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Eagle Theatre Goes Behind The Scenes At The Making Of "Gone With The Wind"

originally published: 03/30/2018

Eagle Theatre Goes Behind The Scenes At The Making Of "Gone With The Wind"(HAMMONTON, NJ) -- On March 30th, Eagle Theatre opens Ron Hutchinson’s Moonlight & Magnolias, an uproariously irreverent behind-the-scenes glimpse of Gone With The WindBased on a true story, the play offers a hilarious insight to the making of America’s most successful and beloved film of all time. The production runs until April 29th.

Unimpressed by the screenplay, legendary producer David O. Selznick shuts down production of his new epic, Gone with the Wind, the film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's novel. While fending off the film's stars, gossip columnists, and his own father-in-law, Selznick sends for famed screenwriter, Ben Hecht, and pulls formidable director, Victor Fleming, from the set of The Wizard of Oz. Summoning both to his office, he locks the doors, closes the curtains, and on a diet of only bananas and peanuts, the three men labor over five days, as they act out the roles of America’s soon-to-be blockbuster.

Moonlight & Magnolias features a star-studded cast drawn from the Delaware Valley and beyond, including; Damon Bonetti, Hanna Gaffney, Bruce Graham, and Ernie Jewell. The production is directed by Eagle Theatre’s Barrymore Nominated Artistic Director, Ted Wioncek III.

Eagle Theatre’s Innovations Factory, a core of themeing artists dedicated to experiential storytelling through medium advancing technology, has transformed the entire theatre into 1930s Hollywoodland. The queue is complete with a red carpet walkway, leading audiences to a Gone With The Wind screen test step-and-repeat. In addition, Eagle Theatre’s onsite Sharott Wine Lounge has received a “Brown Derby” overlay, filled with headshots and various golden age immersive accouterments. The house itself is dressed as a private interactive Tinseltown screening room, featuring mechanically controlled executive desks, toppling over with film strips, typing typewriters, light-up lamps, costume renderings of Gone With The Wind, and audio controlled phones that sporadically come to life, revealing the latest dish of Hollywood gossip. All the while clips of America’s greatest cinematic moments are projected on the theatre’s ceiling.

Eagle Theatre’s Artistic Director, Ted Wioncek III states, “We have created a theatrical experience that puts you right in the middle of the action. Rather than watch Hollywood, we present an opportunity for patrons to live it. It is one thing to provide guests with a story, but handing them the tools to make it their own, now that is where the magic lies.”



 
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Founded in 2015, Innovations Factory specializes in special effects, as seen in previous Eagle Theatre productions; motorized moving walls (Catch Me If You Can), scent-sensory experiences (Our Town), immersive walkthrough exhibits (The Shape of Things, Heathers, Our Town), rotating stages (The Graduate), and custom designed moving mechanical winches (Little Women: The Musical, The Civil War: The Musical). Their latest project (Eagle Theatre’s Original World Premiere production, NOIR: The 3D/4D Semi-Cinematic Satirical Thriller) will seamlessly blend live-action with three dimensional cinematography, using up-to-the-minute technology and theatrical techniques to immerse the audience.

Damon Bonetti of Collingswood, NJ, plays the role of David O. Selznick. A real life producer himself, Bonetti claims, “What I love about the Eagle is you are not coming to see a show - you are coming to an event.  They do such an incredible job of making theatre an immersive experience. There's so much to see, hear and do before the show even starts. They care very much about the audience experience and their audiences have picked up on that.”

Eagle Theatre Goes Behind The Scenes At The Making Of "Gone With The Wind"

Eagle Theatre, located at 208 Vine Street in Hammonton, is South Jersey’s only year-round Professional Equity Theatre, is dedicated to redefining regional theatre. Under The Direction of Ted Wioncek III & Ed Corsi, the theatre produces more than 160 live performances each year, including full-scale Broadway caliber World Premieres and re-conceptualized revivals; Innovations Factory, a core of themeing artist dedicated to experimental storytelling through medium advancing technology; New Works Development Series play readings; a traveling Theatre for Youth Audiences program, specializing in providing arts education to schools in under served communities; an Annual Fringe Festival, a 3-day street fair and theatrical marathon, featuring multiple eclectic productions, a beer and wine garden, pop-up art, food, live music, and street performers; and Eagle Theatre Conservatory, a year-round tuition based theatrical institute for all ages and levels of professionalism. 

This award-winning culturally diverse epicenter boasts state of the art technical equipment, a free parking lot, Sharrott Winery’s on-site Wine Lounge, and is located within walking distance of several boutiques and acclaimed dining destinations in beautifully revitalized Downtown Hammonton, serving patrons from New Jersey, Philadelphia, and beyond.

Eagle Theatre originally opened its doors in 1914 as a silent movie theatre. The theatre was restored in 2009 to serve as a performing arts center. Since the reopening, Eagle Theatre has quickly grown into a nationally recognized non-profit producing organization.




 
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