The always glamorous Two x Two for AIDS and Art Gala and Auction raised a record $8.6 million for Amfar and the Dallas Museum of Art. The gala, held October 24, brought together about 500 guests at the Rachofsky House for the contemporary art auction followed by dinner and a Robin Thicke concert in its custom geodesic dome tent.
Tood Fiscus, owner and chief creative officer of Todd Events, also celebrated a milestone: his 15th time producing the gala in its 17-year history. Each year, hosts Cindy and Howard Rachofsky choose one color as the base for the event decor, so for this occasion, Fiscus combined them.
“Since this was my 15th year, we decided to take our 15 years of singular color stories and do Technicolor,” Fiscus said. His design called for color-blocked tables with red, blue, and purple linens or upholstery and monochromatic floral arrangements. Tying them together was a multicolored striped carpet. The deep hues and tasteful accompaniments such as gold flatware kept the look contemporary and sophisticated. “We didn’t want it to look like a big circus tent or a serape,” Fiscus said.
The color splash contrasted with another Two x Two event that took place two days earlier, the First Look preview benefit, also produced by Todd Events. This year it had a Halloween theme and used a palette nearly devoid of any color. The gothic glam event included both tricks and treats for guests. Along the walk up to the entrance, there were telephones resting on pedestals that would ring as guests walked by. If they answered, a hidden staffer would engage them in a quick but creepy conversation. Inside, a “yuck wall” invited guests to put their hands inside cutouts in a plywood wall, where they would find classic Halloween tricks like frozen grape “eyeballs” or a handshake from a cold, wet hand. Other times, the surprise was a Sprinkes cupcake.
First Look functions as a way to widen the circle of donors who can be involved in the event, since capacity at the gala is limited. Fiscus said it also targets younger supporters and gets to be “a little more fun, a little more rambunctious, more tongue in cheek.”
At the top of the domed tent, projections and gobos created a stained-glass look. Underneath, Todd Events affixed sheet vinyl in various colors over a clear section of the tent to continue the visual.
Because of rainy weather, the Todd Events team had to create a covered entrance just hours before the event. Chandeliers from the company's warehouse worked with the existing event decor and were relatively quick to set up.
As guests entered the event, old rotary-style phones lining the walkway would occasionally ring. Guests were invited to answer and engage in a creepy conversation with a staffer who could see them but was hidden from their view.
A photo backdrop gave the impression that "you were being attacked by birds," Fiscus said, like Tippi Hedren in the classic Hitchcock film The Birds.
Above the bar, a decor piece with blanched tree branches and birds had an eerie Edgar Allan Poe feel.
Curious guests could stick their hands in a wall to receive either a Halloween trick—a bowl full of frozen grape "eyeballs," for instance—or a treat such as a Sprinkles cupcake. Staff were on hand with wet wipes for guests.
The event design called for intimate seating groups rather than large dinner rounds.
A champagne serving station for sponsor Moët Hennessy featured a grave site ice sculpture that read: “R.I.P. C. Moet 1683-1760.” Icy hands reaching up completed the scary scene.
Guests gathered for cocktails in one tent before moving to the geodesic dome for dinner.
The tables were color-blocked with linens and coordinating floral arrangements. The same gold flatware and clear glassware at each table tied them together.
The blue tables were upholstered rather than topped with linens to show off mirrored pedestals. The room had a mix of rectangular and circular tables for a modern look to the room.
Todd Events created centerpieces for the red tables that were made from pulsing LED wire.
