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$12 General Admission, $9 for Summer Institute Sponsors. Please note that MVFS member discounts are not valid for SI film series on Sundays.

Doors Open for admissions 30 min. prior to screening Buy tickets at Film Center or online now

SPECIAL GUESTS: The filmmakers will be on hand for questions and answers after the screening.

In this documentary directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker William Gazecki, authors Susan and Lloyd Ecker explore the tumultuous early days of Sophie Tucker, the iconic vaudeville superstar who ruled the 1920s Flapper Era in the United States. Before Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Bette Midler, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Sophie Tucker – the first woman to infatuate her audiences with a bold, bawdy and brassy style unlike any other previous performer. In their seven-year journey retracing the performer’s six decades in show business, the Eckers draw upon more than 400 recently discovered scrapbooks kept by Sophie Tucker. With the assistance of Executive Producer Phil Ramone, 15-time Grammy Award winner, Sophie’s early recordings serve as a wonderfully entertaining sound track. With appearances by Paul Anka, Tony Martin, Mickey Rooney, Brenda Lee, Kaye Ballard, Connie Stevens, Chubby Checker, Mamie Van Doren, Joe Franklin, Rusty Warren, Kaye Stevens, Jane Kean, Libi Staiger and Don Dellair.

About the Summer Institute

Each year the Summer Institute presents speakers from the front lines of politics, economics, science and the arts.  Our featured speakers have included Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors and journalists, and political leaders who have played important roles on the world stage.

In addition to its Speaker Series, the Summer Institute presents a Sunday evening series of provocative and entertaining films, screened on state-of-the-art equipment at the MV Film Center.