CPT12 Pressroom

Release Date: 02/02/11

Author: Pam Osborne

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

Extended preview of upcoming documentary
“Neal Cassady: The Denver Years”
to debut at the
Second Annual Neal Cassady Birthday Bash
Mercury Cafe in Denver, February 4, 8-10 p.m.

 
Denver (January 24, 2011) –Soon-to-be-released documentary “Neal Cassady: The Denver Years” will debut with an extended preview screening on Friday, February 4 at the Mercury Café in Denver as part of the second annual Neal Cassady birthday bash. The film is directed and produced by Heather Dalton and produced by Joshua Hassel in association with Colorado Public Television, the presenting station on the June 2011 documentary.
 
“Neal Cassady: The Denver Years” is a documentary based on the autobiographical accounts of Neal Cassady, his troubled youth in Denver and the crucial role that it played in the germination of American beat culture. Neal Cassady was a charismatic, larger then life character. His charm, manic energy, sexual swagger, and free flowing verbosity made him the authentic ‘hero’ of the beat generation.
 
“Neal Cassady’s influence on literary and pop culture is well documented,” said Heather Dalton. “As the protagonist for Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, driver of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters bus and through his own writing and lifestyle – Neal exhibited a style and distinct “cool” that cemented his stature as a true American original.”
 
By being just himself, Neal Cassady created a foundation for the beat generation and set the wheels in motion for the counter culture revolution that would open up the floodgates for decades of free thinkers to follow. He was introduced to the world as Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac’s classic, On The Road  and for controversial literary figures Allen Ginsberg, Ken Kesey, Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson, Cassady was more then a friend, he was their muse and inspiration.
 
Denver’s Second Annual Neal Cassady Birthday Bash will take place on Friday, February 4th at the Mercury Café located at 2199 California, from 8-10pm. The “Bash” is free and open to the public of all ages and will feature entertainment and readings by Neal’s son John Allan Cassady and daughter Jami Cassady, Nate Jordan of Monkey Puzzle Press and legendary musician and author David Amram.
 
Neal Cassady would have been 85 years old on February 8th.
 
About Colorado Public Television – CPT12
Every day Colorado Public Television (CPT12) sets itself apart with an unparalleled schedule of local, “community voice” public affairs programming and invites our statewide audience to explore new issues, ideas, people and places in the state, nation and world. CPT12 curates three digital channels including our flagship signal with a mix of local, national and international programming and infused with quality PBS shows (12.1); CPT12+, the best of independently produced documentaries, music, travel, exercise, cooking, public affairs and more (12.2); and MHz Worldview, providing international news from five continents and diverse cultural perspectives for a globally minded audience (12.3).
 
Noted by The Denver Post in its “2010 TV person of the year” honor of CEO Wick Rowland, CPT12 is a “feisty outlet” that takes a tough stance “on matters of censorship & politics.”
 
World View – Community Voice
cpt12.org (formerly KBDI.org)
 
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Contacts:       
Heather Dalton, Producer, hdalton@cpt12.org, (303) 296-1212,
Joshua Hassel, Producer, jhassel@cpt12.org, 720-732-1992;
or
Pam Osborne
Director of Marketing and Communications
ColoradoPublic Television, CPT12 (PBS)
World View – Community Voice
Denver, CO
303-991-5020 (direct)
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