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 March 18, 2004

A Special Night at the Lafayette Theatre
By Marnie Richman

On the night of March 25, the historic Lafayette Theatre in Suffern will be hosting a special evening for film fans. A showing of the 1928 Buster Keaton film, "Steamboat Bill, Jr." will be presented with live accompaniment by the New Jersey Philharmonic. This unique experience will surely be a treat for both the eyes and ears.

Recently, owner Nelson Page was approached by some members of the Philharmonic with the suggestion to use the theater as a performing arts base. Although the theater was built with a stage to handle vaudeville performances, it's not large enough for a huge orchestra. When Page requested a smaller ensemble to play along with a silent film, the orchestra members quickly agreed. Audiences will be able to see the musicians as they play in front of the footlights.

As an added bonus, viewers will hear the original score, which was written specifically for the film. Often, Hollywood studios would distribute their silent films with musical compositions to be played by live musicians in the movie theater. Back in the 1920's, the accompaniment ranged from a few instruments to a single piano player.

As part of its ongoing restoration, the theater's opera boxes have been recently repainted, panel by panel. Additionally, some damaged plaster has been repaired, and the boxes now sport gleaming 10K gold paint. They will be part of the available seating for this event.

The film, which features Buster Keaton's comic antics, will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office. For more information, call 845-369-8234, or check out www.bigscreenclassics.com. Enjoy the show!