouniconti addressing the Permobil conference at Gaylord Opryland Resort.
GMC choreogapher Bruce Stegmann talking to the cast of one of our ships.
The set of the US Business Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.
The flag flying proudly in front of the US Space and Rocket Center in
Huntsville, AL.
The capsule of a Saturn V rocket flying above our stage in the new Davidson Center at the US Space and Rocket Center.
Nashville Star winners Angela and Zach Hacker performing at the
US Space and Rocket Center.
Fireworks after the Turner Universal celebration.
This has been an exciting week at GMC - in every way! We began the week with an event produced for
TJ Martell, a leading charitable organization focused on leukemia, cancer, and aids research. We're still waiting on some pictures from that event, but word has it that it was spectacular. We then produced a first-ever conference for
Permobil. Permobil is one of the world's leading producers of mobil wheelchairs and personal movement devices for mobility impaired individuals. The keynote speaker was Marc Buoniconti, a former college football player who was paralyzed by a neck injury during a game. Marc is now a spokesperson for the Miami Project, an institution dedicated to finding a cure for paralysis. He was a fantastic speaker. His dedication to the cause of research is inspiring, to say the least.
Permobil was followed by two huge events for the Junior Achievement US Business Hall of Fame awards. On Wednesday, business and government leaders from all over the country gathered at Gaylord Oryland Resort to celebrate the achievements of some of the top business leaders in the world. Those inducted into the US Business Hall of Fame included...
* Tommy Frist, Jr., - Founder of Hospital Corporation of America
* Robert L. Johnson - Founder of BET Network and owner of the Charlotte Bobcats
* Meg Whitman - CEO of Ebay
* Allen Neuharth - Founder of USA TODAY
* Bill France - Founder of NASCAR
* John E. Pepper, Jr - former CEO of Proctor and Gamble
It was a fantastic evening filled with performances by some of Nashville's top singers, dancers, and musicians. Entertainment highlights included a performance by 6th grader Allen Robertson who performed "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" on the banjo, and Fiddle Frenzy, a fiddle ensemble group from Blair School of Music. Production numbers were choreographed by our own Claire Williams. More than 50 student performers participated in the show. At times it felt a little like herding cats, but the end result was spectacular. Thanks to our friends at Junior Achievement for allowing GMC to orchestrate the entertainment, audiovisual elements, and scenic for this world class event!
Thursday evening brought the farewell dinner for the cast of the Celebrity INFINITY. They headed out this week for a 6-month contract onboard one of Celebrity's most popular ships. We wish them all the best! Meanwhile, GMC team members Curt Wallen and Steve Kummer were half way around the world doing research for our casting of the new shows on the Norwegian Jade. The JADE represents a huge departure in traditional cruise ship entertainment. We are about to take over the casting and production of the shows. Please check out our website for information on upcoming auditions in London and New York (www.garymusick.com). This is going to be a fun project!
Finally, last night, we produced an annual celebration for our friends at Turner Construction. They recently completed construction on one of the most interested facilities I've seen. The event was staged in Turner's newest construction project - the Davidson Center at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL. The building houses one of the 3 remaining Saturn V rockets in the world, so you can imagine how large this structure is. The Saturn V was the rocket used to send American astronauts to the moon in the late 60's. The dinner was held beneath the capsule of the spaceship. Entertainment featured Angela and Zach Hacker, winners of last season's "Nashville Star" television show competition. A spectacular fireworks show ended the evening with guests gathered beneath a beautiful Alabama night sky. It was a perfect way to end the evening, AND our week.
Tomorrow, I head to the Norwegian GEM to join HMC staffers Mindy McLemore and David Patton to check out the new cast in their first week of performances. Coreographer Bruce Stagmann has been there tis past week fine tuning the cast in preparation for their first week of shows. I'm looking forward to seeing them in action!
Have a great week, everyone!
Last night we worked with "l'Ete du Vin" to produce the Premier Auction, a fabulous evening of great food and fine wines designed to raise funds to support cancer research and cancer support organizations here in the Middle Tennessee area. "L'Ete du Vin" is the oldest charity wine auction in America. In addition to the Premier Auction, the organization also sponsors The Grand Auction later in the summer. We've worked with the organization for the past 10 years, and over that time millions of dollars have been raised through the generosity of those who support the charity. The theme of last night's event was "Route 29" - inspired by the name of the main highway running through California's Napa Valley wine country. We designed Gaylord Opryland Resort's Presidential Ballroom to emulate the look and feel of some of Napa's landmark attractions. The stage set featured a street scene inspired by the architecture and icon businesses in Napa's St. Helena community. The set was designed by GMC team members Keith and Eric, and built by Phil and Blair, and masterfully painted by Dean. Jonathan, Jerry, and Sean handled all video production, while Jim kept things flowing smoothly with his backstage management. A big thanks to the entire scenic and productions crew for their hard work that made for a fabulous event!
