PBS Premieres 'Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway' 12/23

Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway, the new documentary film produced by East of Doheny with AlBert Maysles that has already reached cult status during its rollout of limited screenings, will air nationwide on PBS on the Emmy Award-winning Independent Lens, hosted by Terrence Howard, on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 10:00 p.m. (check local listings).

"We are delighted to bring Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway to Independent Lens," series producer Lois Vossen said. "The joy of this new film is that not only do you reconnect with the Beales, you also get a front-row seat to the creative process that transformed the Maysles' film into a moving and award-winning Broadway musical. We are extremely pleased to be associated with such an influential talent as AlBert Maysles. We know this film will be a favorite with our viewers."

Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway unfolds the creative journey of AlBert Maysles' cult classic, Grey Gardens, from non-fiction film to legendary Broadway musical. Edith Beale and her daughter Edie - aunt and cousin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis - were a most unique and engaging mother/daughter act, built upon powerful independence, courage, devotion and love. The 1975 Maysles film, Grey Gardens, catapulted them to icon status and culminated in the ultimate homage: being portrayed on the Broadway stage. This new Maysles documentary features behind-the-scenes footage of the Tony Award-winning show's rehearsals and performances. Also included are interviews with the creators and cast, as well as insights from fashion designers, cultural commentators, fans, and a revealing interview with AlBert Maysles himself.

"All of us at East of Doheny are so proud that this latest incarnation of the incredible mother/daughter relationship of Edith and Edie Beale has found a new outlet through Independent Lens and PBS," Kelly Gonda, President of East of Doheny, said. "Our thanks for the involvement of AlBert Maysles for helping us protect the Beale legacy."

East of Doheny is an independent theatrical and film production company headed by Kelly Gonda, with offices in New York and Los Angeles. EOD's upcoming projects that are presently in advanced development for the stage are My Man Godfrey, Please Don't Eat the Daisies and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Film projects in development are Flipped, Stuffed, Julie and Romeo and Secret Letters.

Independent Lens is a Peabody and Emmy® Award-winning weekly series airing Tuesday nights at 10:00 PM on PBS. The acclaimed anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers. Independent Lens features unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history. Presented by ITVS, the series is supported by interactive companion websites and national publicity and community engagement campaigns. Independent Lens is jointly curated by ITVS and PBS, and is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding provided by PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information visit pbs.org here.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus