Join the MoMA Teens Film Club for a free screening of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar with a special guest: the film’s production designer, Wynn Thomas.
Released amid 1990s drag mania, this 1995 cult classic follows drag queens Noxeema Jackson ( Wesley Snipes), Vida Boheme (Patrick Swayze), and Chi-Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo) on a road trip from New York City to a drag ball in Hollywood. When their junker car breaks down along the way, the queens befriend the residents of a small Midwestern town. Wynn Thomas’s set designs bring us from the ball stage of Webster Hall to dusty-hued small-town exteriors.
This screening will be followed by a conversation and audience Q&A with Wynn Thomas. Through conversation, we will celebrate Thomas’s 40-year career crafting worlds alongside directors like Spike Lee, Tim Burton, Robert Townsend, Robert De Niro, and Ron Howard. We will explore the art of production design and Wynn’s process for building the visual worlds of To Wong Foo and other films from his vast portfolio.
After the screening and conversation, there will be a mixer with complimentary food, activities, and music, from 7:45 to 9:00 p.m.
This event is free but registration is required. This program is for folks ages 15–22.
Wynn Thomas, a Boston University graduate with a BFA in theatre design, began his career in theater designing sets for the renowned Negro Ensemble Company, Joe Papp’s Public Theatre, and Arena Stage. Often recognized as the first African American production designer in the history of American cinema, he got his start in the industry assisting distinguished production designers Richard Slybert on The Cotton Club and Patrizia Von Brandenstein on Beat Street. As a production designer, Thomas has worked with some of the most important film directors of the 20th century. He has had a long-term collaborative relationship with Spike Lee, spanning 35 years and 11 films, including She’s Gotta Have It, Malcolm X, Da 5 Bloods, and Crooklyn. Thomas has been a proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829 for 40 years. He made history as the first African American to join the Art Director’s Guild. He served on the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ board of governors for six years, three as vice president. In addition to Thomas’s two ADG Awards, for Hidden Figures and Da 5 Bloods, the Art Directors Guild will be presenting him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in spring 2024.
Contact [email protected] or (212) 333 6543 with questions.
Content Warning for To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
Parents Guide: violence and gore (3); profanity (5); alcohol, drugs, and smoking (2); frightening and intense scenes (1)
Accessibility
FM assistive-listening devices (headsets and neck loops for T-coil compatibility) are available for sound amplification. Closed captioning and descriptive audio may be available for select screenings, also upon request.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is available for public programs upon request with two weeks’ advance notice. MoMA will make every effort to provide accommodation for requests made with less than two weeks’ notice. Please contact [email protected] to make a request for these accommodations.
All-gender and family accessible restrooms are located in the Cullman Mezzanine.
For more information on accessibility at MoMA please visit moma.org/visit/accessibility/. For accessibility questions or accommodation requests please email [email protected] or (212) 333 6543.
MoMA Teens Film Club is a space for New York City teens to gather, connect, and nurture their love of movies. MoMA Teens Film Club meets every month, from January to June, to screen classic and contemporary films and videos. Each screening is followed by discussions with filmmakers, directors, curators, artists, designers, and more, moderated by fellow teens. MoMA Teens Film Club is free and open to folks ages 15–22.
For more information about the MoMA Teens Film Club, contact [email protected] or (212) 333 6543.
MoMA Teens Film Club screenings are moderated and shaped by the Teen Film Committee, a collective of young film enthusiasts.
The 2024 Teen Film Committee is Bermet Asanova, Misha Belgrave, Christian Conner, Avy Gutierrez, Kaya Jarvis, Sampada Malla, Amber Mccain Brown, Melanie Quiroz, Naomi Routche, Eshq Salem, Kristacia Scott, Success Taylor, Nicodemo Diez Marquez.
The Adobe Foundation is proud to support equity, learning, and creativity at MoMA.
Teen Programs are made possible by the Carroll and Milton Petrie Education Program Endowment, the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Endowment, and by Volkswagen of America. Additional funding is provided by the Annual Education Fund.