‘Who are you wearing today?” a paparazzo asks a curly-haired brunette wearing silver wedges and a fuschia dress. She struts down a red carpet, mugging for the camera, while the beat of Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” pulsates in the background.
The scene easily could be one from any of a number of award preshows, but this one is inside an Upper East Side townhouse, home to events planner Red Carpet Kids.
The company is hosting a pre-Oscars party for 7-year-old Marlo Simms — the fuschia-clad movie star in training — and 14 of her closest friends.
“She’s enamored by the beauty and talent,” says Laura Simms about her daughter’s Hollywood fandom.
Marlo’s not the only one.
Parents who don’t want their kids to miss out on the glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards may want to consider a two-hour party hosted by the month-old company — whose hefty price tag runs about $4,500 for 15 kids.
The party kicks off with a red carpet photo-call in the backyard, and celebrity “interviews” with a reporter clad in a leopard fur coat. Afterward, the little tykes head inside and upstairs to “wardrobe,” where they choose from 70 costumes — including a genie, geisha and pirate — before being whisked off into the makeup room.
Finally, it’s time for their close-ups, and they film a short movie scene against a green screen.
“Oh, this is looking wonderful!” exclaims the “director” to 8-year-old Francesca Hourihan, who’s pretending to fly in a black and scarlet frock covered with pictures of skull heads. “It’s really hard!” says Francesca.
While the clips are sent electronically to an editing room downstairs, the kids head upstairs to the “theater” (for their “premiere,” naturally). There, they pick out candy to munch on — Starbursts, Mike & Ikes,
Sno-caps — from a concession stand (just like a real movie theater!) and sink into plush red theater seats to catch themselves on the big screen.
And what premiere would be complete without an after-party? The festivities wind down with pizza and cupcakes — and a take-home “swag bag” filled to the brim with trinkets like sunglasses and kid makeup.