'Mr. Rogers' Documentary To Be Screened In Princeton

PRINCETON, NJ — Trenton Children's Chorus (TCC) will host a special screening of the critically acclaimed new documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” on Friday, June 22, 7 p.m., at the Princeton Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street.

“‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor’ offers the adults who were loved and nurtured by Mister Rogers as children a deep understanding of why they meant so much to him — and why he meant so much to them,” longtime Princeton resident Eliot Daley said. “It offers Americans a timely reminder of what it means for neighbors to truly care for each other.”

Daley joined Fred Rogers as president of the ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ organization during the early years. He will participate in a Q&A at the screening. He joined Rogers after writing about the influence of TV on American families and children.

The writing lead Rogers to invite Daley, then an associate minister at First Presbyterian Church of Princeton, now Nassau, to produce “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Daley served as president of the production company and wrote many early episodes.

For over 3o years, Fred Rogers, an unassuming minister, puppeteer, writer, and producer was beamed daily into homes across America. In his beloved television program, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” Rogers and his cast of puppets and friends spoke directly to young children about some of life’s weightiest issues, in a simple, direct fashion.

Though he may be best known today as a soft-spoken, cardigan-wearing children’s television host, in reality, Rogers’ career represents a sustained attempt to present a coherent, beneficent view about how we should best speak to children about important matters and how television could be used as a positive force in our society.

In “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom) looks back on the legacy of Fred Rogers, focusing on his radically kind ideas. While the nation changed around him, Rogers stood firm in his beliefs about the importance of protecting childhood.

The Hollywood Reporter raves, “Both nostalgic and immediate, it’s a documentary you want to hug.”

Tickets are $25. The cost includes a small popcorn and small fountain drink. They can be purchased online by visiting www.trentonchildrenschorus.org or by calling the TCC office at 609-278-0822. This program is generously supported by Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies.

The Trenton Children's Chorus is an award-winning nonprofit organization providing exceptional music education and performance opportunities for hundreds of Trenton area youth since 1989.

The attached image of Fred Rogers was provided