IS THIS ANY WAY TO HANDLE A CUPCAKE!??
Debbie Reynolds voices her opinion of co-star Jean Hagen in
“Singin’ in the Rain”
“Singin in the Rain’ is the final treat for this week’s Night of 1,000 Cupcakes at the Jaffrey
Civic Center. The 1952 musical comedy is being shown by The Park Theatre in the Civic
Center’s auditorium at the close of the Center’s annual birthday party. The movie is in
Technicolor and stars Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, and Cyd
Charisse. Often acclaimed as the best musical ever made, Singin’ in the Rain contains the
most popular dance solo ever filmed (Kelly performing the title number), one of the movies’
funniest routines and an Academy Award Nominated “Best supporting actress” turn by Jean
Hagen, as the silent film star with a voice that would shatter glass and make grown men weep.
The script by Betty Comden and Adolph Green satirizes the advent of sound in motion
pictures, focusing on the team of Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont (Kelly and Hagen), who
fear for their future, due to Lina’s difficulties with the new medium. One of the many
highlights in the film is the Broadway Ballet, featuring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse.
Gene Kelly, surrounded by umbrellas
in MGM’s 1952 poster for “Singin in the Rain”
A Feature and a Short for the July 16th Cupcake Party
Also shown on Thursday night at the Jaffrey Civic Center is one of the staples of the Saturday
Matinee from the 1930’s to the 1950’s: the serial, also known as the “cliffhanger”. The
Theatre is showing one of the top-rated serial films, Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) at
almost every event this Season. Chapter 3 is scheduled for Thursday, July 16 after
“Cupcakes”. All 12 chapters will be shown over the course of the 2009 Theatre Season.
Night of 1,000 Cupcakes A Part of The Park Theatre Mural
The Park Theatre shows movies at the Jaffrey Civic Center and the Jaffrey Woman’s Club
because the Theatre building is closed and needs to be restored. The Theatre is part of the
Monadnock Region’s cultural history and the home of genuine decoration from the 1920’s Art
Deco period of American Architecture. The Theatre is also a contributing building to the
Downtown Jaffrey Historic District as designated by the Department of Interior National
Register of Historic Places. Mounted on the walls inside the Theatre are four 9-by-17 foot
gouache murals depicting Mount Monadnock as viewed from the towns around the mountain
during the four seasons of the year. These historic murals were commissioned in 1941 and
painted by New Hampshire muralist Carl Eric Nelson.
As a part of the reopening of The Park Theatre, artists from around the Monadnock Region
are creating a new mountain mural for the new lobby of the rebuilt Theatre. On the same
grand scale as the original murals, the “Fifth Mountain Mural” will be created by artists and
students from the towns around the mountain and will depict life in the Monadnock Region.
When completed, the mural will be prominently displayed in the Theatre as a part of its
permanent collection. The single, large image of “The Fifth Mountain” will be created by
combining hundreds of smaller images to create the overall landscape. It is a technique
known as a mural-sized mosaic. Each image is a part of the whole, like pieces of a puzzle,
and all the individual images work together to create the one big picture of the mural itself.
Artists from around the region have selected panels and painted new views on them. As the
panels are returned, they are placed on a mural grid located on the Theatre’s website
www.theparktheatre.org/mural where everyone can watch the mural being recreated.
On May 1 local artist Deb Pero, who painted the landscape for the “Fifth Mountain Mural”,
selected a panel on which to paint something special. She chose Panel # 135 and turned it
into a special tribute to the Civic Center’s “Night of 1,000 Cupcakes” to be forever a part of
the Fifth Mountain Mural and the reopened Park Theatre:
and Movies in the Theatre for Riverfest
Trustees are committed to continuing the Theater’s seasons of movies and of plays and
concerts in partnership with other performing artistic organizations. This is possible because
of the support of the community in donating their time and resources to see the Theatre
reopen. Trustees are giving a special thank you to residents of Jaffrey and visitors to the town
with an opportunity to experience a piece of history on Saturday, July 25th during Jaffrey’s
Riverfest Celebration. For the first time in thirty-three years movies will be shown in the
majestic Theatre. Audiences can sit back and soak up the nostalgia and watch three great
movies the way they were meant to be seen! This special occasion has been made possible
by the assistance of the Jaffrey Fire Department. The noon matinee on July 25th will feature
Hopalong Cassidy in “Hopalong Rides Again”. The two o’clock matinee will show three
chapters of “Daredevils of the Red Circle.”
“Hopalong Cassidy and his companions hit the trail again.”
The 7 pm evening show stars John Wayne in “Red River”. The public is invited to attend.
Seating is limited for these special performances. Popcorn, candy and drinks are available.
Doors open one half hour before show time.
John Wayne stars in “Red River” in The Park Theatre
Saturday, July 25 also means the Theatre’s Annual Open House as a part of the Riverfest
Celebration. Tours run from 10 am until noon. Also on display will be portions of the Fifth
Mountain mural being created this year for the new lobby of the reopened Theatre. Some of
the finished panels will be on display and live panel painting sessions are scheduled.
Additionally, there are some panels available for artists to select and paint and join the
project.
The Park Theatre’s 2009 Season is the result of the collaboration of the Theater with the
Jaffrey Women’s Club, The Jaffrey Civic Center and numerous performing artists throughout
the region. These artists and arts organizations intend to mount their productions in the reopened
Park Theater.
