Buster Keaton Film Event August 23rd
OAKS to host fundraising event on Thursday, August 23rd.
Concert pianist and film historian Eric Van Leuven will accompany the Buster Keaton film ‘One Week’ at the Colonial Theater in Bethlehem. The event will open with a special OAKS celebration reception at 5:30 PM with refreshments. Following the reception, the program is open to the public beginning at 7 PM. Tickets are $10 and will be available for purchase at WREN’s Local Works Marketplace in Bethlehem, or by calling OAKS at 603-575-5502. This event promises to be exciting and entertaining.
About Eric Van Leuven
Eric Van Leuven, MD has been a student and lover of films for 56 years. His passion started one boyhood Christmas, when he received the movies of Charlie Chaplin and The Keystone Kops. He attended film festivals at the now-defunct Kips Bay and Elgin Cinemas in NYC with his dad. He studied film history and participated in the Dartmouth College Film Society while he was a student there. Collecting films and sharing his extensive knowledge of early film history is a passion for him. Recent performances include the Cuttyhunk Island Cultural Council in Massachusetts and WRENegades in Bethlehem. His collection includes films on “the big reels” from 1916 through 2010. This includes shorts, animation, trailers, old drive-in announcements, and full-length features.
A classically trained pianist, Leuven performed at Carnegie Recital Hall at age 10. He especially enjoys creating musical scores for the “not-so-silent” classic comedy shorts of 1917 – 1927. After a brief lecture on early “silent” film history, with additional details related to the specific star/film being presented, he then provides piano accompaniment to the projected film, thus recreating an experience that is over 100 years old. Historic items, a sound effect or two, and the sheer hilarity of these rarely shown films will leave your sides sore from laughter.
Leuven continues to provide psychiatric care at Northern Human Services in his semi-retirement and is a volunteer projectionist at the Colonial Theater.
About OAKS
ORGANIZED ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR SENIORS, is a nonprofit dedicated to helping seniors live independently in a happy, healthy, safe environment and it will begin operations in September. The participating communities in Northern New Hampshire are Bethlehem, Franconia, Easton, Sugar Hill, Littleton, and Whitefield. Kay Kerr, who spearheaded this initiative, is also the Founding Director of OAKS. OAKS is led by a robust board of directors, many who are from local companies and organizations. For more information about becoming a volunteer or a member contact OAKS by email at oaks4info@gmail.com or call 603-575-5502.
The OAKS board and volunteers look forward to welcoming everyone to the fundraiser. This event has been sponsored by Robert Lenar, MD, Cold Mountain Café, rek’-lis, Bethlehem Reimagined, Passumpsic Bank, AHEAD, and Maia Papaya.
The images, and content contained within this article appear courtesy of the above mentioned organization. The content appears in part, or in whole, as a submission from the public relations department of the organization. For information on how you may be able to submit to our website for community events or press release news posts such as these, please visit our community bulletin board and public relations sections on our policy page.