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Everything Old is New on this edition of State of the Arts. The classic Maysles brothers documentary “Grey Gardens” is transformed into a new musical; the aging suburb of Collingswood, New Jersey finds a new engine of economic revitalization in the arts; old barns find a new life through the efforts of the New Jersey Barn Company; and a landmark exhibit, “Masters of American Comics,” shows how early comics continue to influence a new generation of artists.
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The 1975 cult documentary "Grey Gardens," about the eccentric mother and daughter--who happened to be close relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy--discovered living in squalor in a dilapidated mansion in East Hampton, became a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical in 2006.
Maplewood resident Christine Ebersole starred in the dual roles of Big Edie and Little Edie, described by New York Times critic Ben Brantley as "possibly the greatest performance I've ever seen in a musical."
State of the Arts producer Amber Edwards delves into the creative process of transforming something old--and revered, by the documentary's legion of fans--into something new that, nonetheless, remains true to the source. Composer Scott Frankel and librettist Doug Wright discuss adapting the film into a story that sings and dances; legendary filmmaker Albert Maysles talks about why he trusted this new team with his fabled film; and Christine Ebersole explains why this is, in her words, "the role of a lifetime."
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Christine Ebersole as "Little" Edie Beale in a scene from the Broadway production of “Grey Gardens: The Musical.” Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Christine Ebersole as "Little" Edie and Mary Louise Wilson as Edith Bouvier Beale in a scene from the Broadway production.
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Christine Ebersole as Edith Bouvier Beale in a scene from “Grey Gardens.”
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
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14 of the most influential comic artists working in the 20th century – including Winsor McCay (“Little Nemo in Slumberland”), George Herriman (“Krazy Kat”), Charles Schulz (“Peanuts”), R. Crumb, Art Spiegelman, and more were featured in a landmark two-part exhibit from September 15, 2006 through January 28, 2007 . The Newark Museum featured comic strips from the first half of the century, and the Jewish Museum focused on comic books and graphic novels from the 1950s onward. Of the earliest artists, one of the most influential is George Herriman, the creator of Krazy Kat. Herriman’s comic world is located in the surreal landscape of the American Southwest, and involves the triangular love story of a cat (Krazy), a mouse (Ignatz), and a dog (Officer Pup). The permutations are endless and have influenced artists from Charles Schulz and Walt Disney to Ralph Ellison and Jack Kerouac.
State of the Arts producer Susan Wallner takes a tour of the Newark Museum with illustrator Steven Guarnaccia, Chair of the Illustration Department at Parsons, the New School for Design, former Art Director for the Op-Ed page of The New York Times, and a founding faculty member of the School of Visual Arts MFA Design Program. Guarnaccia gives his perspective on why early artists such as Herriman continue to be so influential, in both his own and others’ work. Wallner then visits Parsons with Guarnaccia to see how the world of contemporary illustration and comics is evolving.
 Read more Sunday Comics...
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Cover for “Krazy Kat” (a novel by Jay Kantor) by Steven Guarnaccia
George Herriman, Krazy Kat, reproduction of newspaper Sunday page (published September 12, 1937)
© 2005 Reprinted with permission of King Features Syndicate
Cover for an alternative comics anthology, “Drawn & Quarterly” by Steven Guarnaccia
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 collingswood story
Collingswood, New Jersey, an older tree-lined suburb of Philadelphia right next to Camden, is undergoing a renaissance – fueled in large part by the arts. “It’s become a totally cool place to live,” says one longtime resident. Collingswood is the hometown of actor Michael Landon. In the 1950s and 60s it was the headquarters of ultra-conservative religious leader and radio broadcaster Carl McIntire and his fundamentalist mega-church. In the 1970s and ‘80s, however, McIntire’s influence waned, residents moved to newer suburbs, and downtown stores moved to the malls. Collingswood was in decline.
State of the Arts producer Eric Schultz looks at how the city has managed to come back. He talks with civic leaders, including Collingswood Mayor James Maley and Councilwoman Joan Leonard. He meets some of the artists who are turning Collingswood into a cultural destination, and the residents who now see a reason to stay. Schultz visits the thriving downtown, its galleries, trendy restaurants and cafes, the newly opened branch of the Perkins Center for the Arts, the annual Collingswood Book Fair, Farmers Market, and Collingswood’s historic Scottish Rite Auditorium which has been transformed into a performing arts center for both local theater and national touring artists.
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May Fair
Second Saturday
Crafts & Fine Art Festival
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Preview
