One of the first celebrity interviews I ever conducted was with Molly Ringwald back in 1986. It was during the actress’ reign as a mid-80s icon for the high school set, and she (and other cast and crew members) were promoting Pretty In Pink, one of the films she made with writer-director John Hughes. Working at the time for the UNC-Charlotte newspaper, I attended the junket in Los Angeles, and while the movie was only so-so and some of the other interviews were less than stimulating (getting Andrew McCarthy to answer questions was like pulling teeth), I left the junket with great respect for Ringwald. A smart young woman with her head squarely on her shoulders, the actress was friendly and engaging, and throughout her run as an 80s star, she avoided the sorts of scandals that all too frequently plague today’s crop of young thespians (*cough* Lindsey *cough* Lohan).

Since that period, Ringwald has enjoyed a healthy career as a stage performer, and she will be coming to the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center June 5-10 as the lead in the musical Sweet Charity. As a warm-up to that event, the Center will present a free “Molly Movie Night” on Tuesday, May 22, in the McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square. The evening will begin with a screening of Hughes’ Sixteen Candles (1984) at 6:30 p.m. A reception with complimentary food and drinks will be held at 8:15 p.m., followed by a showing of Hughes’ classic The Breakfast Club (1985) at 9 p.m.

Admission is free, but RSVPs are required by Friday, May 18. Send an e-mail with your name and number of guests to rsvp1@clubblume.com.

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