FOLA’s November event Is the recent Broadway Adaptation of the 1942 Film “Holiday Inn”. The musical production will be screened on Saturday, November 16 at 7 PM in the Heald Auditorium of the Ludlow Town Hall.

The Bing Crosby And Fred Astaire Movie Is A Favorite Christmas Movie For A Great Number Of People, Even Though This Holiday Season Film Was Made In 1942. The Film is now dated with its black and white War-time feel. but that 1940’s elegance is part of the charm. This Broadway production updates the music and the dances of the 1940s for a contemporary audience, while still delivering old-fashioned, good time entertainment.

 

The production features a libretto by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge, with music by Irving Berlin. The Broadway production Opened In 2016 after a premier at the Goodspeed Opera House In East Haddam, Connecticut In 2014. It is directed by Gordon Greenberg and features Bryce Pinkham, Corbin Bleu, Megan Sikora, Lee Wilkof, Morgan Gao, Lora Lee Gayer, and Megan Lawrence.

 

Jim [Bryce Pinkham] settles sown in Connecticut after leaving the bright lights of show business. He meets linda [Lora Lee Gayer], a local school teacher, who brings back a bit of the show business sparkle to his life. The two of them turn a farmhouse into a fabulous inn where they celebrate each holiday with spirited performances. When Ted [Corbin Bleu] tries to lure linda away to Hollywood, things get interesting.

 

As befitting a holiday inn, the musical features a number of songs about holidays, including an independence day “Song of Freedom” which critic Elyse Sommer described as a “showstopper”. Of course, there are two renditions of the ever popular “White Christmas” too.

 

A quick bit of trivia. The original 1942 film provided the inspiration for the name of the Holiday Inn chain of motels and hotels, which first opened in august of 1952, some 10 years after the film was produced.

 

“Holiday Inn” will be shown on the big screen in the heald auditorium located on the second floor of the Ludlow Town Hall on Saturday, November 16th starting at 7:00 pm. The screening will run approximately two hours

 

As always, FOLA provides the water and Berkshire Bank provides the pop corn. Admission is free to all. Donations always are welcome and help us to provide quality offerings for the enjoyment of Ludlow-area folks.

 

We hope to see you in the auditorium on November 16th!

At its recent meeting, FOLA’s Board of Directors met to decide on the various programs and activities it would offer audiences in 2020.  Among the special events planned fot the coming season will be a documentary about the ascent of K2, the second tallest mountain in the world, considered by expert climbers to be the most difficult, a movie series highlighting the film work of Robin Williams, and the hit parody film, “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou”.  The rest of the schedule will be announced shortly.  Pictured above are members of the board, from left to right, Martin Nitka, Ralph Pace, David Almond, Harry Welch, Scott Stearns, Jim Alic, and George Thomson.  Alsottending the meeting but not pictured were Don Richardson and Janet Pace.