Families in Hattiesburg will have the rare opportunity to experience a Christmas classic on the big screen this holiday season. For one night only, the Saenger Theater will host a special showing of A Christmas Story, complete with a guest appearance by Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie in the beloved film.
The screening is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at the historic downtown theater. In addition to watching the film, attendees will have the chance to participate in a Q&A session with Billingsley after the show.
Fans can also purchase VIP meet-and-greet tickets for an opportunity to meet Billingsley before the screening. During the Q&A, audience members will be able to ask questions about the film, his experiences on set and the movie’s lasting cultural impact.
Billingsley is visiting several cities across the country as part of a tour, and he said he intentionally included a number of Southern communities—including Hattiesburg.
He said that smaller markets rarely get events like this and that Hattiesburg “felt like the right fit” as he planned the tour. Billingsley added that he is especially eager to see how Southern audiences respond to the film.
“I am also excited to hear what the South finds to be extremely funny,” said Billingsley. “And I can’t wait for those certain parts. The South has a good sense of humor.”
During the Q&A the audience can ask Billingsley about his favorite memories on set. One moment he recalled involved the iconic Higbee’s slide — and how difficult it was for the crew to keep the young cast away from it.
“They couldn’t keep us down during lunch, we didn’t eat any of those days,” said Billingsley. “We just rode down the slide. We used it constantly.”
He also recalled his favorite scene to watch as being when the leg lamp arrives. Because it was the cast’s first time seeing the prop, their reactions on camera were completely genuine. He said the director frequently surprised them with moments like that.
Billingsley said this movie will put most in the Christmas spirit if they are not already. He encourages the audience to have fun and interact with each other. He plans to bring behind-the-scenes photos and break down certain scenes for the audience.
“We encourage it to be a fun, loud audience and have a good time with it,” he said.
Tickets and additional information are available at peterbillingsleytour.com
