Filmmaker to speak at Eugene O'Neill celebration

By FRANK RIZZO, Courant Staff Writer
October 6, 2005

Documentary filmmaker Ric Burns will speak as part of the Sixth O'Neill Celebration Weekend, which runs Oct. 14 through 16. Burns, who recently completed a film biography of playwright Eugene O'Neill that will be aired on PBS in March, will speak Oct. 15 at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford.

Burns and his Steeple Chase Film crew spent time at the Monte Cristo Cottage in New London, O'Neill's boyhood home. The O'Neill Theater Center owns and operates the cottage, which will be open for tours as part of the O'Neill celebration, on Oct. 14 from 1 to 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 15 from 10 to 11 a.m.; and Oct. 16 from 1 to 5 p.m.

Burns is also working on a biography of artist Andy Warhol, who was subject of a biographical play at Hartford Stage's "Brand:NEW" play reading festival last month.

The celebration is a series of free seminars, panel discussions and play readings that will take place around New London and Waterford. The theme of this year's celebration is "O'Neill on Film."

The annual Monte Cristo Award will be announced that weekend. A ceremony to present the award will be held at a later time, still to be decided.