Blog Stage - Acting in Film, TV, Theatre - Backstage

Best...Swag...EVER!!!

I am seriously impressed with the good people in marketing and promotions at Fox. They always come up with the most creative swag to send journalists. (I'm still enjoying my "Glee" gym jacket with Jane Lynch's character's name on the back.) Sometimes swag makes no sense ("Fatal Attraction" paper clips?), sometimes you have to see the movie for it to make sense (the tiny drum from "The Visitor" is a favorite), and sometimes it's just lazy (please don't slap any more logos on crappy bags for me. Really.) But the Fox people have been coming up with some fun stuff that is both useful and clever. Case in point: today the DVD of the 2-hour season premiere of "House" (airing Sept. 21) arrived. Not only did it come in a prescription bag bearing the Princeton Plainsboro logo (the fictional hospital where "House" is set) but it contained a pencil holder--in the shape of a prescription bottle. The pencils are all personalized to "Dr. Gregory House" and under the label's "Warning" it reads: "May cause cynicism, irritability, snarkiness, offensiveness, disparagement, lying, bullying and uncontrollable urge to diagnose." But you know what's really nice? It's the little touches...not only is the prescription made out to one Jenelle Riley at Back Stage (Hey! That's me!), the prescribing doctor is one Gregory House. Oh, and in case there was any confusion, it also says in small lettering: "This is not a real prescription." Oh. Thanks. I could mock Fox for this but you just know that once upon a time, some jackass tried to swallow a pencil and now they have to put this warning on everything. Sigh.

--Jenelle Riley

Daddy-Os

I've been out sick but wanted to post my interviews this week with Robin Williams (here) and Bobcat Goldthwait (here), the star and writer/director of "World's Greatest Dad," which opens in L.A. today (it's already out in New York.) I truly loved this movie and am thrilled people have a chance to see it. I was also fortunate enough to moderate a Q&A with the two (by "moderate" I mean "introduce and get out of the way") this week, and my favorite moment was probably when they were asked if they ever regretted saying anything. Goldthwait told a story about making a joke about Michael Jordan while in Chicago and getting booed off the stage. Williams followed that with a story about performing for Prince Charles. At which point Goldthwait interrupted and said, "Do you have any idea how different our lives are? My stories take place at Indian gaming casinos! You start off by saying you performed for the Prince of Wales!"

--Jenelle Riley

"The Stray": A New Twist on Eternal Soul Mates

Recently I attended a screening of a little indie short called, "The Stray." 

A throwback to good old 70s horror films with it's gritty and indie, albeit gory delivery, "The Stray" is about Micky and Linda, a couple who find love, happiness, violence and death again and again in their reoccurring cycle of insanity and reincarnate evil. It is set in the quiet charm of a century-old Craftsman home in the hills North of Los Angeles. The couple has been through this before--their past lives played out to the same violent end as the one before, and the one before that. Only Micky retains any memory of the past and suffers the insanity of those memories in psychotic states and emotional imprisonment.

Frankly, I was a little reluctant to go in with any expectations to the screening.  Sure, almost all horror is low budget, but I was aware that this was very low budget and produced by a rather new film team at Anonymous Coward Productions.  But on a shoe string budget, I was pleasantly put in my  place.  The story (written by Tom Ford) was interesting and actually refreshingly new.  The production quality--with the exception of a few slight sound glitches, minor really-- was great, and the acting by the actress who played Mickey was subtle, understated, frightening and never over-the-top even when given over-the-top circumstances.  In one of the final scenes, Mickey (played by Monica Ford) must go through every possible emotion and/or behavior, including lust, rage, insanity, and homicidal satisfaction, and Ford, in a word, shines.

The direction and cinematography is excellent.  Allison Evans as Linda certainly holds her own.  "The Stray" has been accepted to the Short Film Corner in Cannes and will undoubtedly play other festivals.  I think Anonymous Coward Productions may have to get used to some notoriety real soon! The jury is still out, but this may be a team to watch.  If you like horror and you like seeing new undiscovered talent, this is probably for you.  To see the trailer click here: The Stray.

Upcoming Screening: It will also be showing at The Bungalow Club in Los Angeles on Sept. 21 at 8:15 PM.

‘Big Valley’ on the Big Screen!

The Barkley family will be back, this time on the big screen. A Panther Entertainment Production, “Big Valley” will be produced by Kate Edelman Johnson and directed by Daniel Adams. Shooting should begin in spring. Go to www.bigvalleymovie.com for updates. Sheila Jaffe is the announced casting director.

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Bloodcurdling!

VH1, in association with Lionsgate (“Saw,” “Hostel”), is casting beautiful women. Ten actors will be chosen to compete in the second season of VH1’s “Scream Queens.” One will win a breakout role in a theatrically released Lionsgate horror film. To audition, you must be 21 or older and appear to be between the ages of 21 and 30.

The casting team will be holding open calls across the country, but location is not a factor for applying. Anyone unable to make the casting sessions can submit a home audition tape via mail and may be chosen for a Skype interview with the casting director. Go to VH1 for an application and more information. If you have any additional questions, send an email to ScreamQueens.

Fall Theater Harvest in L.A.

A bountiful array of promising offerings highlight the fare that's on tap for L.A. during the 2009 fall season. New announcements typically arrive througout the season, but  there are already many shows in the pipeline boasting a strong want-to-see factor. The unofficial seasonal kickoff  would seem to be the Ahmanson Theatre's eagerly anticipated September 9 opening of the Tony- and Pulitizer-winning Tracy Letts drama August: Osage County, in its L.A. premiere. Estelle Parsons (pictured) repeats her Broadway role of the family matriarch Violet in the Steffenwolf Theatre Company production, directed by Anna D. Shapiro. 

Family audiences will be equally keen on seeing the Cameron Macintosh-Disney favorite Mary Poppins, which floats into the Ahamanson on Novermber 15, in the national tour, toplining the show's Broadway stars, Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee.

The Center Theatre Group has additional big guns in store with the October 4 opening of the Donmar Warehouse production of Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry's stirring musical drama Parade, which netted Tonys for Brown's score and Uhry's book. Its tells the tragic true story of the arrest, convinction, and lynching of warehouse worker Leo Frank in 1913 Georgia, unjustly charged with the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan.

Christopher Plummer to Prosper in 'Tempest'

Christopher Plummer has signed up to play Prospero in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's 2010 production of The Tempest.

Plummer, who actually began his career at Stratford, last appeared there in the Festival's 2008 production of Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra as Julius Caesar (and just received a Gemini nomination for his performance in the film of that production).

-- Brooks Sherman

"House" Rules

I moderated a Q&A last week for the good people at SAG Foundation with the great Hugh Laurie, star of "House," and the show's creator, executive producer, and Emmy-winning writer (for the stellar season one episode "Three Stories") David Shore. As always, Laurie was witty and charming for the sold-out crowd, and Shore was just as sharp, offering some interesting insights into the running of the show.

One thing I was surprised to learn was that Shore was a fan of Laurie's from his time on such BBC shows as "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" (or--as well call it in my home--"A Bit of Laurie, with Some Stephen Fry") and the greatest show of all time, "Black Adder." I'd always been under the impression the creative team behind "House" were unfamiliar with Laurie's oeuvre before casting him. But Shore, ever the brutally honest one, admitted, "I was a huge fan, so I wanted him to come in [for the part], but I didn't think he could do it!" Later, I tried to soften the blow by saying to Hugh, "David sort of joked earlier that he didn't think you could do this role--" and Shore piped in, "No, I wasn't joking!" Well, I tried.

New York Auditions at a Glance – Aug. 27-Sept. 4

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.

California Auditions at a Glance – Aug. 27-Sept. 4

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.