You don’t have to be a hardcore movie buff or drama nerd to see that film and theater are related. We’ve all likely seen film adaptations of plays we loved, or perhaps we’ve been reminded of a favorite character or noticed a similar theme when thinking about stage or screen productions.
It’s in that spirit of connecting across genres that Everyman Theatre and the Maryland Film Festival are partnering to bring about a six-part screening series at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway. “Everyman at the Parkway” will bring influential films to the Parkway that relate to Everyman’s 2017/18 season.
“All arts audiences are passionate audiences, and we are delighted by this opportunity to merge two mediums, bringing film- and theatre-lovers together to celebrate and discuss the many ways of bringing great stories to life,” said Everyman’s founding artistic director Vincent Lancisi.
Whether artistically, structurally or thematically, each film/play coupling aims to inspire conversation about the material exhibited on stage and on screen. Every film will be introduced and accompanied by a post-screening audience discussion, hosted by the Everyman artist who selected the pairing.
First up on September 26 is David Cronenberg’s M. Butterfly, a 1993 film adaptation of the stage play that stars Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons and written by David Henry Hwang, based on his Tony Award winning play of the same name. The pairing is inspired by Everyman Theatre’s fall production of M. Butterfly, directed by Lancisi (in performance Sept. 6-Oct. 8).
Upcoming screenings will also include Ava DuVernay’s 2012 feature Middle of Nowhere, presented by Everyman Resident Company actor Dawn Ursula as a companion to Everyman’s Intimate Apparel on October 24 and, on December 12, Benoît Jacquot’s 2012 French drama Farewell My Queen, hosted by set designer Daniel Ettinger, to pair with Everyman’s The Revolutionists.
“We are thrilled to partner with Everyman Theatre to continue to explore the translation of one medium to another—film,” said Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival. “We’re building many community partnerships, and we have been big fans of Everyman’s work, so it’s especially exciting to be part of this Everyman season.”