Drama Queen -12yr- Clapboards & Megaphone

My daughter has always loved the lime light and knows how to bring on the drama. She started taking Theater Arts in middle school and loves it.  So, I decided to combine the her love of personal drama with her new found love for acting kind of drama into a Drama Queen" birthday party theme. Our big event to tie with the theme was attending a performance at a local theater that features melodramas. They encourage audience participation and encourage popcorn throwing at the actors!

INVITATION: I designed a Playbill cover for the front.  I modeled it after the the Playbill you receive at Broadway caliber performances. I used the iconic yellow Playbill banner and created a theater poster which consisted of a pink number 12 and a caution sign behind it. On the inside I put "Come watch Kylie in her debut as the "Drama Queen Turns 12". The inside of the invitation was completed with information about our evening's activities time date etc. The girls were instructed to come in their most dramatic duds(party dresses). 

DECORATIONS: We used red butcher paper as a red carpet along our walkway to the front door and "the media" was there to make sure the cameras flashed as the walked the carpet. At the front door the girls were greeted by a sign that I purchased which said "Caution: Drama Queen Just Ahead".  Inside we used gold stars with the party guests' names to mimic the Walk of Fame.  We also hung pink and black stars from the ceiling. 

I used director clapboards and megaphone as a centerpiece. I also draped red sheets in a large door way to simulate stage curtains. The Drama Queen wore her party gown along with a black and pink sash that said "Drama Queen" and a tiara.  Her party guests were provided with backstage passes in plastic pouches with lanyards to wear at the theater.  We decorated our transportation with signs that said "Very Important Drama Queen" along with hot pink and black streamers on the door handles and antenna- a Drama Queen has to make a proper entrance!

ACTIVITIES: There is a theater in town that does melodramas at various times of the year. Audience participation is encourage-so is popcorn throwing. The girls loved the campiness of the play and throwing the popcorn.  Afterwards the girls slept over.  Each girl was provided a 6x6 blank book to decorate and make into an autograph book. The girls took turns writing messages and providing autographs. After some games the girls watched "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen". 

GAMES:  The girls played a couple of improvisation games they learned in theater class.  The game involved a starting storyline kicked off by two people. As a new person came in to add to the story one of the current performers left the scene.  If you can't find any great ideas online ask your local high school theater teacher for some ideas.

PARTY SNACKS: The theater where we saw the play serves food.  So we took care of dinner there. At the house we set-up a movie candy bar with all the classics- Milk Duds Sugar Babies Junior Mints Lemonheads etc. For breakfast we had Starring Rolls(sausage links) Sappy Endings(pancakes) and Playwright Punch(orange juice).

CAKE: We had cake at the local theater during intermission.  It was a two-tier rectangle white cake with the Playbill cover I used for the invitation frosted on the top.

FAVORS: Besides the backstage passes and personalized autograph books each girl received a personalized tote in hot pink. I used popcorn bags as goodie bags and loaded them up with director's clapboard key chain gel pens(for impromptu autograph signings) diamond-shaped paperweight(think Elizabeth Taylor) dangle silver earrings (drama queens need bling) a design your own picture frame(drama queens are stars) mini Magic Eight Ball (every drama queen needs a way to stir up more drama) and jiffy pop(for when the drama becomes melodrama).  "