THE PARK THEATRE TO SHOW FREE MOVIES IN JAFFREY
The Park Theatre's free Summer Movie Nights begin on Thursday, July 10 at 8:30 pm with "Some Like It Hot!" starring Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis on the lawn of the Jaffrey Civic Center. Summer Movie Nights run for four consecutive Thursdays throughout July at the Jaffrey Civic Center in downtown Jaffrey and include two of the top 100 comedies in American film. The movies are shown inside if it rains. The Jaffrey Civic Center, host to the Summer Movie Nights, was founded in 1966 to serve the community, preserve its heritage and plan for its future. The Center is home to the Jaffrey Historical Society and a meeting place for the Boy and Girl Scouts, and numerous teachers of art, and music. It has become one of the year-round, pre-eminent exhibition centers for Monadnock area painters, sculptors and photographers. The center's annual "Night of 1,000 Cupcakes" on July 17 is followed by The Park Theatre's showing of "Girl Crazy" starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney .
One of the best-loved Tarzan movies and a round-up of Bugs Bunny Cartoons will wrap of the season. These cartoons feature the music and artistry of MacDowell Colony Medalist Chuck Jones. Michael King, The Park Theatre Trustee and Film Historian, and Steven Thurber, Cartoon Maven, host that evening. The special premium that allows patrons to earn free admission to future theatre events continues this season at all movie showings. Popcorn, candy and drinks are also available at all showings.
Beginning in September, The Park Theatre presents a family film series, called Saturdays at the Cinema, at the Jaffrey Woman's Club. This series will open with a Double Feature of the Code of the Wild West with "The Eagle's Brood" starring 'Hopalong' Cassidy and "Don't Fence Me In" starring Roy Rogers. The October film is a special print of "The Gold Rush" starring and narrated by Charlie Chaplin. The final movie of the season, in honor of the region's veterans, is "Sahara", a World War II classic starring Humphrey Bogart. The Jaffrey Woman's Club, another of The Park Theatre's Season Partners, was founded to provide "to one another, our friendship; to our community, our service' to our environment, our protection; and to ourselves, respect and love". Among its numerous activities every year, the Jaffrey Woman's Club provides a dental care program for area children; conducts a fifth grade Woman's History Essay Contest; awards a grant to a Jaffrey woman for Adult Continuing Education programs and a college scholarship to a graduating Conant High School student. Popcorn, candy and drinks are also available at all showings in the fall.
Schedules for the 2008 Season are posted on the theatre's website www.theparktheatre.org. For information on the schedule or to purchase tickets for any or all events, contact The Park Theatre at 603-532-7711 or or at PO Box 278, Jaffrey, NH 03452.
The Park Theatre's 2008 Theatrical Season is the result of the collaboration of the theatre with numerous performing artists throughout the region. These artists and arts organizations intend to mount their productions in the re-opened Park Theatre. Until then, the performances of the theatre and its partners take place around the Monadnock Region. Among those artistic groups who are the Performing Partners of The Park Theatre and who will, one day, perform in the theatre are Branch River Theatre ( ), Monadnock Chorus ( ), Actors' Circle Theatre (info@actors 'circletheatre.org), Monadnock Music ( ), Peterborough Childrens' Choir ( ), Peterborough Chamber Choir ( ), Raylynmor Opera ( ) , Monadnock Performing Arts Academy (), Project Shakespeare ( ), The Sinfonietta ( ), New England Mandolin Ensemble ( ), and Small Pond Productions ( ).
Summer Movie Nights Schedule
Thursday, July 10 8:30 pm at the Jaffrey Civic Center Outdoors on the Lawn or in the Auditorium
SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)
With Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon. Tony Curtis, Joe E. Brown, George Raft
This frantic romp set in Chicago and Miami Beach of 1929 concerns two unemployed musicians (Lemmon and Curtis) on the lam from the mob after witnessing the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago. Dressed in drag to avoid detection, they become involved with an all-girl band and its ukulele-playing vocalist, Marilyn Monroe. Director Billy Wilder remarked, "For an actress who was always late and never could remember her lines, Monroe gave the performance of a lifetime." Voted #1: The American Film Institute's 2001 Survey "100 Years /100 Comedies " .
Thursday, July 17 8:30 pm at the Jaffrey Civic Center Auditorium - Following the "Night of 1,000 Cupcakes!"
George Gershwin's GIRL CRAZY (1943)
With Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Nancy Walker, Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra
Based on Gershwin's hit Broadway musical, the storyline follows spoiled playboy (Rooney), who is pulled out of college and sent west to an all-male school of mines and agriculture by his newspaper publisher father, in an attempt to find a more suitable study environment for his son. Upon arrival Rooney meets the dean's granddaughter (Garland) and together they stage a musical rodeo, (Directed by Busby Berkeley) in an effort to save the school from financial peril. Among the Gershwin favorites are Garland's renditions of "Embraceable You," "I'm Bidin' My Time," "I Got Rhythm," and the sadly beautiful, "But Not for Me." In addition, Rooney shines at the piano, backed by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, with "Fascinating Rhythm."
Thursday, July 24 7:00 pm Jaffrey Woman's Club
BUGS BUNNY & Friends 2!
Brought back by popular demand, an all-new program of Warner Bros. Cartoons, including works of the 1997 MacDowall Medalist Winner, animator Chuck Jones. While Walt Disney was the dominant force in American cartoons during the 1930s, the Warner Bros. studio took over the lead in the 40s with a bold and brash stable of characters, creating more lasting stars than any other rival studio. Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny et al. are recognized around the world, while many of the Studio's live action stars from the period are long forgotten. Introduced by musician and 'Toon Maven, Steven Thurber, who has culled through nearly 1,000 individual Warners cartoons for this presentation.
Thursday, July 31 8:30 pm Jaffrey Civic Center Outdoors on the Lawn or in the Auditorium
TARZAN AND HIS MATE (1934)
With Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Neil Hamilton
There's trouble in Paradise in this sequel to Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan's first film together (Tarzan The Ape Man - 1932), as a safari led by Jane's former suitor arrives in Tarzan's jungle, determined to plunder the Elephants' Graveyard for ivory, and plots to return Jane to England. The second of six Tarzan adventures starring Olympic swimming Champion Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan, it is agreed by fans that this entry outdoes all the others for sheer entertainment, in terms of humor, action, drama and emotional intelligence. In mid-1934 - after the film was released - the newly enforced Production Code forced Jane to wear a concealing one-piece outfit in all future Tarzan outings.
Saturdays at the Cinema - The Fall Family Series Schedule
Saturday, September 6 7:00 pm at Jaffrey Woman's Club
Code of the West Double Feature!
Bill "Hopalong Cassidy" Boydin THE EAGLE'S BROOD (1935)
With Jimmy Ellison, George "Gabby" Hayes, Joan Woodbury
After notorious bandit "El Toro" saves his life, Hoppy repays the favor by rescuing the outlaw's orphaned grandson, held hostage high in the mountains by a rival gang. As typical in the genre, Boyd's films contained two sidekicks, the romantic pal, Jimmy Ellison and the grimy, cantanker- ous buddy, George "Gabby" Hayes. Unlike most Western series, the Hoppy films used different locales for each picture - including the Sierras, Lone Pine, the Alabama Hills, and Joshua Tree at the Mojave Desert, all in California and beautifully photographed by expert lensmen.
Also! Roy Rogers in DON'T FENCE ME IN (1945)
With Dale Evans, George "Gabby" Hayes, Bob Nolan and "The Sons of the Pioneers;" and Trigger, "The Smartest Horse in the Movies."
A resourceful reporter (Evans) heads west to discover the true story of notorious badman Wildcat Kelly, whose name has been popularized in Cole Porter's hit song, first performed by Roy in Stage Door Canteen a year earlier. Filmed at Big Bear Lake (CA), the film is a particular show- case for the talents of venerable side-kick, "Gabby" Hayes.
Saturday, October 4 7:00 pm at Jaffrey Woman's Club
THE GOLD RUSH (1942 Reissue) with sound effects, an original Music Score and occasional narration spoken by Charlie Chaplin.
With Charlie Chaplin, Georgia Hale, Mack Swain
In perhaps his most enduring film, Chaplin plays the Lone Prospector who journeys to the Klondike in 1898 to make his fortune, with only a pair of worn shoes and a lightweight shawl as unlikely protection from the bitter cold. But there's still his trademark mustache, baggy pants, bowler hat and bamboo cane to help ward off any tendency audiences might have to take it all seriously. Adrift in the frenzy of the gold rush, he attempts to survive in the wilds and win the affections of a dance hall girl. An encounter with a bear, the dance of the dinner rolls, the "gourmet " cooked-boot dinner, the dance of the dinner rolls and the storm-blown little cabin teetering over the edge of a cliffare just a few of the highlights of this graceful comedy. The Gold Rush was an immediate hit when it opened in the summer of 1925. When Charlie Chaplin re-edited and reissued the film with sound in 1942, audiences flocked to see it again, confirming its status as a Chaplin classic. Voted # 25: The American Film Institute's 2001 Survey "100 Years /100 Comedies".
Saturday, November 8 7:00 pm at Jaffrey Woman's Club
SAHARA (1943)
With Humphrey Bogart, Lloyd Bridges, Rex Ingram, J. Carrol Naish, Dan Duryea, Bruce Bennett
One of the most exciting and entertaining films to come out of WWII has Bogie's tank, the Lulabelle, retreating from the fall of Tobruk, picking up a motley crew of British and American survivors along the way. The small rag-tag unit's search for an oasis becomes the primary mission; however, they soon learn that this objective is shared by a large German force in the region. Bogie's unit bands together to defend the desert well against 500 Germans. Blessed with a fine cast and smart direction by Zoltan Korda (Drums, The Four Feathers), the film is both an engrossing tale and an allegory of brotherhood. Based on the 1937 Russian film, The Thirteen and later remade into a Western, Last of the Commanches (1953)
