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

Vera Farmiga Gets 'Higher'

Vera Farmiga is someone I've always liked as an actor--I found her the real star of "Up in the Air," even when every0ne was going nuts over Anna Kendrick. And the fact she used to star in the Fox series "Roar" opposite Heath Ledger only ups her cache in my eyes. But it turns out she's also quite a director, as evidenced by her debut, "Higher Ground," now in theaters. I'm not sure how the film did over the weekend--I believe it was set to play in three theaters, and I think two of them were closed due to Hurricane Irene. But hopefully the weather will be better this weekend and people can check out this little gem, which tells the story of a Fundamentalist Christian woman (Farmiga) who slowly begins to question her faith. Check out the above video for my conversations with Farmiga and her co-star Joshua Leonard.

I also had the pleasure of doing alive  Q&A with Farmiga and Leonard last week, and was impressed by what a natural director she seemed to be. You can tell how passionately she feels about the film, and even when the talkback was over, she stuck around to speak with everyone who waited. When you're dealing with a topic as tricky as faith (and the loss thereof) you're going to get people who feel very passionately one way or the other, and Farmiga was wonderful at explaining her feelings on the subject and how she chose to portray them in the film. Perhaps most interesting was how she said so many actors came into their auditions "judging" the characters, which you never want to do as a performer. It's a credit to her as a director and actor that she delivered a movie with such fully formed, three-dimensional characters.

--Jenelle Riley

After Hurricane, B'way Shows Will Play as Planned

Hurricane Irene roared up the Eastern seaboard over the weekend. Even though the damage was not as devastating as some predicted, Irene certainly left her mark. On Sunday, New York City’s mass transportation system remained largely shut down, as did all Broadway theaters, but both will be up and running today. The Broadway League posted this statement on its website yesterday: "As of now, Broadway performances will play on Monday as scheduled, unless government authorities request otherwise." Playbill reported that power outages or street flooding affected no Broadway theaters.

St. Anne's Last Season; Fictional Film, Real SEALs

• St. Anne's Warehouse has set its final season in its Dumbo, Brooklyn home. In July, a federal district court denied the theater company denied permanent residency in the Tobacco Warehouse. Check it out at The New York Times.

• The Wrap looks at why "The Help" went from a "women's flick" to a box office success. Apparently it's due to something called "word of mouth."

• "Act of Valor," a military film from the Bandito Brothers production company, is using real Navy Seals instead of actors. The Wall Street Journal discusses Hollywood's recent attempt to secure a bigger audience by removing politics from military movies and focusing on the soldiers.

'The Help': Fans and Foes

As "The Help" goes into it's third weekend of release, I think it's pretty clear what my feelings on the film are. I loved the book, was concerned the movie would mess it up, and was relieved and thrilled that it didn't. And I knew it was inevitable there would be a slew of criticism for how the plight of African-American maids in 1960s Mississippi are portrayed, since a white character is also at the center of the story.That would be Emma Stone's Skeeter, who anonymously publishes a book of the maids revealing what their lives are like.

I have to say, thus far I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of backlash. But this week, Patrick Goldstein of the L.A. Times (which, it should be noted, gave the film a very positive review), dredged up the argument in this piece. His complaints? The film "puts a white person at the forefront" of the story--yes, but it also puts several black women at the forefront, as well. Also, he doesn't buy that the maids aren't punished for telling their stories to Skeeter, which makes me think he dozed off for part of the film. It's pretty clear why one maid escapes punishment (her employer is too mortified to let anyone know what happened) and at least one other loses her job. He also feels proper attention isn't paid to real-life events going on at the time, to which I can only say that is not the story "The Help" is trying to tell. Ultimately, Goldstein's criticisms add up to an argument I feel I see far too much of, which is: "You didn't make the movie I want."

Perhaps the best response I've read yet came out a couple days after Goldstein's piece. John McWorter at The New Republic posted a fabulous essay entitled, "'The Help' Isn't Racist. Its Critics Are" that addresses such criticisms brilliantly. Perhaps most importantly, McWorter lets us remember that "The Help" is telling a story, one that involves whites and blacks, and is only one small part of the landscape that was this pivotal Civil Rights era. In short, people shouldn't criticize what the movie isn't, but judge it for what it is.

--Jenelle Riley

Los Angeles Mayor Looks to Increase Hollywood Aid

Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles, is considering steps to help the L.A. film and TV industry. According to Los Angeles Times, the mayor, among other things, is looking at lowering permit fees and expediting the film permitting process. The city is currently working with L.A.'s Department of Water and Power to put in more electrical power nodes and gives free parking on city lots.

NY Production Listings - Film & TV - 8/25/11

 
Every week Back Stage publishes updated production listings on BackStage.com and in the Back Stage newspaper. These production charts are not casting notices, but do reflect the best general information available about current casting assignments, so you can find out what casting directors are currently working on each production; whether or not the projects are still casting; and where you can send your pix & résumés.

Covering major feature film and television projects in New York and Los Angeles (and top theater projects in NYC), these listings contain valuable casting data available exclusively to Back Stage subscribers.

To view our current production listings — plus lots of additional entertainment-industry listings — visit BackStage.com/Listings. And to find contact info for top casting directors and agents, visit BackStage.com/CallSheet. (And don't forget to sign up for Back Stage's free Espresso e-newsletter at BackStage.com/Newsletter to receive free access to updated production listings, casting notices, news, interviews, and reviews.)

Check out the list below for an overview of some of the projects currently included in Back Stage's production listings.

Aug. 25-31, 2011 Issue of Back Stage Now on Newsstands

New Yorker Festival Line-Up Set; Jobs' TV Impact

• Ready your monocles and verbose opinions, the 2011 New Yorker Festival will take place from Sept. 30 through Oct. 2. Attendees will enjoy film screenings and presentations by "New Yorker" writers and contributors as well as their interviews with the likes of Chris Colfer, Steve Martin, and Edie Falco. Check it out at The New York Times.

• Steve Jobs tendered his resignation as CEO of Apple yesterday. Los Angeles Times looks at how the man in the black turtleneck affected the TV industry by selling shows on iTunes. He essentially helped push the industry into considering digital outlets for consumption.

• The Wrap tries to figure out why there so many roommate-oriented shows this fall season. It is a mystery given that everyone in the world lives alone. Actually, it stems from the fact that writers and actors often lived with roommates while trying to break into the industry and those experiences have inspired them to create.

• Price Berkley, the founder of Theatrical Index, a compilation of Broadway production data sold to journalists and industry workers, died Aug. 21. Read his obituary at Playbill.

• Michael Showers, cast member on "Treme," was found dead in the Mississippi River Wednesday morning, reported Entertainment Weekly.

Pictured: Steve Jobs (Photo: Getty Images)

Internet Fads Jump From Screen to Stage in 'Blogologues'

These days, it can seem nearly impossible to put down your Blackberry or iPhone. But two playwrights are using this media fascination to their advantage.

"As a theater artist, there's always been an issue of how to get your audience involved," said co-creator Allison Goldberg. "I think there's a way we can take this addiction and obsession with new media and use it to bring people back into live theater."

L.A. Production Listings - Film & TV - 8/24/11

Every week Back Stage publishes updated production listings on BackStage.com and in the Back Stage newspaper. These production charts are not casting notices, but do reflect the best general information available about current casting assignments, so you can find out what casting directors are currently working on each production; whether or not the projects are still casting; and where you can send your pix & résumés.

Covering major feature film and television projects in New York and Los Angeles (and top theater projects in NYC), these listings contain valuable casting data available exclusively to Back Stage subscribers.

To view our current production listings — plus lots of additional entertainment-industry listings — visit BackStage.com/Listings. And to find contact info for top casting directors and agents, visit BackStage.com/CallSheet. (And don't forget to sign up for Back Stage's free Espresso e-newsletter at BackStage.com/Newsletter to receive free access to updated production listings, casting notices, news, interviews, and reviews.)

Check out the list below for an overview of some of the projects currently included in Back Stage's production listings.