Penguin Rep Theatre will present a special evening with Andrew McCarthy on Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m. at the Lafayette Theater in Suffern, New York.
The event will feature the American premiere big screen showing of the documentary BRATS, directed by, and starring McCarthy, and a conversation about his life and career moderated by Joe Brancato, Penguin’s founding Artistic Director.
Brancato says, “We are thrilled to celebrate the multi-talented Andrew McCarthy and to relive movie magic at the majestic Lafayette Theater.”
Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Lafayette is located at 97 Lafayette Avenue and continues to operate as a single-screen movie palace featuring both first-run films and classics.
“I’m beyond excited to host BRATS with Andrew McCarthy and Penguin Rep Theatre for this program,” says owner Ari Benmosche. “The first movie I saw in the Lafayette was Pretty in Pink. I remember sharing that story with my dad when talking about the importance of saving the Lafayette. This is a great opportunity to reminisce on our childhoods and support Penguin Rep Theatre, which has been an incubator of performing arts and talent in Rockland for decades.”
Benmosche also announced that the Lafayette Theater will be presenting a curated series of Brat Pack movies as part of its $1 Classic Film Festival that week.
Andrew McCarthy is a director, an award-winning and best-selling writer, and — of course — an actor. He made his professional debut at 19 in CLASS, and has appeared in dozens of films, including such iconic movies as Pretty In Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, Less Than Zero, and cult favorites Weekend At Bernie’s and Mannequin. He is ranked No. 40 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Teen Stars of all-time list.
BRATS looks at the iconic films of the 1980s that shaped a generation and the narrative that took hold when their young stars were branded the “Brat Pack.” In the film, McCarthy reunites with his fellow Brat Packers — friends, colleagues and former foes, including Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Lea Thompson, and Timothy Hutton, many of whom he had not seen for over 30 years — to answer the question: What did it mean to be part of the Brat Pack?
McCarthy graced Penguin’s stage in Stony Point in Hate Mail in 2001. Says McCarthy, “Working at Penguin Rep was one of the most ‘sneakily satisfying’ experiences in 35 years of acting. The relaxed, yet rigorous work ethic, the playfulness, and the quality of the productions, add up to a unique experience in the theater. I’m grateful Penguin Rep exists.”
Tickets for general admission seating are $25 (in advance) and $30 (at the door). Premium reserved seats are $50 each and include, with each pair of tickets, an autographed copy of McCarthy’s BRAT: An 80s Story.
Tickets are on sale now at www.penguinrep.org or by calling the Penguin Rep Theatre box office at (845) 786-2873.
