Photo Coverage: Grey Gardens Documentary Celebration

Filmmaker Albert Maysles, who with his brother David trained their cameras on the lives of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie for the classic documentary Grey Gardens, was the guest of honor at a private pre-screening reception and dinner hosted by noted animal welfare supporter Frances Hayward at the fabled estate, Grey Gardens in East Hampton. The reception preceded the sold-out screening of the film at Guild Hall as the inaugural film in its Red Carpet Film Series at the John Drew Theater which features movies by and with celebrated Hamptonites.

Three decades later, Grey Gardens, always a cult classic, has recaptured the public eye with the hit musical produced by Playwrights Horizon starring Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson which moves to Broadway this fall. Concurrently, Michael Sucsy is directing the film version starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore, and a new book will be published by Aperture later this year.

To celebrate the film's 30th Anniversary and Albert's 50 years as a filmmaker, noted animal welfare supporter Frances Hayward opened the magnificently restored home (rescued and retuned to its full glory by Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn) for a pre-screening buffet dinner created by Leif Hope and reception prior to the screening, kicking off Guild Hall's impressive Red Carpet Film Series featuring movies made by and with our neighbors in celebration of their 75th Anniversary. The celebration featured numerous film and theatre celebrities, including actress/director Judith Ivey, actor/director Harris Yulin, Grey Gardens composer Scott Frankel and librettist/playwright Joseph Stein. Also in attendance was Bouvier Beale and wife Eva, who had flown in from San Francisco especially for the fete.

Photos by K. Doran for Rob Rich/www.nysocialscene.com

Ruth Appelhof, Guild Hall Exec. Dir. and Frances Hayward

Edward Callaghan, Ruth Applehof and John Wegorzewski

Bouvier and Eva Beale with Frances Hayward

Lora Nelson, Maysles Institute, Albert Maysles and Terry Kipper

Beverly Camhe, Joe and Elisa Stein, and Albert Maysles

Lora Nelson, Albert Maysles and Terry Kipper

David Lion Rattiner, Dan Rattiner and Joseph Stein, author of Fiddler on The Roof

Director Mike Sucsy with Bouvier and Eva Beale

Scott Frankel, composer of Grey Gardens the musical

Rachel Viola and two-time Tony-winner Judith Ivey

Harris Yulin and Kristen Lowman

Frances Hayward, Albert Maysles and Mickey Straus, Chairman Guild Hall

Mickey Straus, Guild Hall Chairman with Sue and Len Sucsy

Grey Gardens new film producer Rachel Horovitz and director Mike Sucsy