Ticket sales for Saturday’s premiere of “The Help” in Madison were still going well Thursday, and the event could sell out sometime today, said Bill Crump, chairman of the Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation.
The film, much of which was shot in Greenwood, will be shown on four screens at the Malco Grandview beginning at 1:30 p.m.
It opens nationwide Aug. 10 and is based on a best-selling novel by Jackson native Kathryn Stockett.
Actresses Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, Allison Janney, Ahna O’Reilly, Sissy Spacek and Jessica Chastain are expected to attend the event, as are Stockett, director Tate Taylor, and producers Chris Columbus and Brunson Green. Some members of the group will speak before the screenings, Crump said.
Tickets may be bought online at www.baptisttown.org.
“They’re going pretty fast, and the Web sales have been going strong,” Crump said.
Three ticket packages are available:
nDirector’s Package ($500): Includes a reserved seat in a private screening of the movie with its stars. A private reception hosted by Gov. Haley Barbour and his wife, Marsha, will follow.
nProducer’s Package ($250): Includes a screening of the movie with the stars, preceded by a private reception at 11:30 a.m. at the Fairview Inn in Jackson. Seats for the screening are first-come, first-served.
nIndividual Screening Package ($100): Includes a ticket to a screening of the film. Seats are first-come, first-served.
Two screens are allocated for those with the Individual Screening Packages; the other two groups will occupy one screen each. The number of total seats is about 1,200, Crump said.
Tickets may be picked up at “Will Call” areas beginning at 11 a.m. Those who buy the Director’s Package or Individual Screening Package may do this at the Malco Grandview; for those with the Producer’s Package, the “Will Call” area will be at the Fairview Inn.
Proceeds from ticket sales will go toward creating a community center in Baptist Town, where some scenes in “The Help” were filmed.
“This is a great kickoff to the Baptist Town Community Development project, and it really gives us a lot of leverage with other charitable groups as far as getting other donations down the road,” Crump said.
Some organizations have inquired about contributing, although no commitments have been made yet, he said.
Also, an application is being finalized to pursue a grant for the project through the Foundation for the Mid South.
Soon, Crump said, www.baptisttown.org will be converted to enable people to donate online. He said organizers will try to do that next week.
“The Help” was screened Wednesday at the annual NAACP national convention. Those attending included Myrlie Evers-Williams, former chairman of the NAACP.
“The screening of ‘The Help’ was very well received,” said Chris Fleming, the NAACP’s director of communications. “It sold out within minutes, and we’ve only heard positive feedback.”
• Contact David Monroe at dmonroe@gwcommonwealth.com.
