Gold Coast Presents “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things"

Everyone knows Ella Fitzgerald was the “Queen of Jazz,” but few know how she achieved legendary status. “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things” is a captivating biography that follows her extraordinary journey over six decades as her sublime voice transforms the tragedies of her own life and the troubles of her times into joy.

The Gold Coast Arts Cinema Series presents the screening of “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things” on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. at the Great Neck Cinemas at the Squire, 115 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, NY 11021.

Moving beyond the conventional biopic, the film’s director uses images and music to evoke the feel of those times to bring to life the context of Ms. Fitzgerald’s heralded career. Featuring interviews with Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett, Norma Miller, and Jamie Cullum, who said: “her music is one of the reasons it’s worth being on this planet.”

A special Q&A will follow the screening with artist Vinnie Bagwell, who has been sculpting since 1993. Her first public artwork, “The First Lady of Jazz Ella Fitzgerald,” at Yonkers Metro-North/Amtrak train station, is the first sculpture of a contemporary African-American woman to be commissioned by a municipality in the United States. Additional guest speakers will be announced at a future date.

Tickets for “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things” are $15 Adults/ Seniors and $10 for members when purchased in advance. All tickets at the door are $20. Tickets can be ordered online at www.goldcoastarts.org or by phone at 516-829-2570.

About the Gold Coast Arts Center
The Gold Coast Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) multi-arts organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance, and outreach. For a quarter-century, it has brought the arts to tens of thousands of people throughout the Long Island region. Among the Center’s offerings are its School for the Arts, which holds year-round classes in visual and performing arts for students of all ages and abilities; a free public art gallery; a concert and lecture series; film screenings and discussions; the annual Gold Coast International Film Festival; and initiatives that focus on senior citizens and underserved communities. These initiatives include artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher-training workshops, and parent-child workshops. The Gold Coast Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts “Partners in Education” program and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.goldcoastarts.org.