A Behind the Scenes Look at Tomorrow’s 17th Annual SAG Awards

Tomorrow evening, around 1,200 of Hollywood’s favorite actors and actresses will come together at the Shrine Auditorium for the 17th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Haute Living was fortunate enough to get a special behind-the-scenes tour of the upcoming event.

The SAG Awards production designer Joe Stewart was kind enough to break away from the set to give us a sneak peak into this year’s production plans. “This year’s ceremony and set design is all about glamour, glamour & more glamour,” he explained. “Our attendees are always the most glamorous group on earth, and the the stage this year is all about that elegance. The flooring is a checkerboard pattern reminiscent of the ‘30s and ‘40s along with ‘50s accents that are representative of Dorothy Draper, the famous hotel interior designer; I am a huge fan of her work.” Draper is known for designing the famous Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel and the lobby of the Carlyle Hotel, among others. “This year our design & theme is about big moldings and big chandeliers and our color palette is platinum, white and silver,” Stewart adds. “The florals are designed by CJ Matsumota and will reflect the stage. We are using fragrant white roses and calla lilies throughout the room.”

FENDI’s home collection, FENDI CASA is the epitome of glamour, so it’s no wonder that they were asked to design the green room for A-list presenters to lounge in while they prepare to go onstage. We are told that this year’s presenters will include Alec Baldwin, Jason Bateman, Jeff Bridges, LL Cool J, Rosario Dawson, Josh Duhamel, Jon Hamm, Angie Harmon, Dennis Haysbet, Nicole Kidman, Eva Longoria, Cory Monteith, and Amy Poehler. Legendary comedian Tim Conway will present this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Ernest Borgnine.

We also got a chance to speak with the SAG Awards producer Kathy Connell, who has been with the awards since the very beginning. When asked of her experience in producing the event over the years, she admits the best part is, “When I look around the room on show night and see that much talent in one room; I just love the chemistry.” So what’s on the menu at the Champagne Taittinger Red Carpet Opening Toast? A plated antipasti dinner will be served which will include four entrees salmon, lamb, a lentil salad, and a blood orange salad (the recipe to which is feature in this week’s People magazine).There will also be vegan plate available. Dry Creek Vineyard will be serving a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc along with a commemorative Cabernet -based Cuvee which will be served for the first the very first time. The winery will also continue its tradition at the awards by offering wine tasting bars for sampling select Dry Creek vintages during the pre-show cocktail hour. Champagne is of course Taittinger and the water, Voss.

Check back with Haute Living for more 2011 awards show coverage.

The SAG Awards show will take place this Sunday, Jan. 30 at 5 p.m. (PT) at the Shrine Auditorium. The event will air simultaneously on TNT and TBS.