Breakfast at Tiffany's on the stage (yet again)

So far we have the original novella by Truman Capote (1958), the film with Audrey Hepburn (1961), a musical (1966), and a West End production (2009). Opening next month on Broadway is yet another incarnation of Breakfast at Tiffany's, this time starring Emilia Clarke of Game of Thrones fame.

As the show hasn't opened yet, information is still trickling in, but so far there is an official website, an app game you can play (Fend off rats and super rats! Dance with Fred! Buy clothes!), and a Facebook page to like, and a Twitter feed you may follow for updates and sneak peeks at costume design sketches. The show previews begin March 4th at the Cort Theatre but the official opening night is March 20th. As of now, the calendar shows the play running through the end of August, but as with any play, if you want to see it, book sooner rather than later.

I'll actually be running out to New York next weekend to catch the show, so I'll take pictures of the venue and write up a review for those of you who can't make it. Keep in mind that this is based off of the novella, which is quite a bit different than the film, so if you're not familiar with Capote's Holly Golightly...well, you might want to read up on her.

She Wore Givenchy...

It seems London has all the good gallery shows lately! I received notice recently that some new, never before seen photographs from a lost photo shoot in 1964 will be on display in London starting today and running through April 7th. The exhibit is called She Wore Givenchy...An Hour at the Ritz, Paris, 1964, and was photographed by Angela Williams.

The exhibit will be showing at the Heartbreak Gallery, and is part of a larger Icons gallery exhibit featuring other celebrities (mainly English) that Ms. Williams had photographed during her career as a freelance photographer. You can read more about the Audrey set in particular here, and if you're in the London area and would like to drop by for a look, you can find the address, hours, and other particulars here. There will also be limited edition signed prints for sale.

I wanted to fly out and see the exhibit myself but sadly, it's just not an option (especially since I'll be traveling to cover Breakfast at Tiffany's in New York). If you're like me and can't make it out to see the exhibit in person, the gallery is offering a nice e-catalogue to look through.

She seemed so tiny and fragile. The room was filled with roses and was ornately decorated. Roses, gilt and gold. She was in that exotic room like a precious bloom amongst all the flowers. - Angela Williams

Thank you to Laura for bringing this exhibit to my attention.

Audrey Hepburn's latest endorsement

If you haven't heard by now, Audrey Hepburn has returned. With the permission of her estate - her sons Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti - Galaxy Chocolate, a UK branch of Mars candy, is using a digitized Audrey to sell their chocolate bars. The new commercial aired Sunday evening, and features a mid-50s era Audrey stuck on a bus on the streets of Rome, looking for some peace and quiet so she can enjoy her chocolate bar. I won't spoil anymore, you can watch here:

And of course the soundtrack is quite familiar! In a statement released before the advert aired, Sean and Luca feel that Audrey would have approved because, "Our mother often spoke about her love of chocolate and how it lifted her spirit so we're sure she would have been proud of her role as the face of Galaxy." Much like the Gap ad a few years ago, reactions are across the board over this ad. Some fans are pleased that Audrey is popular enough to sell chocolate even now, 20 years after her passing, while others like The Independent take a more stark view. What are your thoughts?

If this has left you feeling less than pleased, then these GIFs of Audrey winning her Oscar nearly 60 years ago might make you feel better. Nothing beats the real thing!

There's still time!

Have you chosen your Halloween costume yet? Have you bought it/made it yet? If you wanted to be Audrey but haven't been able to decide which version of Audrey to be, don't fret. You have plenty of options.

You can visit my older guides (part 1, part 2), but I have also found two newer books for the more crafty among you. These books offer instructions and patterns copying famous film costumes, and while they won't be precise replicas (because that would involve some fancy couture sewing!), they are quite nice replicas that you can use as a costume or even just in everyday wear.

The newest book is Sew Iconic, and features a pattern for Audrey's little black dress with the fringe from Breakfast at Tiffany's. This dress is a bit easier to make than the long column dress from the beginning of the film, and makes it easier to walk around all day (or climb out windows, if need be). If you're a big film buff, you might also love this book because it features Marilyn's iconic Seven Year Itch dress, Keira Knightley's green dress from Atonement, and Catherine Zeta-Jones' nightclub dress from the opening number in Chicago. If you'd like to get a better feel for the book, the foxling has a wonderful review with loads of pictures.

The second sewing book, Famous Frocks, is more of an eclectic mix, featuring the same Breakfast dress, along with a Twiggy mini dress, a Farrah Fawcett shirt dress, Madonna's Like A Prayer dress, and a Rita Hayworth costume. A blog with the name of geeksdigme has a post with more pictures and some additional information, if you wanted to have a better look.

Happy Birthday!

It's Audrey Day again! Yes, it's Audrey Hepburn's 83rd birthday today, and while she is not with us physically, her spirit is as strong as ever. She still influences millions of people with her grace, style, class, and humanitarian works, and it's still as heartwarming to hear about her influences now as it was when I first started this old thing 9 years ago.

I thought it would be a nice celebration to share what others are saying and doing in honor of Audrey. The cake to the left wasn't made for Audrey's birthday, but rather a fan's birthday. Still, isn't it just gorgeous? I'd almost feel bad eating it. Almost! It was made by The Cocoa Cakery, and they were kind enough to share photos of all their lovely works on Flickr.

Celebuzz remembers Audrey by putting together a slideshow of celebrities who are inspired by Audrey's fashion, ranging from Lady Gaga to Ashley Greene, which you can view here. (The photo of Liv Tyler in the slideshow is actually from the Timeless Audrey exhibit! And Liv was also a Givenchy spokesmodel a few years ago.)

There was also a special 10th anniversary ceremony at the Audrey Hepburn Children's House in New Jersey today, and Natalie Portman was there, along with Audrey's older son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer. Natalie is a godmother to the Children's House and was onhand for the opening, so it's only appropriate that she celebrates the hospital's continuing success. PopSugar has some photos and more information on what Natalie's been doing lately.

Jezebel gave Audrey a little shout out as well, with a funny clip from Breakfast at Tiffany's thrown in for fun.

And Politicus USA has a really lovely, well-written article on Audrey's humanitarian past and humbleness. It seems only fitting to close the post with something that reminds us of Audrey's troubled past, and how it only served to make her into a better person that used her experiences to help others.

The important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters.

Audrey A Roma in book form

The last big news item on Audrey Hepburn was an exhibit in Italy showcasing Audrey's life in Rome. The exhibit was sadly short-lived, yet still managed to raise nearly $100,000 for UNICEF! If you couldn't make it out to Rome to visit the exhibit, but desperately wanted to see the displays of Audrey's clothes, personal belongings, and candid photographs, never fear: a special book curated by her son Luca Dotti has been released with 192 pages of text and pictures for your enjoyment.

If you are in Europe, you can order the book through Amazon's Italian page here, or try your luck at local bookstores, as they have been spotted out and about. If you are in the U.S., the book is harder to find, but not impossible. A few sellers on Amazon have copies at around $30 (plus shipping), and would cost you near the same amount to order a copy from overseas and have it shipped to you. The best part is that all royalties from the sales go directly to the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.

In an extra bit of news: if you are on Twitter, so am I! You can now get all your Audrey news in 140 characters or less. See you there.

Audrey A Roma

Exciting news! There will be a new exhibit on Audrey Hepburn in Rome, Italy, running from October 26th through December 4th. While there will be photos and personal items of Audrey's on display, this exhibit is different from Timeless Audrey, the exhibit that has been displayed in Germany and Japan and select other locations. Audrey A Roma is a special exhibit showcasing the years Audrey lived as an Italian housewife whilst married to her second husband, Andrea Dotti.

The exhibit will have extremely rare home videos of Audrey in Rome, as well as personal and paparazzi photos of her - the paparazzi often mailed Audrey the photos they had taken of her - and when possible, the very clothes she was wearing in those pictures will be on display as well. For those who have seen Timeless Audrey, it sounds like there will be enough new material to make this exhibit worth your while, and if you haven't yet seen Timeless Audrey, then here's a sneak preview for you!



Information is still trickling in at this point, but I can give you some basics, plus a lot of lovely links to look through. The Italian branch of UNICEF, which is working with The Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund, has a new mini-site up about Audrey's work with UNICEF and the exhibit, which you can see here. 25% of ticket proceeds will go towards UNICEF Italy's ongoing mission in Chad, Africa. Not only that, but there will be a special card designed just for this Italian exhibit, and the purchase of this card turns into a donation for a course of vitamins and minerals for a malnourished child - though if you can't make it to the exhibit but would still like to help in the name of Audrey, you can buy the card online here. A really lovely blog that's heavy on pictures has been set up on Tumblr, so if you're already on there, it'll be very easy for you to follow and get a daily dose of Audrey. You may also read more about the intentions behind the exhibit, and Sean and Luca's thoughts on it, on the Children's Fund website here. And while I don't have a link yet for this last bit, I can tell you that a picture book called Audrey A Roma (Audrey In Rome) will be on sale at the exhibit and elsewhere, designed by Audrey's son Luca Dotti. It will be in Italian bookstores and the Italian Amazon, but before you complain, word is that the book is being translated into English, French and German, and will be released sooner rather than later! Stay tuned.

As for the details ... if you can make it to the exhibit, here's what you need to know: The exhibit is at the Ara Pacis Museum Lungotevere in Augusta, Rome, and runs every day but Mondays from 9am to 7pm (no entries after 6pm). Admission is 10€, but discounts can be had, and there are certain cases for free admission.

Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Hollywood Forever cemetery

It sounds macabre, I know, but for those of you not from L.A., watching films in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a great pastime of ours. Every weekend during the summer, we confab with picnic blankets, lawn chairs and even air mattresses to eat, drink, and watch a classic film under the stars. (Yes, even we have a few stars in the sky.)

This year is the tenth anniversary of Cinespia, the organization that screens the films, and they asked for our requests. I wrote in "Anything Audrey Hepburn!" and they listened. The most well-known and beloved of Audrey's films, Breakfast at Tiffany's, will be screened this Saturday August 6th at 8 pm. This year is the first time you can pre-order tickets online, and as someone who goes quite regularly, I highly recommend doing this. And queueing up very early, because this place fills up rather fast! But even sitting on the front lawn waiting to be let in can be fun, with people starting their picnics (and wine drinking) early. And this is where you make friends.

If you are in the area, please try to make this. It's a really fun and memorable way to spend a night in L.A., and the most unique way to see Audrey.

Audrey Hepburn's My Fair Lady Ascot dress sold - again

It was nearly 10 years ago that I went to a nondescript building in Beverly Hills and got to see Audrey Hepburn's iconic black and white Ascot races dress from My Fair Lady before it was sold at auction for $100,000. (The hat was included as well.) I even got to take a picture with it! Back then, it was sold to a man who had grand ideas to open up his own memorabilia museum.

Fast forward to this weekend, where the dress was once again up for auction in Beverly Hills. But this time the person selling it was none other than legendary actress Debbie Reynolds! At some point she had bought the dress and had a costume museum of her own, but things changed and she had to sell a good amount of her amazing collection to pay off the debts. Marilyn Monroe's white dress from The Seven Year Itch - you know, that dress - sold for a whopping $4.6 million. The Ascot dress? It did alright, selling for $3.7 million. That's quite a raise in value in just ten years!

No word yet on who the new owner is, or if the costume will be put on display anywhere.

Limited edition art for a good cause

I'm well aware of the fact that you all love the illustrations for Just Being Audrey by now. How could you not love Julia Denos's adorable drawings of a rosy-cheeked Audrey? Well, if you own the book but would like something more, maybe something worth framing or sending off to friends, Julia has just opened a shop with limited edition prints, both of illustrations from the book and never before seen drawings, plus a darling set of greeting cards. The prints are $50-150, while the note cards are more affordable at $25, but with all of these, proceeds go to the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund. Isn't that great? You get something you love, you support an artist, and children in need are helped as well. Everybody wins.

Let's bring Mayerling back to life!

For those of you that don't know, in 1957 Audrey Hepburn and husband Mel Ferrer starred in a television adaptation of the popular story Mayerling, about a prince and his ill-fated love affair. It was part of the Producers' Showcase series, and as far as I know it was never officially released on home video to own.

This is where Dan comes in. He emailed me recently and has taken it upon himself to start up a petition to get Mayerling released! It's not just someone collecting signatures on the internet, either; he has spoken to people associated with the company holding the rights and the main reason why the film has never been released was because they honestly think there isn't enough interest in this piece. I know quite a few people who beg to disagree! I'm sure quite a lot of you do too, and this is where you can actively help. Dan has a petition to sign here, as well as a campaign on Facebook. Sign it, like the page, pass the links on, and get the word out! Let's show the people in charge that there is interest in Mayerling, get it dusted off and properly released for all to enjoy. Dan has posted a message with more details on the Audrey 1 forum, and if you've never even heard of Mayerling before, he's also been kind enough to post a clip on YouTube:

Keira still shadowing Audrey

I just happened to hear about this by accident, but apparently Keira Knightley has been performing in a West End production of The Children's Hour - taking on Audrey Hepburn's old role of Karen Wright. The show opened around the end of January and I'm not sure how much longer it will be around, but Keira has been getting mixed reviews. Mainly upbeat, though the Daily Mail says there's still room for improvement.

You may remember that Keira was in serious talks to star in a film remake of My Fair Lady before it fell through, and that the remake is still in development. This is twice now that Keira has wanted to recreate an Audrey Hepburn film role, and her first time actually doing it. Any thoughts on her choices in this regard?

Funny Face hat up for auction

Another big Hollywood memorabilia auction is coming up, and this time the bright yellow/orange/green hat Audrey wore while singing "How Long Has This Been Going On?" in Funny Face is going up on the block.

Julien's Auctions will be putting the hat up during a large two day auction May 7 and 8, but if you are in the L.A. area right now you can drop in their showroom in Beverly Hills and see the hat for yourself! Not touch, of course, for they have it securely behind glass, but you are welcome to look all you want and also see the other fantastic costumes and memorabilia they have available. Indiana Jones, Lucille Ball, tons of Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, even The Brady Bunch, Heroes, and Planet of the Apes!

I stopped in last Thursday to have a look around and photograph the hat to share with those of you who can't make the trip to see it in person, and everyone present was so helpful and kind and very giving there. A first rate staff! If you can make it out before the auction, the exhibit will be open to the public until May 6, and hours are from 10 am to 5 pm. The address is 9665 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills.

The hat is expected to fetch between $2000-3000, and comes with the costume sketch for Marion's gown and hat and a DVD copy of Funny Face.

Happy birthday, dear Audrey!

If you didn't already know, today is Audrey Hepburn's birthday! If she was still with us she would have been 82 years old today, but you know what? Audrey is still very much with us. Her influence is as strong as ever, she's as popular as ever, and everyone still wants to be her.

To celebrate the fairest lady's birthday, WatchMojo put together a video tutorial on how to get Audrey's Breakfast at Tiffany's look in makeup:



So if you would like to celebrate Audrey's birthday but don't quite know what to do, why not give yourself a little makeover and pop in one of her films? To make it extra Audrey, indulge with a piece of chocolate, Audrey's favourite treat. Remember a lovely person by making yourself feel beautiful.

Special thanks to Stephanie for sharing this link with us.

The Audrey Hepburn Collection by Bob Willoughby exhibit in London

If you love looking at pictures of Audrey Hepburn - and really, who doesn't? - then you most certainly have seen photographs of her that were taken by Bob Willoughby. You may not know his name, but rest assured, you know his work and love it.

He caught Audrey just as her star was starting to rise, and stayed with her throughout her career. More than a photographer, Willoughby was lucky enough to be a friend to Audrey as well. They visited each other frequently, and their children grew up together. This intimacy shows in their work together, and now Proud Galleries in London is exhibiting Bob's photographs of Audrey for all to enjoy. Best of all, it's free!

Starting May 12, the exhibit runs until June 26 at Proud's Chelsea gallery, address 161 King’s Road, London. Public hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 10-7, and Thursdays and Saturdays from 10-8. You can find additional information at the Proud Galleries website here. If you can make it, this exhibit is a must-see!

Special thanks to Sophie for sharing all this information, and for her kindness and generosity.

check your email!

Finally, after much deliberation (and some sweet agony), my lovely assistant and I have chosen the three lucky people to win a free copy of Just Being Audrey. So check your email!

If you weren't selected in this contest ... please don't take it personally, or think anything badly about your entry. They were all good, and they were all taken to heart and thought over carefully. It was extremely difficult to just choose three out of so many quality entries, and if I had the funds, I would definitely have sent every single one of you a book. Rest assured, if I ever win the lottery, I will split the funds between you lovely people and UNICEF. :)

But fear not, because there will always be more contests! Thank you again to every single person who entered and shared such wonderful memories and thoughts, and please know that all of you touched our hearts with your letters. Audrey has the best fans.

Special thanks again and again to Kath for all of her help during this contest.

apologies for the delay

Hello, I just wanted to check in with you all and assure you that no, I have not forgotten the contest! I know I had said that the three winners would be announced shortly but I really hadn't expected so many astounding entries. To be completely honest with you, I needed an assistant to help me narrow down the results and we're still having trouble getting it down to just three! Your entries were so touching and wonderful, all of them, that it is agony to try and cut it down. If I had the funds, rest assured that all of you would be getting a book! As it is, we are aiming to have the final three chosen in the coming week. I know you hate waiting, but know that it's because your entries were all so wonderful and that we are taking every single letter to heart.

contest now closed

Just a quick note to say that the contest has now closed, and thank each and every one of you who entered! I haven't read all of the letters yet, but based on what I have read, this won't be an easy decision. So many entries were just fantastic, I really really wish I could afford to send every single one of you a book!

Winners will be announced shortly. Thanks again for entering!

Just Being Audrey giveaway contest!

You've waited long enough, now here it is: I will be giving away three (3) copies of the gorgeous children's picture book Just Being Audrey. Highly acclaimed and already deeply loved, this book is short and sweet and beautifully written. Designed for children but accessible to all, the book gives a lovely summary of Audrey's life, from la petite ballerina in Holland to the trendsetting Hollywood icon to the UNICEF ambassador, all illustrated with divine full color (and often full page) drawings.

All you have to do is send me an email at admin[at]fabaudrey.com (replace the [at] with @, or just click on the link to automatically open your email browser), title the email "contest," and tell me your name, what your favourite piece of Audrey Hepburn memorabilia is and why. I don't expect anything big, this isn't a school essay, and you don't have to impress anyone here. Just something Audrey-related that you especially love or are sentimental about. It could even be a copy of your favourite film of hers and how it makes you feel. Don't feel pressured, just write a little something from the heart. I will pick three - if I can! - and those three will be shipped a free copy of Just Being Audrey. That's it. :)

The rules: this contest is open to anyone anywhere in the world, as long as you can receive packages from the U.S. Your book will be shipped directly from amazon.com. You do not need to give me any personal information other than your name unless I contact you saying that you have won and I will need an address to ship to. Please do not take it personally if you weren't selected in this contest, there will be more! I am already quite sure it will be hard to choose just three entries, but I am a student and can't afford to buy everyone books at this time. :)

The contest will run from now, Saturday March 19, 2011 at 1 pm PST, until next Saturday March 26, 2011 at 1 pm PST. After the contest has closed I will read all of the entries and face the difficult task of choosing three. Within one week I will contact the three winners and email them with congratulations and ask for a shipping address. I'm afraid that only the recipients of the books will be notified, though I thank you all in advance for participating and sharing your feelings on Audrey. If you have any questions that I haven't answered, please feel free to comment below. Bonne chance!

Special thanks to Kath for having the idea for the contest in the first place. :)

Just Being Audrey arrives!

I've received quite a response from you readers, so now I must have a contest giving away a few copies of this book or you'll never forgive me. :) The book was just released today though, so be patient as I get things in order!

I also wanted to tell you that if you are on Facebook, the Just Being Audrey page is giving away an autographed copy of the book. All you have to do is leave a comment on the status asking what your favourite Audrey film is and you are entered to win! Their contest runs until Friday, so if you're interested, go here. Once their contest has ended and the winner announced I think I will start up my contest. I think giving away 3 copies ought to be good.

Oh, and just to clarify: my contests are always open world-wide, not just to US residents. If you can receive packages then you can enter.