Cinema
The Empress returns
The Bear Tooth Theatrepub will host "A Night at the Empress," an early-day Anchorage theater night, reprising a typical program of yesteryear featuring silent films, live dancers and a taste of vaudeville. Feature films include Buster Keaton in "The Frozen North" and Charlie Chaplin in "The Cure." Live music will be provided by members of the Anchorage Symphony, for the the films and for members of the Alaska Dance Theatre performing popular dances of the era. Jim Kerr will contribute juggling in the style of W.C. Fields. There'll be a newsreel, of course, showing rare photos of early Anchorage, and a preview of the 1923 Alaska-made feature, "The Cheechakos." One show only, at 8 p.m. Thursday. Get advance tickets at beartooththeatre.net/movies/a-night-at-the-empress.
Lecture
Imagine Anchorage
A four-day examination of Anchorage's past starts at 6 p.m. Thursday with a reception for Heather Coughlan, mayor of Whitby, England, where Captain James Cook was trained.The reception will be followed at 7:30 p.m. by a talk delivered by Sophie Forgan, chairman of the trustees of the Captain Cook Museum in Whitby, discussing the life and training of the the first European to sail into the Anchorage area. A full day of talks on the subject of Cook and his exploration of Alaska with experts from around the world will take place on Friday and a similar series of talks focused on Anchorage's first 100 years will take place on Saturday. All events take place at the Anchorage Museum. The cost for the event is $85 for members of the Cook Inlet Historical Society, $95 for non-members. Make reservations at cookinlethistory.org. The series will wrap up at 7 p.m. Sunday with the 21st annual Summer Solstice Tour at Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery. Enter at the John Bagoy Gate, Cordova Street and Seventh Avenue. The tour is free.
Cinema
Solstice film showcase
The Alaska Film Forum and Alaska Filmmakers present the third annual 2015 Solstice Showcase of films by local moviemakers. The all-Alaska offerings range from sci-fi, adventure and romantic comedy to animation, music and poetry shorts. Eight films will be screened at 10:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20, at the Bear Tooth Theatrepub. Admission is $10.