The Office Office Party

OK, if youÕre NOT a fan of NBCÕs smash hit ÒThe Office,Ó some of this will NOT make sense to youÉ and there is something wrong with you. If you ARE a fan, get ready to rock your youth group with an Òoffice partyÓ based on the hilarious sitcom. Everything you need to pull it off is described below.

Advertise this for several weeks. Strongly encourage kids to bring their friends. Remind your teens that neither they, nor their friends, need to be a fan of the show to have some serious fun at this event!

On the night of the party, pull out all the stops when it comes to food. Have all sorts of finger foods or other light foods like crackers, cookies, sandwiches, drinks, candyÉand Jell-O (for Jim, of course!). After everyone gets a plate full of snacks, pull them together in front of the projection screen and explain the night.

Showing the Episodes

Purchase the DVDÕs from Season One (which includes the Pilot Episode) and Season Two. Throughout the night, show about 3-4 episodes from each season. (You will definitely want to show the Pilot Episode to help those who are not familiar with the show, sort of catch on a bit.) How many episodes you show really just depends on how much time you have. Your call.

Before you begin showing the episodes, say, ÒFor those of you who are fans of the show, this is the night you have waited for! BUT, please keep talking to a minimumÉand NO spoilersÉso that we do not ruin the experience for those who have not followed the show. If you HAVENÕT seen the show, here is a brief overview of it. The show ÒThe OfficeÓ is actually footage from an unknown and unnamed TV crew that is documenting what goes on in an office setting during the day. There is no narrator; just people doing their jobs Òon camera.Ó Sometimes the office staff members will sit down in front of the camera for a brief sidebar interview. All of these people work for Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company based in Scranton, PA. The company is not doing well financially, and is always under the threat of downsizing or shutting down completely. The show is easy to follow and catch onto. However, if you want, those of you who are not familiar with the show can sit next to someone who is familiar with it. That way, if DO have any questions, you can quietly ask them. Here we go.Ó

Games for the Office Party

Dwight K. Schrute Mixer Ð On the episode called ÒDiversity Training,Ó each staff member had to wear a note card taped to their head (in a way that they could not read it for themselves) that had a different ethnicity written on it. We modified this a bit, and had the names of the cast written on them instead. Then, each teenager had to go around asking questions to figure out who they were. They might ask, ÒAm I a man or a woman?Ó Or, ÒAm I in sales or accounting?Ó Or, ÒDo I have a famous line, and if so, what is it?Ó The object is to figure out which characterÕs name is taped to your head.

Here is a list of some of the main characters (the staff members/cast) for ÒThe Office.Ó If you have a large crowd, donÕt worry, because you can simply have multiple people pretending to be the same characters (2 DwightÕs, 4 PamÕs, 3 KevinÕs, etc)
Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam, Creed, Stanley, Kevin, Oscar, Angela, Phyllis, Toby, Meredith, Ryan, Kelly, Roy, Darrell, Jan, Todd Packer

Flunkertin Ð (straight from the show) Duct tape contestantÕs feet to boxes of paper reams. (One box for each foot.) Then have them race along a pre-determined route. First one to cross the finish line wins.

JimÕs Jell-O Mold O Rama Ð prior to the event, seal a few office supplies into several different molds of Jell-O. You might want to use a stapler, a set/ring of keys, a manual pencil sharpener, handful of pens with a rubber band around them, etc. (Make them all the same, or very close to the same.) When the leader says go, contestants must ÒfreeÓ the office supply that is trapped in the Jell-O mold while ONLY using their mouths. No hands allowed!

Office Relay Ð this one requires a bit of set up beforehand. Prior to the start of the game, gather two stacks of 4 blank papers each that you will hand to the contestants on the stage. Tell them they will need to run to a particular corner of the room where there are two staplers waiting. They need to staple the papers together, and then run to another part of the room (of your choosing) where they will find a couple of hole punches. They are to punch holes in all of the papers, and then run them over to a table where two manila envelopes and two Sharpie markers are sitting. They are to stuff the stapled and hole-punched papers into the envelope and seal it, and write ÒDunder-Mifflin: Urgent!Ó on it. Finally they are to run it back to the stage (or front of the room) and place it in the ÒoutboxÓ that you have located there. The first one to place a properly stapled, punched, sealed, and labeled stack of papers into the ÒoutboxÓ wins.

The Office Party Quiz
(Answers in BOLD)

Season One

1. How does Michael insult the manager that he spoke with on the phone in the pilot episode?

A. He thought the manager was a man when it was really a woman.
B. He thought the manager was an old friend of his and told an inside joke.
C. He made his classic, ÒThatÕs what she said joke.Ó

2. What is printed on MichaelÕs coffee mug?

A. Ladies Man
B. Dunder-Mifflin Paper Co.
C. WorldÕs Best Boss

3. What is DwightÕs job title?

A. Janitor
B. Assistant Sales Manager
C. Assistant to the Regional Manager

4. What is PamÕs fiancŽÕs name?

A. Wilber
B. Roy
C. Hank

5. What is the name of the ÒtempÓ or Òtemporary employeeÓ?

A. Creed
B. Kevin
C. Ryan

6. What did Dwight recommend Dunder-Mifflin do in his interview for his current job?

A. Create a new filing system
B. Downsize
C. Make him Assistant Regional Manager

7. What is StanleyÕs last name?

A. Hudson
B. Johnson
C. Bronson

8. What is the name of the Òhot purse girlÓ who latter becomes JimÕs girlfriend?

A. Jennifer
B. Katie
C. Lauren

9. What object of MichaelÕs does Jim put into a Jell-O mold?

A. His stapler
B. His ÒWorldÕs Best BossÓ coffee mug
C. His car keys

Tie Breaker 10. What is Meredith allergic to?

A. Strawberries
B. Peanuts
C. Dairy

Season Two

1. Where did Ryan buy MichaelÕs chocolate pudding from?

A. Costco
B. Piggly Wiggly grocery store
C. A gas station in Carbondale, PA

2. What is KevinÕs favorite candy?

A. M&MÕs
B. Tootsie Roll
C. ReeseÕs Pieces

3. How many voicemails were left on JimÕs desk at the end of the day in The Carpet Episode?

A. 5
B. 7
C. 11

4. How did Michael burn his foot?

A. When Ryan the Temp accidentally set the entire office complex on fire.
B. On his George Forman Grill while cooking bacon.
C. In a dare with his arch enemy, Toby from Human Resources

5. Who says this line: ÒDwight, you forgot your bumper!Ó

A. Jim
B. Pam
C. Creed

6. What late night host makes a cameo appearance in the ValentineÕs Day episode?

A. Jay Leno
B. David Letterman
C. Conan OÕBrien

7. What musical instrument does Dwight play? (Hint: he played it for Michael on his birthday.)

A. The Guitar
B. The Recorder
C. The Saxophone

8. What actress shares MichaelÕs birthday?

A. Jennifer Aniston
B. Eva Longoria
C. Terri Hatcher

9. Which department does Angela work in?

A. Sales
B. Accounting
C. Corporate

Tie Breaker 10. On ÒBring Your Daughter to Work Day,Ó Meredith brings her son Jake into the office. What does he call Dwight?

A. Mr. Schrute
B. Mr. Stupid
C. Mr. Poop

Have a blast with this one!

Idea by David R. Smith