KENYON HALL PRESENTS

Dennis James & The Mighty Wurlitzer

Sunday, September 29th 2024 - (International Silent Film Day)

Doors: 7:00pm / Show: 7:30pm

All Ages

Seated

$15 General Admission / $10 Senior/Student

A glorious musical echo of the past will accompany Kenyon Hall’s authentic historical-recreation screening of the classic cinema version of J. M. Barrie's world-renowned stage play PETER PAN. World renowned theatre organist Dennis James performs his solo organ transcription of his painstakingly reconstructed version of the original orchestral score that was created for the film when it was released nearly 100 years ago.

See this rare screening of the 1924 smash hit, Peter Pan, starring Betty Bronson in her delightful performance as the eternally young Peter Pan.

For over fifty-five years, professional theatre organist Dennis James has played a pivotal role in the international revival of silent films shown together with their authentic researched and stylistically preserved live music scores. His extensive studies and personal associations with legendary veteran film musicians Lee Erwin of New York City, Dr. C. A. J. Parmentier of New York City, Leonard MacLain of Philadelphia. Lowell Ayars of Bridgeton, NJ, Esther Higgins of Collingswood, NJ, Gaylord Carter of Los Angeles, CA, and Lloyd del Castillo of Los Angeles, CA led him to develop his now frequently imitated authentic film accompaniment revivals. James's ‘Silent Film Concerts’ efforts incorporate carefully researched genuine period-performance practices and fully utilize the the rare published film music source materials from the silent film era presented with unwavering commitment to stylistic integrity in performance.

James developed his meticulously researched & fully rehearsed silent film accompaniment techniques during his degree studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana while he was a music and film student in the late 1960's. "It is very exciting to still be able to do this kind of thing today, now 100 years after these films were popular. It is especially now to do historical replica screenings now that the silent film music profession as practiced in the Golden Era has mostly slipped away and into the hands of inexperienced amateurs, hobbyists and untrained music-making enthusiasts. The Disney Co. commissioned me to preserve the original PETER PAN and make it playable in solo form, and we premiered my restoration at sellout gala Hollywood Premier at Disney’s El Capitan Theatre in 1998 (an event surprisingly attended by non-other than modern day cultural Peter Pan icon, Michael Jackson!).

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