Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Donna Reed receiving her Oscar

Donna Reed admires Oscar

A weekend of movies and live theater at the Donna Reed Theatre

Donna Reed was awarded a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her work in the movie From Here To Eternity in March of 1954. Now, 60 years later, the Donna Reed Foundation will celebrate her career with a weekend film festival and live play based on letters she received from soldiers during World War II.

In her career, Donna Reed starred in over 40 films. Starting on Thursday, March 20th area movie lovers will get to see three of her best films. And, as an extra bonus, the ticket prices for each film will be only 75 cents – the price of a movie ticket in 1954!

The movies

Thursday, March 20: Trouble Along The Way – a comedy starring Iowa Icons Donna Reed and John Wayne.

Friday, March 21: The Far Horizons – a movie about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, starring Donna Reed, Charlton Heston, and Fred MacMurray.

Saturday, March 22: From Here To Eternity, starring Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra in the roles that won them Best Supporting Actor & Actress Oscars.

Each movie will be shown at the Donna Reed Theater in downtown Denison beginning at 7 p.m.  Tickets will be available at the door.

The live production
Sunday, March 23:  Two performances of the live play, Dear Donna, will be staged at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Donna Reed Theater. Dear Donna is based on actual letters that Donna Reed received during World War II from servicemen all over the globe.

Reed kept over 300 of the letters, which were recently discovered by her daughter, Mary, who worked to have the letters woven together into a live play.

“Some of the letters are humorous, some serious, and all are very respectful” said play director Tim Tracy. “Soldiers repeatedly said 'Miss Reed' was the 'kind of girl we want to come home to.'”

Admission to Dear Donna is $10 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets can be obtained by calling The Donna Reed Foundation at 712-263-3334 or by e-mail at info@donnareed.org.