‘Get On Up’ premiere tickets, posters raffled for benefit

Published 12:01 am Monday, July 21, 2014

Chadwick Boseman, center, will star as James Brown in the film “Get On Up,” which was largely filmed in and around Natchez. A Natchez premiere of the movie will be hosted at the Natchez Mall theater Saturday. (Photos by D. Stevens courtesy of Universal pictures)

Chadwick Boseman, center, will star as James Brown in the film “Get On Up,” which was largely filmed in and around Natchez. A Natchez premiere of the movie will be hosted at the Natchez Mall theater Saturday. (Photos by D. Stevens courtesy of Universal pictures)

NATCHEZ — Two lucky people will have a chance to boogaloo all the way to Saturday’s Natchez premiere of the James Brown film “Get On Up.”

The film — largely filmed in and around Natchez — details the life and times of the Godfather of Soul at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Natchez Mall theater. Director Tate Taylor and Chadwick Boseman, who plays Brown in the movie, will be at the premiere.

Director Tate Taylor discuss a scene with Boseman during filming. (Photos by D. Stevens courtesy of Universal pictures)

Director Tate Taylor discuss a scene with Boseman during filming. (Photos by D. Stevens courtesy of Universal pictures)

Many locals were cast in the film as extras. The motion picture will open nationwide Aug. 1.

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The Natchez premiere will serve as a fundraiser for the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society at the offering of director Tate Taylor.

The 200 tickets to the showing of the premiere sold out quickly, but local premiere coordinator Sally Durkin said two spots were saved and will be raffled off through Thursday with all proceeds benefiting the humane society.

Universal Studios also reserved a screen for those who appeared as extras in the movie locally, but Durkin said spots for that showing filled up in two days.

“This is the last chance people have to be a part of this night and it all benefits the humane society, so we want to see people buying up these raffle tickets,” Durkin said. “People can buy as many as they’d like, and I’ll be happy if we hit the 1,000 tickets available.”

The raffle tickets are $15 each and can be purchased through raffleamerica.com.

The only stipulations for the raffle, Durkin said, is that those entering be residents of Mississippi and Louisiana and be at least 18 years old.

After logging onto the website, residents are asked to enter their ZIP code to find the raffle, which will be listed under the “art category.”

The raffle tickets to the Natchez premiere also include an invitation to attend a pre-premiere party from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Twin Oaks with food prepared by Chef Regina Charboneau, who owns Kings Tavern. Taylor and Boseman will be in attendance.

“The winners will be just like anyone else who got a ticket before and will sit with everyone else from the humane society fundraiser,” Durkin said. “But even if they don’t win those two, we still have more things to give away.”

Boseman portrays Brown during filming of “Get On Up” at the Natchez City Auditorium. (Photos by D. Stevens courtesy of Universal pictures)

Boseman portrays Brown during filming of “Get On Up” at the Natchez City Auditorium. (Photos by D. Stevens courtesy of Universal pictures)

Everyone who purchases a raffle ticket for the movie showing, Durkin said, will also be entered into a raffle to win one of 10 movie posters autographed by Taylor and Boseman.

Durkin said the premiere will be a great time for all local residents to see Natchez shining on the silver screen.

“They could have easily bypassed Natchez and done premieres other places, but they really wanted to come here and give back to the community that was great to them during the filming,” Durkin said. “I think it’s going to be a great night and just a dynamite film.”

The world premiere of the film, which depicts Brown’s life from the time he was 5 years-old until he was 60, will be tonight at the Apollo Theater in New York City, followed by an opening in Brown’s hometown of Augusta, Ga., Thursday.

A second red carpet Mississippi event will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Madison, and will serve as a fundraiser for Mission Mississippi.

Ticket packages for the Madison event include two options.

The first option is the $200-per-person director’s package that includes a private screening of “Get On Up” with Taylor and Boseman, refreshments during the movie, a limited-edition commemorative poster and a post-screening reception hosted by Gov. Phil Bryant and First Lady Deborah Bryant.

The second option is the individual screening package, which for $50 includes refreshments during the movie and a limited-edition commemorative poster.

Tickets for the Madison event can be purchased online at getonupjackson.com or from the Mississippi Coliseum box office at 601-353-0603.