This year’s prom theme is perhaps the most unique that Paly has ever showcased; it features an agent of both intelligence and brutality, whose mission is to take the ultimate gamble and place his life on the line in the arenas of terrorism and the ivory towers of power – none other than James Bond.

To offset the costs of the more ingenuous theme, prom tickets have been subjected to a $15 price increase. They will now cost $75 with an ASB card and $85 without one.

The prom-planning committee, headed by junior class president Sahar Raz and senior class president Tyler Stetson, decided to allocate a larger amount of money for prom decorations this year.

“We tweaked the budget a bit, but the increase in prices is only slight,” Raz said. “It is definitely going to be worth it though!”

Added spirit commissioner Brigid Hurn-Maloney: “Decorations are high on the agenda this year. People should expect a lot of cool surprises!”

The 007 theme is split into two sub-themes: Casino Royale (the 2006 remake of the 1967 spy spoof, featuring newcomer Daniel Craig) and Diamonds are Forever (the 1971 film starring pioneer Sean Connery). Other proposals voted on by the student body earlier this year included “Arabian Nights” and “Fairy Tale Ending,” but 007 won by a landslide in an all-council vote held last month.

The decided venue, Cocoanut Grove, is located at 400 Beach Street in Santa Cruz. It has been part of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk since 1907 and was a popular spot for major big band acts during the 30s and 40s.

“We have visited the location and found it to be better than we expected,” Raz said. “I’m really looking forward to what we can do with the place.”

According to student activities director Allye Davies, the dance will begin at 7 p.m. and end at 12 a.m. Both the doors and dinner buffet are scheduled to close at 8 p.m.

Students are also required to arrange transportation through Paly. Stanford Limousine Company, which provided its services last year, was recently bought out by Cloud 9, which is now offering 15 packages to choose from. Options range from $30 per person on the Charter Bus to $258 per person for a Rolls Royce or Hemi 300, all seating two to four people. For larger parties (20-35 people), Land Yachts and Mini Coaches will be open to rent. All of these services last for seven hours, 6 p.m. until 1 a.m., and reservations must be paid in full by April 7. Flyers are available outside the Student Activities Office (SAO). Check out the “External Links” on the right to reserve your limousine online or to print-out the paper forms.

Cloud 9 visited the Paly campus at lunch today, and displayed a few vehicles for students to get a feel for. They will be back again tomorrow and all of next week. By signing up next week (March 12-16), students will receive a 15% discount on transportation. The week after that, students must pay full price. According to Davies, students must secure a limo or bus before purchasing prom tickets.

“A lot of different factors have been taken into account during the planning process,” Hurn-Maloney said. “We got a lot of complaints about last year’s prom so we’re doing everything we can to repair that situation.”

Prom tickets go on sale between March 19 and March 30 and can be purchased at the Auditor’s Office.