Martin Sheen and Dennis Hopper are expected to share memories and pay tribute to James Dean alongside co-stars from the Grant County native's three films and local residents during a three-day festival commemorating the 50th anniversary of the actor's death.
Organizers of the James Dean Fest June 3 through 5 at the Marion Municipal Airport released on Tuesday an expanded schedule of events that includes planned appearances by Sheen, Hopper, Giantco-stars Jane Withers and Earl Holliman, Rebel Without a Cause co-horts Corey Allen and Frank Mazzola and a passel of classic rock bands.
More announcements are still to come, including the artists that will join America (Horse With No Name), The Fifth Dimension (Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In), Gary Puckett (Young Girl), Herman's Hermits (There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)), and Beatles tribute band 1964 on the Dean Fest concert stage.
"We're getting a really strong feeling that this is a family audience," said John Goldstone, executive producer and CEO of James Dean Fest.
"It's June, it's going to be warm, people want relaxing music, easy music, and you know we're going to schedule these bands for the afternoon slots and then have stronger bands in the evening before the movies are shown."
For each night of the festival, attendees can watch one of Dean's three movies on a 100-foot-wide outdoor digital screen.
Before a showing of Rebel Without a Causeon June 4 will be the U.S. premiere of the new documentary James Dean: Forever Young, introduced by director Michael J. Sheridan and its narrator, actor Martin Sheen.
Every night at the "world's largest drive-in" will begin with an introduction by Dean co-stars and celebrities.
"They're going to talk about the movies, they're going to be in the VIP tent, they're going to be doing some signatures," producer Israel Baron said. "They're going to have different venues they will be attending."
The festival also will offer the chance for residents and visitors to indulge in their "inner Dean," who was born in Marion and raised in Fairmount. Organizers are creating replicas of sets from each Dean movie. Using props, participants can act out favorite scenes and have the moment captured on DVD.
"This isn't a concert, it's a whole event," Goldstone said. "What we're trying to do is bring even more attractions and things for people to do. If we start the day it goes through to midnight after the movies are done playing. We want to give people as much variation and choice as possible."
There also will be an "American Icon" talent contest. Information about the search for actors, singers and other performers of any age is being sent to college drama departments from Cincinnati to Chicago, said Jennifer Seybold, wife of Mayor Wayne Seybold and coordinator of the local Dean Fest headquarters.
Participants will be judged by a preliminary panel early in the festival run, and then finalists will go before Goldstone, a producer of projects including Monty Pythonand the Holy Grailand The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and four other judges, Seybold said. Winners will be featured on a documentary being made about Dean Fest.
"We're looking forward to a fabulous event," Seybold said. "This is your chance to be seen by Warner Bros. and possibly be discovered."
