The Gold Coast International Film Festival will present Scott Freiman’s Deconstructing the Beatles lecture series this spring, marking the first such event on Long Island.
The series is meant to honor the golden anniversary of the Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” But Lauren Wagner, the director of marketing and development for the Gold Coast Arts Center and International Film Festival, said the events are not reserved solely for Beatles fans.
“It’s not just for the Beatles fanatic,” Wagner said as she recalled what she learned from one of the lectures. “These events are very inclusive, very approachable.”
The lectures will analyze the White Album on April 27, “Revolver” on May 11, Sgt. Pepper on June 1 and conclude with “Rubber Soul” on June 29.
In addition to a lecture deconstructing the Sgt. Pepper album, there will be a Golden Anniversary party featuring local Beatles tribute band Beyond Fab. June 1 marks the 50th anniversary of the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album release.
“It’s a way to introduce the multi-arts initiative of the arts center in a more fun way,” Wagner said.
The series of events also serves as a way to integrate the audiences of the Gold Coast Arts Center and Gold Coast Film Festival, Wagner said. She also noted that some people do not know that the International Film Festival and Gold Coast Arts Center in Great Neck are intertwined.
“The cogs on the wheel keep turning in the same direction,” said Lauren Wagner, Gold Coast Arts Center’s associate director of arts and film. “That direction is supporting our mission to benefit and support the arts through education, exhibition, performance and outreach.”
“All of the efforts of all of our programs go toward our mission,” Wagner added.
Tickets and more information about the events can be found online at goldcoastfilmfestival.org/beatles/. All money raised goes towards the Gold Coast Arts Center.
