Kilgen Theatre Organ Performance featuring Juan Cardona Jr. and the Mel Brooks film Silent Movie (1976)
February 24, 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Event Navigation
On Monday, February 24, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., a Kilgen Theatre Organ performance will take place in the Devon Great Hall at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC). The performance will feature Juan Cardona, who will accompany the Mel Brooks film Silent Movie (1976).
The film featuring Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Sid Caesar, and Marty Feldman is dialogue-free. This is the result of the pitch made by a struggling producer, Mel Funn (played by Mel Brooks), to the studio chief (Sid Caesar) to produce the first feature-length silent movie in many years. Ironically, the only person who can utter a sound in the film is Marcel Marceau, the internationally famous mime. Since the movie is without sound, this challenges Juan Cardona, Jr. to provide all of the sound cues and background noises from the Kilgen Theatre Organ.
Juan began accompanying silent films by performing silent cartoons at a stage production of School House Rock at the Thomaston Opera House. His first full-length feature film accompaniment was the Academy Award-winning film Wings (1927). Juan was the featured artist for five years for the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society in their Silents in the House film series. He has accompanied over thirty silent films, including short comedies and full-length features. Juan became a regular at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, for their Halloween Silent Film series and collaborated with silent film organist Christian Elliot on his score for the film Nosferatu. His latest silent film project, performed at the Bardavon Opera House, the Thomaston Opera House, and the Balboa Theatre, was Mel Brooks’ Silent Movie, giving the 1920s theatre pipe organ an updated silent movie to accompany.
Juan Cardona Jr., from Newtown, Conn., began studying piano and organ at the age of seven and has continued his musical education through college. He studied classical organ under Dr. Angela Salcedo at the University of Connecticut, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, majoring in classical organ.
As always, the performances will be held from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $10 for OHS members and $20 for the general public. To purchase tickets for Kilgen Theatre Organ events, visit okhistory.org/tickets or call 405-522-0765.
