Now that all the brouhaha about Miley Cyrus' extended stay in town is a distant memory, it's time to check out the final results: The Last Song opens in theaters everywhere, including Savannah, Wednesday, March 31.
Walt Disney/Touchstone Pictures showed no interest whatsoever in premiering the film on (or around) Tybee Island - believe me, attempts were made to get some sort of special, studio-sanctioned event here - and so Tybee's Tourism Council is doing what it can.
More than 500 people, so far, have signed up to attend Wednesday's "Flip Flop Red Carpet Party," kicking off at 4:30 p.m. at the Tybee Gym (at Memorial Park). The ultimate party favor, of course, is a ticket to the evening show of The Last Song at the Victory Square 9 moviehouse in Savannah.
Your $18 admission also includes food, a cash cocktail bar, live music from local favorite Randy "Hatman" Smith, and a Tybee Island "goodie bag." After the film, the party moves to Huc-a-Poos.
If you buy the $18 ticket, you'll need to ferry yourself to the movie screening.
The $30 package includes all of the above, plus a round-trip ride if Victory Square on a trolley provided by Old Savannah Tours.
Proceeds will go to the Tybee Island Marine Science Center.
The Tybee Gym is a new location for this event; it started out smaller, but so many residents expressed an interest, the Council was forced to bump things up. Tickets are still going at a pretty brisk clip - perhaps you'll be the one to purchase The Last Ticket?
At press time, the movie was to be screened in at least three Victory Square theaters to accommodate everyone. This could still change, too. Call (912) 786-9216 to get in on things; the Tourism Council's number is (912) 786-5444.
This is pretty exciting, don't you think?
A conspiracy of film
A release date for The Conspirator has yet to be announced. The Robert Redford-directed historical drama, filmed in Savannah during the waning months of 2009, is in post-production, meaning all the little bits and pieces captured on film and tape are being assembled in a Hollywood studio.
Here's an interesting note, though: Greg Shapiro, one of the producers of The Conspirator, won an Academy Award two weeks ago as a co-producer of The Hurt Locker.
This, that, the other
... The Savannah Folk Music Society's First Friday concert for April is being held on the second Friday ... well, whatever. Vocalist Nikki Talley and the French-American acoustic duo Jean-Paul and Dominque Carton will perform at the 7:30 p.m. event April 9, at First Presbyterian Church on Wasington Avenue ...
... Tickets are available now for the next Gainesville Community Playhouse, the urbane comedy Luv, presented Saturday and Sunday, May 8 and 9 at the Landings' Plantation Club. See www.savannahcommuniththeatre.com.
