Catherine Hand, David Paterson, Cornelia Duryee talk adaptations at Walking on Water Conference
When I saw A Wrinkle in Time on stage this spring, I was blown away by the ability of the performers and director to keep the truth of the story while staying true to their medium. I constantly wondered, though: How on earth did they adapt this book so well?
We’re thrilled to have a conversation about adaptations with a sterling panel of film and stage pros at the first Walking on Water Conference this November. Taking part in the “Icons of the True: Adapting Novels to Film” panel:
- Catherine Hand: Her journey with A Wrinkle in Time began when she first read the beloved novel as a young girl,dreamingof one day making it into a major motion picture. Years later, Hand met Madeleine L’Engle, establishing alifelong friendship and earning L’Engle’s trust as a steward for the film adaptation. Read about her 54-year wait to make Wrinkle into a movie in this feature that ran in Time magazine before the movie’s release. Find her on Twitter, too: @madebyhand5. (Photo credit: Photo © Tony Powell. Catherine Hand. January 22, 2018)
- David Paterson: David is a writer, professional stuntman, and adjunct professor of screenwriting for NYIT of Manhattan. His films have premiered at Sundance, Tribeca and Palm Springs Film Festivals, and have screened at over a 100 festivals worldwide. He wrote and produced the Disney hit, The Bridge to Terabithia. His latest film, The Great Gilly Hopkins, starring Glenn Close, Octavia Spencer, Kathy Bates, is now screening on Amazon and iTunes. More about David can be found at www.arcadybayent.com.
- Cornelia Duryee: She writes, produces, and directs (both film and theater), and works as a casting director. She has written and directed three feature films—West of Redemption, Camilla Dickinson and The Dark Horse—and both produced and cast the first season of the popular web-series JourneyQuest. She’s also credited for introducing Madeleine to All Angels Church, where the conference will be held.
- Moderating will be Jason Pizzarello. Jason is a NYC-based playwright and Creative Director of Stage Partners, a theatrical licensing house of new plays for young actors and audiences. Stage Partners proudly represents five stage adaptations of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, along with an adaptation of her Austin Family story The 24 Days Before Christmas.
The Walking on Water Conference is at All Angels’ Church, New York City. A pre-conference retreat begins the festivities on Friday, Nov. 15, followed by the main conference events on Nov. 16. Early bird registration ends on August 31. Register today!
~Erin F. Wasinger, for MadeleineLEngle.com.
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Charlotte Jones Voiklis is Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter and executor of her estate. She is a lead producer of the musical adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. She is also the co-author with Jennifer Adams of A Book, Too, Can Be a Star (October 2022), a picture book biography illustrated by Adelina Lirius; and, with her sister, Léna Roy, of Becoming Madeleine (2018), a biography for middle grade readers.
She wrote the afterword to the 50th Anniversary edition of A Wrinkle in Time, and the introduction to The Moment of Tenderness (2020), a collection of short stories. Charlotte has also written and spoken extensively about her grandmother’s work to a variety of audiences.
With a PhD in Comparative Literature, Charlotte’s professional experience spans teaching, fundraising, communications, and grant making. She has also volunteered as a mediator in the New York City court system, and coached police officers on mediation skills. Charlotte lives in New York and Connecticut with her husband and has two grown children.