Vicksburg’s Strand Theatre to celebrate Art House Theater "week" with 2 films (meet the film makers) and Broadway Show
During the third week in September independent movie theaters all across America will
be observing the third annual Art House Theater Day, which celebrates the art house
theater and the cultural role it plays in a community. It is a day to recognize the year-
round contributions of film and filmmakers, patrons, and staff, and the brick and mortar
theaters that are passionately dedicated to providing access to the best cinematic
experience.
Vicksburg’s Strand be extending their celebration with three special programs over a 4
day period ending on Art House Theater Day, Sunday September 23.
First, on
Thursday, September 20 the American debut in cinemas of London’s West End production of An American in Paris will be shown at the Strand at 7 PM.
This breathtakingly beautiful Tony® Award-winning Broadway musical, inspired by
the Oscar® winning MGM film, tells the impassioned story of discovering love in the
‘City of Light’. Featuring the gorgeous music and lyrics of George and Ira Gershwin,
stunning designs, and show-stopping choreography. An American GI’s chance encounter
with a beautiful young dancer leads Paris to become the backdrop to a sensuous, modern
romance of art, friendship and love in the aftermath of war. Advance tickets for An
American in Paris are $10 at Highway 61 Coffeehouse
and online: and $12 at the door.
On Saturday, September 22 at 7 PM the Strand will present a free showing of the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers starring John Belushi and Dan Akroyd. It’s free, so come early to get a good seat for the
Blues Brothers.
Art House Theater Day will be celebrated at the Strand with a cast reunion and showing
of the 2008 Mississippi made film,
Ballast on Sunday, September 23 at 6 PM.
Made in Canton and near Yazoo City, the film highlights the atmospheric fields of the Mississippi Delta and its people. At the Sundance festival that year the film took two prestigious awards: Lance Hammer, writer and director, won best dramatic directing and British cinematographer, Lol Crawley, won for excellence in dramatic cinematography. We wanted to bring Ballast to Vicksburg for its ten year anniversary. It not only won several awards in a number of festivals and polls, but was critically praised.
We think more people in Mississippi need to know about it and see it, and meet some of the people who helped create it. We see this as an important part of our mission in the community. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Mississippi actor Tarra Riggs and producer Nina Parikh, and other members of the cast and crew of Ballast, and the evening will conclude with dessert with the film makers, giving the audience an opportunity to socialize with the actors and others connected to the film.
Tickets for the Ballast screening and cast and crew reunion on Art House Theater Day
will be $10 and are available at the Highway 61 Coffeehouse.
The Strand Theatre is located at 717 Clay Street in the Adolph Rose Building in downtown Vicksburg. It opened as a movie theatre in 1934, and closed about 30 years later. In 2011, the Westside Theatre Foundation, a 501 (c) (3), began the ongoing task of rehabbing the theatre and bringing it back to life as a movie theatre and performance space.
For more information about Strand events call 601 529 7252.