It's not every day that Oakland gets a huge movie premiere. But for the debut of Moneyball—the Brad Pitt vehicle and real-life tale of the Oakland A's—the A-listers made the trek 400-odd miles north of Hollywood for a screening at Oakland's Paramount Theatre and an after-party at the Fox Theater on September 19. Sony's Alison Bossert oversaw the event, working with 15/40 Productions on design, coordination, and lighting.
For arrivals, a parking lot adjacent to the Paramount was transformed into a baseball field, complete with scoop stadium lights and 200 authentic stadium seats from Brown United. Warning track guided general guests along a path closest to the infield wall, while celebrities took a path that cut between the first and third baselines. Specialty cocktails for theater guests came from PatrĂłn and Ultimat.
The party at the Fox for 1,000 guests had the feel of an upscale lounge. La Bonne Cuisine catered, Hartman provided the rentals, and Vicious Lee served as DJ.
The premiere served as a benefit, raising more than $375,000 for the A’s Community Fund, which split the monies between Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland and Stand Up to Cancer.
