Virtual program explores Chaplin’s “The Kid at 100”
The Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery at St. Vincent College in Latrobe will present “The Kid at 100,” a virtual program showing Charlie Chaplin’s film “The Kid,” followed by a live presentation by Dan Kamin, a renowned mime artist and comedian, on Thursday, Sept.16 at 7 p.m.
In 1921, “The Kid” took the world by storm. The story of a penniless tramp who adopts an abandoned infant struck a powerful chord in the aftermath of a devastating war during which millions died and thousands of children were left orphaned. Kamin will reveal what keeps this film fresh, funny and incredibly moving to this day.
Registration for the free program, as well as more about Kamin’s extensive work on stage and screen, can be found online at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-kid-at-100-celebrating-a-chaplin-masterwork-tickets-167323748837.
In his first book, “Charlie Chaplin’s One-Man Show,” (1984), Kamin revealed the secrets of Chaplin’s comic art. Regarded as a breakthrough work, the book includes a preface by another Chaplin fan, the legendary mime Marcel Marceau.
His most recent book, “The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin: Artistry in Motion,” updates his earlier book and details how Kamin trained actor Robert Downey, Jr. for his Oscar-nominated performance in “Chaplin,” after which Downey said, “Dan’s insights are amazing.”
Drawing inspiration from Harry Houdini, Kamin has been performing magic since the age of 12. After studying industrial design at Carnegie Mellon University, he found inspiration in the silent comedy films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. He began performing his own original comedy show, “Silent Comedy… Live!,” touring at colleges and theaters around the country.
For more information about “The Kid at 100,” contact Lauren Churilla, curator of the McCarl Coverlet Gallery, at lauren.churilla@stvincent.edu or 724-991-3414.