See 'Films That Rock' At The Ridgefield Playhouse This Winter

Press release from The Ridgefield Playhouse:

Jan. 10, 2021

If you miss seeing live music – The Ridgefield Playhouse has concert films and rockumentaries that will make you feel like you feel like you are there! From ZAPPA on January 15 to Paul McCartney’s Wings Over The World on January 22, Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead on Friday, January 29 and Lynyrd Skynrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow on Friday, February 5, The Playhouse along with 99.1fm WPLR will bring back the magic of concert performances while keeping you safe and socially distanced with limited capacity screenings. So, if you’ve run out of things to binge watch at home, reserve your seats now for these Pepsi Rock Series Powered by Xfinity and Cohen and Wolf, P.C. Movie Series screenings!

The first all-access documentary on the life and times of Frank Zappa comes to The Ridgefield Playhouse on Friday, January 15 at 7:30pm. With unfettered access to the Zappa Vault, and the archival footage contained within, ZAPPA explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex Winter's assembly features appearances by Frank's widow Gail Zappa and several of Frank's musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.

From the small screen to the big screen - Wings Over the World the 1979 television documentary film comes to the big screen for one night only on Friday, January 22 at 7:30pm! The film features footage filmed throughout Wing’s 1975/1976 tour, following the band across England, Australia and America. Fans can relive live concert performances featuring Wings’ hits and several Beatles ballads – including “Jet,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Live and Let Die,” “Band on the Run,” “Yesterday,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Silly Love Songs,” “Listen To What The Man Said,” “Let ‘Em In” along with home movies of the McCartney Family! This was the largest scale tour they would ever take as a band. From this tour came both the legendary “Wings Over America” triple live album and this epic concert film.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Grateful Dead, the "core four" original members - Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir - reunited at Chicago's Soldier Field on July 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2015 for the most anticipated concerts in recent history. Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years Of Grateful Dead is the original members' last-ever performance together nearly 20 years to the day of the last ever Grateful Dead concert with Jerry Garcia, which took place at the same historic venue. It’s been nearly six years since these unforgettable shows, which also featured Trey Anastasio, Jeff Chimenti and Grammy Award-winner Bruce Hornsby, and fans are still talking about them. Relive the experience when Fare Thee Well returns to our big screen on Friday, January 29 at 7:30pm. While Dead & Company tours with Weir, Kreutzmann, and Hart (along with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti) and Phil Lesh regularly plays both at his own venue, Terrapin Crossroads, as well as with occasional dates across the U.S., the power that was felt at Soldier Field while the band performed to crowds of over 70,000 faithful fans each night, will never fade away.

If you’ve ever yelled “Play Free Bird” – we have the movie for you! Lynyrd Skynyrd hits the big screen with “If I Leave Here Tomorrow” on Friday, February 5 at 7:30pm. Directed by Stephen Kijak and featuring rare interviews and never-before-seen archival footage, LYNYRD SKYNYRD: IF I LEAVE HERE TOMORROW takes viewers on a trip through the history, myth and legend of one of the most iconic American rock bands. Rising from the swamps of the Deep South, these good ol' boys from Jacksonville, Florida came to define an era with their hard-rocking boogie-woogie sound, soulful lyrics, drunken and dangerous antics and their controversial use of the Confederate flag. The film also serves as a portrait of late band leader Ronnie Van Zant whose life was cut tragically short, but whose legacy endures to this day in songs like the "Simple Man," "Country Boy," and "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller."

Mark your calendar for additional screenings including Ray starring Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx on Saturday, February 13, The Rolling Stones: Shine A Light on Friday, February 19, and Get On Up: The James Brown Story starring Chadwick Boseman on Tuesday, February 23.

For more information or to purchase touchless print at home ticket ($12) go online at www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org or, you can visit or call the box office (203) 438-5795. The Playhouse is currently doing socially distanced, limited capacity seating. Concession/bar can be ordered via our mobile site so that you can pick it up on the way in, or get notified when it is ready for you to pick up once in the theater. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT and is committed to keeping the arts alive and available to all.

This press release was produced by The Ridgefield Playhouse. The views expressed here are the author's own.