Bedford Playhouse Marks Earth Week Virtually And In-Person

BEDFORD, NY — The Bedford Playhouse announced this month that it would reopen for in-person events starting on May 28, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. In the meantime, the movie theater and event space will continue to offer virtual presentations as it has since closing its doors in response to coronavirus concerns.

The popular Westchester venue will also screen select movies in its outdoor area.

Beginning April 20, the playhouse will mark Earth Week with a week-long series of virtual discussions and outdoor films. Organizers say the lineup is aimed at inspiring the community to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental and ecological issues of the day and inspire action at a grassroots level and beyond to help preserve Earth.

The schedule kicks off with “Saving Life on Earth: A Global Safety Net to Reserve Biodiversity Loss, Stabilize the Climate and Prevent Future Pandemics” presented by Dr. Eric Dinerstein. The talk from the director of the Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions program at RESOLVE and CEO of the WildTech@RESOLVE social impact enterprise will focus on how technology, including artificial intelligence, is helping to protect Mother Nature in new ways.

The “Next Gen Climate Leaders — Special Earth Day Program” panel discussion on April 21 will be moderated by Sara Douglis, board vice president of Bedford 2030. The event will highlight young people leading the change to protect the planet.

On April 22, a Q&A session will be held focusing on the growing danger of our outsized carbon footprints. The "Earth’s Development and the Need for Decarbonization" discussion will be led by Dr. Alex Halliday, director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

On April 23 at 8 p.m., the Bedford Playhouse will become an outdoor pop-up cinema featuring the film "A Life On Our Planet" narrated by David Attenborough.

The pop-up movie house on the lawn will return the following night at 8 p.m. with a film with a strong environmental message for kids and parents alike. "WALL-E" will keep families entertained and laughing while enjoying a cautionary tale about taking our environment for granted.

The Earth Week lineup wraps up with a Wolf Conservation Center Virtual Field Trip on April 25 at 3:30 p.m. Virtual attendees will learn a little more about wolves in North America and will have a chance to meet the WCC’s three ambassador gray wolves. WCC naturalists will help to introduce the wolves to audience members at the interactive event. Viewers may also have the rare opportunity to see the endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves that call the Wolf Conservation Center home.

Advance registration is required for the Bedford Playhouse Earth Week events. Tickets for the presentations and more information on the happenings can be found here.