A group of event planners hope to fill the Roanoke Rapids Theatre April 3 with an Easter party dubbed Bunnies in Stilettos.

The event will be held from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., said Derrick Freeman, one of the members of Elite VII Entertainment, a group of seven people who attended Northampton County High School-East.

While the event’s name may conjure images of Playboy mansion parties, it won’t be like that, Freeman said today. “It’s a grown and sexy party. It’s a night of music and dancing.”

The name of the event is a nod to Easter and the trend of many women who enjoy wearing stiletto heels when they go out, Freeman said. “Men like looking at women in stilettos,” he added.

The event is for people 21 and older and a dress code will be strictly enforced. “No caps, no jerseys, no Timberlands. People will be dressed almost like they are going to church,” Freeman said.

Entertainment for the evening is DJ Assassin, who Freeman praised as a knowledgeable and respected turntable master who can read a crowd. “He’s a type of DJ who can look at a crowd and tell what music he needs to be playing.”

This will be the group’s first event as Elite VII, which is not related to a California based entertainment group of the same name, and the first event the group plans to hold at the Roanoke Rapids Theatre. “Basically, what we’re doing is trying to raise more money to bring more live entertainment to Roanoke Rapids,” Freeman said.

It is important to see the theater thrive, Freeman said, “So people don’t have to go so far for plays and comedians. We’re trying to get it all ... We’re coming from all angles. We felt like Easter weekend would be best because so many people are coming home.”

Response to the event has been strong, Freeman said. The Rocky Mount radio station Power 95 is promoting the event with ticket giveaways. “We’ve got people all the way from Maryland and Virginia coming.”

Freeman, who is from Woodland, said Elite VII is made up of former Northampton-East students who went to school and played football together. “Some of us go all the way back to elementary school.”

Elite VII is excited about the chance to use the theater, said Freeman. “It’s a beautiful building and it’s not used that much. When we started planning this we thought we could use the theater. We got up with them, got up a contract and came together to give them something.”

Advance tickets are $10 and VIP tickets — no waiting in line, private bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres — are $20.

Ticket locations in Roanoke Rapids include Janton’s Fashions, A&M Customs and Rizen Hair Gallery.