“Commit the oldest sins in the newest kind of ways.” – William Shakespeare
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Sometimes being bad feels so good.
The “Seven Deadly Sins” was the inspiration for an incredible night of revelry soaked up by hundreds of bad boys and naughty girls at the seventh annual Power Ball gala dinner and fundraiser held on June 2, 2005 at The Power Plant Contemporary Gallery in Toronto.
The Seven Deadly Sins – pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust – date back to the middle ages. Power Ball 7 showed it was time to put a new spin on sin.
Over 1,400 revellers showed up for an amazing night of guilt free sinnin’ for a good cause. Power Ball 7 raised an unprecedented $250,000 to fund future exhibitions and educational programs at The Power Plant.
This year’s event was a huge success due to the tremendous leadership and tireless commitment of event co-chairs Suzanne Cohon and Shabin Mohamed whose vision and creativity resulted in an engaging and modern interpretation on a theme as old as Adam.
Interconnected yet distinctly different, each sin was given space to expand and take on a life of its own in The Power Plant’s vast galleries. Event management group, McNabb Roick & Associates, masterminded the layout and took care of the logistical details while Westbury National Show Systems crafted a custom sound and lighting landscape for each room.
Bacardi cocktails and the latest wines from Lifford Wine Agency were served before the start of the inaugural Power Ball Gala Dinner beneath the threatening clouds and pealing thunder of the wrath room. Although the weather looked ominous, people were too busy enjoying their drinks and swaying to the sweet sounds of Le Jazz Bohème quartet to even take heed.
After priming the appetite, the grand moment came when the doors to the dining room were thrown open revealing ornate crystal chandeliers, billowing drapery, and large white bloom bouquets at the centre of every mirrored table.
Gourmands then settled down to a delectable seven-course banquet featuring such exquisite fare as seared foie gras with chilli-infused Tanzanian chocolate sauce, succulent roasted quail breast, and lobster ‘pot au feu’. Some would argue that the real main course arrived when to die for handmade Dufflet chocolate truffles and gorgeous petits fours were served for dessert.
Mealtime was also playtime for some guests, thanks to the sleek Sony Ericsson camera phones left at each table. People used them to call friends at other tables and to snap pictures of each other that were then beamed up on a giant screen for everyone to see. The feast ended on a high note as presenting sponsors Holt Renfrew and Stila sent each guest on their way with a gift bag packed with tons of coveted swag.
Satiated diners then ambled over to the tented pride terrace where they mingled with other partygoers. A regal six-foot metal peacock sculpture welcomed the throngs of enthusiastic sinners as they stepped onto the terrace adorned with long strands of Mardi Gras beads, tiny white lights and cascading mirrors. The cozy confines of the tent provided the perfect place for guests to chill at the gorgeous Birks blue bar or grab a cold Stella Artois from the trunk of one of the fully loaded Grand Touring Automobiles luxury car bars. Call it the ultimate tailgate party.
Moving through the wind tunnel of Greed, where Power Plant currency designed by Robert Fones swirled about, guests were entranced by hypnotic TD Securities gobo projection, drawing them into the clutches of the Envy space where a team of make-up artists from Holt Renfrew and Stila worked to transform a queue of eager guests perched intently on the artists’ stools. Jie and his squad of stylists were also on hand, whipping and tossing hair into fabulous creations that would have made Lady Godiva jealous.
Speaking of envy, Waddington’s Auction House had many a covetous eye gazing longingly at an elegant photo display of seven gorgeous evening gowns designed by seven of the hottest designers in Canadian fashion – Izzy Camilleri, Joeffer Caoc, Paul Hardy, Mercy, Janet T. Planet, r.u. and Paul Sinclaire – showcased on the lovely figures of the committee muses and celebrity guest Vivica Fox of Kill Bill fame. Adorned with a cool million dollars worth of Birks diamonds, Fox certainly lived up to her name, sparkling like the jewels she was wearing.
The red-hot lust gallery created by British artist Martin Creed got temperatures soaring as people traipsed through the room bathed in hot pink light and brimming with red balloons. Outside in the hallway, those who had always dreamt of acting out their favourite scene from the film Striptease could take a twirl on an authentic brass stripper pole, or bump and grind with our two mischievous little go-go angels. Hardcore hedonists could step inside the “tit pin machine” and get a commemorative button pin with a picture of their best assets.
Exhausted from all of this physical exertion, guests could then collapse and recharge their batteries on the soft and inviting couches in the down tempo sloth lounge, or just hang out in the gluttony picnic area and sample a variety of eats like McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, Campbell’s soup shooters, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish snacks and Godiva chocolates – comfort food for the soul.
A bunch of entertainers and music makers kept the party bouncing until the wee hours of the morning, and Power Ball’s “Sin TV” host, Seamus O’Regan of Canada AM, coaxed shameless sinners into confessing their transgressions on camera.
It was a night to remember, and thankfully everyone had the weekend to repent!
Many thanks to our attendees, sponsors and steadfast supporters for making this incredible event a sinfully good success!
P.S. It’s still not too late to get your official Power Ball 7 “Group of Seven Deadly Sins” limited edition t-shirt (www.thepowerplant.org/editions.html) created by acclaimed industrial designer Karim Rashid.
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Power Ball 7 Co-Chairs: Suzanne Cohon and Shabin Mohamed
Power Ball 7 Committee: Stephen Andrews, Wayne Baerwaldt, Mina Cicconi, Christine Davis, Marcus Doyle, Lonti Ebers, Ted Geatros, Barr Gilmore, Victoria Jackman, Judy Schulich, Garnet Siddall, Rosalie Ward
Power Ball 7 Gala Dinner Table Buyers: Arrow Hedge Partners Inc., BBDO Canada, BMO Nesbitt Burns, CIBC World Markets Inc., E.L. Financial Inc., Lazard, Rogers Communications, Royal Bank Financial Group, Suzanne and Mark Cohon, Lonti Ebers, Victoria Jackman, Steven Latner, Nancy McCain and Bill Morneau
Power Ball 7 Gala Dinner Individual Ticket Buyers: Jeffrey P. Angel, David and Stefanie Kinley, David Geneen, Elisa Nuyten, Judy Schulich and David Stein
Power Ball 7 Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor: Holt Renfrew and Stila
Lead Sponsor: Ericsson Canada Inc.
Vehicle Sponsor: Grand Touring Automobiles
Supporting Sponsors: Birks, Campbell’s, TD Securities, Waddington’s, Workbrain, Inc.
A sinfully sensational Power Ball 7!
