Entertainment

Keep the energy up at an in-office meeting by providing a sugar rush courtesy of John Kelly Chocolates. The company's offering known as "the Slab" is three pounds of truffle fudge. Order in any of 17 flavors. The confection serves 48 people and measures 5 by 11 inches.

From the pull-no-punches creators of South Park, The Book of Mormon kicks off its Los Angeles run at the Pantages Theatre in September and runs through September 25. Group tickets are available for 15 or more. Warning: Choose your audience wisely, as the show is far from PG.

A Dylan's Candy Bar location just opened in L.A. on September 8. Personal shoppers are on hand to help select corporate gifts, and a "celebrations team" can bring the whole-store experience to an office or any other off-site venue.

The Grammy Museum, in cooperation with the estate of Whitney Houston, debuted in August a major new exhibition, "Whitney! Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Whitney Houston." It's the first major museum exhibition to explore Houston's career, and it will be on display through February. The collection includes artifacts, rare photographs and footage, and items from the family's private collection, like costumes and scrapbooks. Group pricing and docent tours are available for a corporate outing.

David Arquette's new nightclub, Bootsy Bellows, has just introduced a dinner-theater experience that would make for memorable corporate entertaining. The 90-minute show includes a marionette manipulator, magician, and Arquette as M.C.

For eye-catching entertainment, check out North Hollywood-based iLuminate. The performance troupe combines art and technology, performing illusions and choreography in the dark for a completely buzzworthy effect. Dancer and software engineer Miral Kotb is behind the company.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will co-present "Stanley Kubrick," the first U.S. retrospective of the director, on view November 1 through June 30, 2013. The exhibition widely covers Kubrick's practice, beginning with his early photographs for Look magazine, taken in the 1940s. His films are represented through a selection of annotated scripts, production photography, lenses and cameras, set models, costumes, and props. Group discounts apply to groups of 10 or more. Docent or private tours are available before or after the exhibition's operating hours.

For entertaining a serious V.I.P. or for an indulgent corporate gift, offer a skincare session at the airy new Beverly Hills office of Gina Mari. In the brand-new space designed by Barondes Morris Design, Mari and her team offer high-technology skin-care therapies, and count a large number of male visitors among their clientele.

Pick up crowd-pleasing corporate gifts or in-office meeting treats from L.A.-based confectionery house Sweet Mary's. Mary Riesgraf offers the likes of artisanal white chocolate and raspberry popcorn, caramel-chocolate apples, and white chocolate Chex mix.

The Cielo Blanco four- by eight-foot dining table is available with custom fabric insets from Town and Country Event Rentals.

Dance group Lightwire Theater combines art, technology, and puppetry in their performances. Glowing characters come to life as performers and puppets outfitted in electroluminescent wire move around a pitch-black stage. In addition to their classic shows Darwin the Dinosaur and The Ugly Duckling, Lightwire Theater can also create custom tailored performances for events. Prices vary depending on the number of performers and length of the piece, and the group requires that the performance space be dark.

Svet is a singer and classically trained violinist who became fascinated with the hip-hop scene after moving to the U.S. from Bulgaria. His performances blend the classical sound of the violin with rock, reggae, house, and electronic music.

Seventeen-year-old Lindsey Norton is an acrobatic dancer whose distinctive style includes tumbling and flexibility tricks. For special events, prices range from $1,500 to $2,500 in addition to traveling expenses for two.

Third-place runner-up William Close plays the Earth Harp, a large string instrument rigged to the surrounding architecture and environment with strings that can extend up to 1,000 feet in length. Close wears cotton gloves covered in violin resin, and plays the musical instrument-slash-installation by running his hands along the strings to create cello-like tones. Accompanied by percussion and other instruments, performances can range from ambient and trance-like to theatrical and energetic.

Fifth-place finalist Joe Castillo claims to be America’s first sand animation performer. His act, SandStory, involves Castillo using sand to illustrate stories on top of a light table. His performances are choreographed to music and projected onto a large screen. Performances can include selections from previous stories or can be customized for the event. His private event fees range from $15,000 to $25,000, plus travel expenses.

Semifinalist Eric Dittelman combines mind reading with improvisation comedy. From playing blindfolded Pictionary to predicting the future, Dittelman has performed at comedy clubs, colleges, and private events across the country.

AGT semifinalist Tim Hockenberry is a singer, pianist, and songwriter with a voice that has been likened to Ray Charles and Tom Waits. Hockenberry can be hired for private or corporate events for a fee ranging from $10,000 to $17,500 plus travel expenses; costs vary depending on whether he plays alone or with his band. Performances in the Midwest or the South require an additional $500 per band member; East Coast performances are an additional $1,000 per band member.

Orlando-based comic magician Malcolm Puckering's act, The Magic of Puck, combines classic magic tricks with contemporary humor. With more than 40 years of experience, Puckering customizes his shows for events and can also hypnotize audience members. Fees range from $1,350 to $3,500, plus travel expenses.

Married couple Donovan Jones and Rebecca Peache have received international recognition—including setting a Guinness World Record—for their acrobatic performances. Jones and Peache specialize in aerial acrobatics and acrobalance, a combination of partner lifts and hand balancing. The performance is suitable for a variety of event themes and types of music. The event space's ceiling must be at least 14 feet high to install a rigging point.

Singer-songwriter Bria Kelly has fronted several bands, including her current group Bria Kelly & Friends, which has a folksy sound reminiscent of music by Bonnie Raitt and John Mayer. For events, the 16-year-old can perform solo, as a duo, or in a larger group. Kelly, who lives in Virginia, is available to travel throughout the U.S.

TEDActive guests scooped up logo water bottles upon their arrival (or any time throughout the conference) that served as giveaways, as well as a way to stay hydrated without the use of disposable plastic bottles. Hydration stations let guests fill up easily and as often as they liked.

Multiple venues around the property for simulcast viewing included an array of seating groups, including more traditional chairs and desks and armchairs—and even beanbags.

Don't find beanbags quite comfy enough? The main simulcast venue, the theater, also had several bed-style lounging groups complete with TVs overhead for cozy viewing of the TED Talks.

A picnic lunch Wednesday offered picnic baskets for groups of seven—so each person had to meet six new folks with whom to chat and chow.

The Sovereign Nation of You station encouraged attendees to make representational flags for creative expression during meeting breaks.

Adding to the easygoing vibe were dogs, which were allowed on the property and at the event; attendees with furry friends could bring them along.

The main stage backdrop got an appealing but spare look from wooden pallets—visually interesting, but not enough to distract from the high-level conference content.

Meant to offer attendees a low barrier to entry for creative expression, Paper Punk offered a station where attendees could use prefab templates to create small art pieces—think origami meets Lego—and affix them to an evolving wall.

In a thoughtful use of the environment surrounding the sprawling host hotel, individual seating groups invited attendees to gather and collaborate in cleverly arranged settings that themselves served to inspire.

To encourage folks to really engage with the content while being themselves, the TEDActive dress code was casual. Anything goes. So there were jeans, yes, but also plenty of flip-flops, shorts, and hoodies.

The TEDActive projects engaged attendees in brainstorming various ideas—and moving them forward through the course of the event.

TEDActive means to connect attendees whenever possible—and oversize name badges made it easy to identify new folks.

Talk about a fully immersive experience: The conference took over some of the venue's Spanish tiles for its own brand messaging. The special tiles also served to guide attendees' path along the walkways to the various event venues on the sprawling property.

Guests were encouraged to bring their own T-shirts, totes—whatever—and Hit & Run customized them live according to guests' own personal TEDActive experience with a range of designs.

Meant to keep attendees fit and moving, one station offered scooter and bike rental available any time.

Coffee and snacks are pretty typical at conferences, but TEDActive's offerings included coffee brewed in small batches by skilled baristas and snacks like roasted seaweed and organic dark chocolate peanut butter cups, available any time of day.

Sponsor Lincoln decked out one of the property's casitas with a space that was subtly branded and also offered guests a chance to walk through a series of functional art pieces on exhibit.

TEDx planners from around the world expressed themselves on an interactive chalkboard wall.

For a little collaboration in the get-to-know-you spirit, game stations dotted the event space.

Ever heard of flying a kite as a meeting-break option? TEDActive made one available for the taking, offering it adjacent to a casual seating cluster in the event's main outdoor space, known as the quad.