Description Of Program

Lecture Information

Mary Ellen Hopkins Live is your special event speaker. A friday night entertainment lecture, about two hours long, sets up your group for a rousing all-day verbal workshop on Saturday. Mary Ellen's unique style, one which is hers and hers alone, guarantees a successful special event.

Getting Started

It has been our experience that guilds or shops presenting Mary Ellen enjoy substantial earnings. To maximaze your success, however, the number of participants attending your event should be limited only by the maximum space available. A large audience offers greater potential for earnings, an important consideration when the cost of organizing events like these is on the rise, both for you and Mary Ellen.

(Mary Ellen also requests permission to sell her books. In your presentation, you will find her to be sensitive to your local quilt shops needs as well. And she will encourage everyone to give them continued support.)

The Program

Mary Ellen travels with a large trunk show and she covers a vast number of techniques. Content of the show is always fresh because new quilts are frequently added. She suggests that you select from the following program titles and encourages you to choose one that will most efffectively draw a crowd in your area: Click on title for descriptions

"Getting A Drink From A Firehose"

"In The Land Of Mules, There Are No Rules"

"Vivian, I Took 11 Minutes Off The Twinkies"

"I Can't Take Off The Red Shoes"

"If You've Been to Kindergarten You Can Quilt"

SUGGESTION: If your organization is small, consider joining with other guilds or a shop and guild in your area. A venue to accomodate about 150 is encouraged. A large and diverse group also can be a lot of fun and consider having the verbal workshop at the same location. Auditoriums are best to provide your audience with good visibility. But plan ahead to secure your desired dates.

Travel Details

Mary Ellen prefers to book tickets with her personal travel agent and can be reimbursed at the event.

How to Book

Contact booking coordinator Jan Krueger

The Fee

$350.00 for an evening talk or a half-day program of approximately two hours, including a book signing.

$650.00 for an all day verbal workshop of approximately six hours plus a 1 1/2 to 2 hour lunch break to allow time for book signing (Participants must be the same people for the entire all-day program); transportation to and from Pacific Palisades to LAX, currently $125.00, plus baggage and tips.

Mary Ellen Respectfully Requests...

Accommodations

Mary Ellen usually arrives the day before your event because of the long travel time involved. She prefers hotels because they usually have bell boys. But if only a motel is available, (no B&B's please), reserve a room on the first floor so she won't need to lug her exceedingly heavy suitcases (in which she transports her show) up the stairs. When she drives, Mary Ellen requires reserved parking close to the door.

She also asks that you put her up in a smoking room. And hopefully the room will have a phone, television and, early in the morning, coffee and a newspaper. If you can fill these modest wishes, Mary Ellen will be in heaven in your town.

Setting The Stage for lectures:

You will need three tables and several helpers to help sell pins and books for Mary Ellen. The tables and helpers will ensure that everyone attending will get through the line that usually forms for purchasing items. Having help also ensures Mary Ellen is more accessible for book signing.

Workshop participants should bring as many of Mary Ellen's books as they own.

You will need two large tables on the stage for Mary Ellen to lay out quilts for easy pickup during her lectures.

Two persons are needed to hold quilts for photos.

It is best to have some kind of riser or stage for Mary Ellen. And, if the venue is other than an auditorium, chairs should be set up in a "V" with a center isle. Set up must also include a flip chart on an easel, markers and a foam core board, approximately 4 by 5 feet.

Fill up your events. Guilds and shops are supposed to make money with Mary Ellen. Surplus is then available for other hands on classes where is attendance is limited.

Still cameras are fine, but no recorders or video cameras, please!

Personal Details

Mary Ellen needs a drink of cold water handy during and after her presentation

She enjoys socializing at the "bar" afterwards

And, if you're planning dinner, she asks that you include no more than two people, please.