Playhouse West

Friday

pw_admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 03:16:44 +0000

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Red Carpet Arrival / Catered Reception

7:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. – Opening Ceremony

7:15 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Feature Film

Post (90m, drama, World Premiere)

After repeated attempts to avoid reality have alienated her from herself, her
friends, and her art, a dancer must confront a simple but terrifying problem:
die, or face the most horrific truths about her life with the hope that freedom,
joy and healing will bring her back to life.

Post is the directorial debut of Jim Parrack (“True Blood”, Battle Los Angeles) and the inaugural movie for his 120 Productions, Inc. It was shot without a crew and without a single lighting set up, and is exclusively acted by either non-actors or members of Playhouse West.

Dir: Jim Parrack
Prod: Jim Parrack
Screenplay: Jim Parrack
Cast: Ciera Parrack, Heather Morris, Katie Ryan, Olivia Dudek, Katherine Boecher, Lexy Hume, Tony Savant, Mark Pellegrino, Scott Haze, Lukas Behnken, Jim Jarrett, Kim Savant, Holly Gagnier, Tracy Aziz, Laura Steigers, Mario Degasperi, Michelle Coyle, Jeffrey Oliphant, Melissa Thompson Esaia, Matthew Militano, Derek Halverson, Victoria Park, Matthew McGee

Saturday

pw_admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 03:15:59 +0000

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Short Shorts!

Whiplash

(2m, drama)

Dir: Camille Balsamo
Prod: Camille Balsamo
Screenplay: Reid Collums
Cast: Camille Balsamo, Reid Collums

The beginning… of the end.

The Barista – Episode 2

(5m, comedy/webisode)

Dir: Andrew Abrahamson
Prod: Lacy McClory
Screenplay: Lacy McClory
Cast: Rocky Benoit, Brian Lally, Holly Gagnier

A Barista looks for love in all the wrong places.

Waves

(2m, drama)

Dir: Thor Gold
Prod: Nicholas M. Muccini
Screenplay:Thor Gold
Cast: Adrianne Palicki, Zack Trotter

A ‘player’ seeks solace at the beach in order to get rid of the pain of unrequited love.

127 Seconds

(4m, comedy/spoof)

Dir: Sean Crampton
Prod: Harris Markson, Sean Crampton
Screenplay: Harris Markson
Cast: Harris Markson

A look at what happens when James gets his favorite shirt caught in his front door!

Intruder

(5m, horror/thriller/spoof)

Dir: Sean Crampton
Prod: Kimberly Beavers, Sarah Johnston, Sean Crampton
Screenplay: Kimberly Beavers, Sarah Johnston
Cast: Kimberly Beavers, Sarah Johnston, Sean Crampton, Gabriel Grier, Harris Markson, Kyle Brady

Four lives are changed forever when two young women hear something coming from the kitchen during their movie night.

A Long Vacation

(10m, drama)

Dir: Tony Repinski
Prod: Tony Repinski
Screenplay: Tony Repinski
Cast: Ric Maddox, Brianne La Flair

A young soldier fresh from Iraq is confronted daily with thoughts and images of the war and the only thing keeping him sane is in his medication

Leonard

(9m, drama)

Dir: John Roney
Prod: John Roney, Devin Crittenden
Screenplay: Devin Crittenden
Cast: Devin Crittenden, Sean Crampton

Leonard meets two young men after they have attended a funeral for someone very close to them; we watch as they deal with conflicting emotions attached to the loss of their friend Leonard.

Sweet Nothing

(9m, drama)

Dir: Blake Hamilton
Prod: Keith Hamilton
Screenplay: Keith Hamilton
Cast: Evan Robert Smith, Deanna Gibson, Nick Coleman, Dominic Fano

A boy buys his first record, The Clash’s ‘Combat Rock’, in an attempt to connect with his dying mother.

Evening News

(7m, thriller/mystery)

Dir: Kentaro Shinagawa
Prod: Kentaro Shinagawa, Turi Haim
Screenplay: Daniel Parlato
Cast: Turi Haim, Masha Zhandalinova

The Evening News may happen closer than you think!

127 Minutes

(5m, comedy/spoof)

Dir: Chris Buongiorno
Prod: Chris Buongiorno
Screenplay: Chris Buongiorno and Lak Rana
Cast: Lak Rana, Emily Dickens

A parody of the recent film, 127 Hours, where a guy gets his hand stuck in a car door, and knows only one way to get it out.

Ekorre Fälan (The Squirrel Trap)

(10m, drama/children)

Dir: Lance Delgado
Prod: Lance Delgado
Screenplay: Amalia Stephenson
Cast: Devon Jade, Amalia Stephenson

A young boy in rural Sweden encounters the unexpected when he leaves home with his new squirrel trap.

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Short Films

Paper Dolls

(18m, drama)

Dir: Eugene Luzong
Prod: Eugene Luzong
Screenplay: John Savant
Cast: Isabella Trangelo, Vance Lanoy

All Rose Gonzalez wants is to pursue her dream of a career in photography, but her stubborn father puts his foot down.

The Lover

(15m, thriller)

Dir: Sean Crampton
Prod: Andrea Dantas
Screenplay: Andrea Dantas
Cast: Andrea Dantas, Sean Crampton, Veronica Mendoza

Jerry bites off a little more than he can chew when he has an affair with a woman he met online.

Busy Doing Nothing

(24m, comedy)

Dir: Aaron Fradkin
Prod: Benjamin Faigus
Screenplay: Aaron Fradkin
Cast: Benjamin Faigus, Ashley Bornancin, Michael Sweeney, Sam Brittan, Todd Gaebe, Taja Perkins, Richardson Chery, Sally Prowd

A look at the unusual everyday experiences of an odd couple of roommates living in Los Angeles.

Documentary Short Special Feature

The Making of “The Lover”

(5 m, documentary)

Directed, produced, filmed by Grace Guillod

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Lunch Break

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m – Short Films

Just In Case

(7m, drama/action)

Dir: Ye’ela Rosenfeld
Prod: Konstantin Lavysh
Screenplay: Ye’ela Rosenfeld
Cast: Lilly McDowell, Konstantin Lavysh

A love story between a Russian soldier and an American pianist, which happens entirely on a bus with a suicide bomber on it.

Agent 6

(9m, drama/action)

Dir: Jason Kent Carpenter
Prod: Jason Kent Carpenter, Jahmar Griffin
Screenplay: Jason Kent Carpenter, Nicola Pizzi
Cast: Julien Wojta, Katie Wee, David Gunther, Jeff Brohnson, Marco Pantoliano

After completing a secret mission for his agency, an agent must make the decision between delivering the enemy device to home base or to go back and save the girl he left behind.

The Warm-Up Guy

(35m, drama)

Dir: Nicholas Weidner
Prod: Alan Larsen, Donna Weidner, Marilyn Porayko
Screenplay: Jon Stremel, Jeff Hatz, Nicholas Weidner
Cast: John Ennis, Chris Devlin, Claire Kirk, Circus Szalewski, Joe Flood, Nick Thune, Marilyn Porayko

An aging stand-up comedian stages a fake robbery at his parent’s successful restaurant only to have a rigatoni dish named after him once discovering his younger brother was honored with a dish before him.

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Short Films

Yard Sale

(11m, drama/suspense)

Dir: Anika Poitier
Prod: Anika Poitier
Screenplay: Anika Poitier, Leandro Pari DiMonrovia
Cast: Leandro Pari DiMonriva, Resmine Atis, J. Lewis Element, Jackie Becker, Dave Schlachtenhaufen, Jordan Stone, Stephen McCain, Suwon Weaver, Sydney Tamilia Poitier

Sometimes a yard sale is not just a yard sale…it’s a clever front.

Bitchin’ Camaro

(8m, comedy)

Dir: John David Moffat
Prod: Christopher Holloway
Screenplay: John David Moffat
Cast: Troy Jones, Deborah Venegas

A couple of bored young punks take on a dangerous bet in hopes of winning the hearts and bodies of their unexpected visitors.

How Paco Ate Taco

(11m, comedy)

Dir: Alex Bulat
Prod: Alex Bulat, Brendan Pollecut
Screenplay: Alex Bulat
Cast: Chelsea Rodriguez, Christian Fresco

A shy young man constantly fantasizing about women while working in his father’s laundromat discovers a mysterious book that may make all his dreams come true.

A Sense of Humor

(13m, comedy)

Dir: Nathan Larkin-Connolly
Prod: Ari Costa
Screenplay: Nathan Larkin-Connolly
Cast: Heather Morris, John Weselcouch

Laura was born without the ability to laugh, but when she meets and falls for Charlie, a struggling stand-up comedian, he makes it his life purpose to help Laura crack up.

Roshambo Apocolypse

(14m, comedy)

Dir: Samir Salem
Prod: Enrique De La Haza
Screenplay: Mathew Murphy
Cast: Sterling Price, Tom Proctor, Lincoln Hoppe

In order to save his girlfriend, Johnny America must make his way through Mr. Big’s underground lair full of thugs and warriors, culminating in a battle against his arch enemy, The Russian.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Short Films

Desmond’s Dead

(11m, comedy)

Dir: Ingrid Clay
Prod: Gabriel Grier, Lindsay May Heathcote, Veronica Mendoza
Screenplay: Veronica Mendoza, Lindsay May Heathcote
Cast: Lindsay May Heathcote, Veronica Mendoza, Jerome Smith

A deadly triple mixture of the world’s oldest profession, a little bottle of blue pills, and a series of uninvited guests puts the friendship and freedom of two women to the ultimate test.

Translation

(8m, comedy)

Dir: Wes Shirley
Prod: Luke Royer, Wes Shirley
Screenplay: Luke Royer, Wes Shirley
Cast: Wes Shirley, Luke Royer, Jackie Becker, James Ball Jr., Mandi Kate Smith

The relationship between the characters is the focus of this ‘episode’; what this is ultimately trying to get to is an expanded idea of the film Inception.

Rehearsing

(12m, comedy)

Dir: Cameron Van Hoy
Prod: Joshua Denhardt
Screenplay: Cameron Van Hoy
Cast: Ingrid Clay, Joshua Denhardt, Cameron Van Hoy

A comedy about the hardship of being married to an actor and the jealousy and suspicion that can arise, and the lesson that true love can only flourish with trust and understanding.

5:00 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Dinner Break

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Feature Film

American Bully

(126m, crime drama/thriller)

Dir: Dave Rodgriguez
Prod: George M. Kostuch, Matt Keith, Dave Rodriguez
Screenplay: Dave Rodriguez, Zak Meyers
Cast: Matt O’Leary, Marshall Allman, Jonathan Halyalkar, Sam Murphy, Ross Britz, Brooke Johnson, Meghan Stansfield, Paul Ben-Victor, Dan Wells, John Savage, Natasha Henstridge

A middle-American teenage boy who is affected by 9/11, terrorism, and the war in Iraq becomes involved in an isolated high school altercation that escalates into a hate crime that shocks the entire nation.

Winner, Best Feature, Charleston International Film Festival
Winner, Best Screenplay, Long Island International Film Festival
Winner, Excellence in Filmmaking, Method Fest Film Festival

Sunday

pw_admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 02:12:16 +0000

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Shorts

The Boyfriend

(30m, drama/thriller)

Dir: Alan Weischedel
Prod: Alan Weischedel
Screenplay: Alan Weischedel
Cast: Alan Weischedel, Julianna Piechovski, Frederick Ponzlov, Alexa James, Amanda Ashley, Tony Dang, Stephen McCain, Kristin Ige, Jonathan Holborn, Lynda Berg, Greg Hutto

He loves you… but you don’t know he exists.

Baby of Mine

(22, drama)

Dir: Adam Hodge
Prod: Gia Franzia, Gwendolyn Dolske
Screenplay: Adam Hodge, Gia Franzia, Anna derBoghossian, Gwendolyn Dolske
Cast: Gia Franzia, Karen Peterson, Andrea Helene, Gwendolyn Dolske

As she struggles with her family, Jessica, an unwed mother, also fights her inner demons searching for the balance that has always been missing in her life.

Backseat

(15m, comedy)

Dir: Christopher Jordan Woodring
Prod: Chance Propps
Screenplay: Christopher Jordan Woodring
Cast: Annie McCain Engman, Nick Cimiluca

When a couple’s inability to get pregnant threatens to tear apart their marriage, the wife takes it upon herself to reignite their lost passion.

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Short Films

Red, Black, Yellow

(19m, drama)

Dir: Andrew Abrahamson, Erik Cardona
Prod: Andrew Abrahamson, Erik Cardona, Rhett Swanson
Screenplay: Andrew Abrahamson, Erik Cardona
Cast: Michael Bortone, Kris Park, Brian Lally, Eric Edwards

Two men are inspired to commit a crime together, both for very different reasons.

Shine

(10m, drama)

Dir: Carla Cid, Hilario Flores
Prod: Danielle Loo
Screenplay: Carla Cid
Cast: Jesse Ruda, Stephen McCain, Kathryn Miller, Patrick McIntyre

Before grief extinguishes Harold’s view of a future, a friend reaches out to make it shine.

The Refuge

(7m, drama/action/thriller)

Dir: Nicholas Acosta
Prod: Don Le, Giordany Orellana, Adrian Zaw, Rhett Swanson
Screenplay: Nicholas Acosta
Cast: Adrian Zaw, Grace Su, Jo Mani, Sam Puefua

Super Human chase for the the only safe haven they have left.

Dreams of Solace

(19m, drama/romance)

Dir: Philip Johnson
Prod: Philip Johnson
Screenplay: Philip Johnson
Cast: Philip Johnson, Sarah Elizabeth Johnston, Amanda Adrienne, Brian Lally, Eric Aten, Tamar Feinkind

Through random encounters and dreams, two lonely people mourning the loss of loved ones find consolation in each other.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Lunch Break

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Short Films

Rope

(4m, drama)

Dir: Ian Clay
Prod: Ian Clay
Screenplay: Ian Clay
Cast: Jason Britt

Crushed by the unbearable weight of the way things are, a young man opts for an irrevocable solution.

The Visitation

(16, drama/thriller)

Dir: Cameron Young
Prod: Carter Fisk, Scott and Curt Fleming
Screenplay: Cameron Young
Cast: Oscar Torre, Wolfgang Bodison, Michael Bailey Smith

Frank Aruca is a multi-millionaire real estate developer fallen on hard times who hires two ‘mechanics’ to help him fake his death so his wife can collect on him, and all goes well – until it doesn’t.

Anything

(38m, drama)

Dir: Patrick Bautista
Prod: Patrick Bautista
Screenplay: Patrick Bautista
Cast: Patrick Bautista, Drae Williamson, Rhett Swanson, Sam Dobbins, Kim Beavers, Sara Johnston, Joel Slabo

A naive young couple go to Hollywood to leave their abusive lives only to run into a tragic nightmare.

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Short Films

Brandon’s Revenge

(6m, comedy/action)

Dir: Nicholas Acosta
Prod: Eliver Ling, Brandon Clarke
Screenplay: Nicholas Acosta
Cast: Brandon Clarke, Dave Fordham, William Mull, Eliver Ling, Nicholas Acosta

Don’t make fun of people’s shirts especially when they’re worn by homicidal geeks.

Two Bulls

(12m, drama/suspense)

Dir: Ricardo Ultreras
Prod: Wolfgang Bodison
Screenplay: Mario DeGasperi, Wolfgang Bodison
Cast: Mario DeGasperi, Wolfgang Bodison

Two cops, one room, and a tragic debt to be paid.

A.W.O.L.

(14m, drama)

Dir: Alex Bulat, Stephen McCain
Prod: Aditya Oza, Alex Bulat, Stephen McCain
Screenplay: Alex Bulat
Cast: Stephen McCain, Alex Bulat, Amanda Ashley, Wolfgang Bodison, Jerome Smith, Holly Gagnier

The death of his best friend in Iraq forces Johnny to come to terms with a dark secret.

Simone

(18m, drama)

Dir: Wolfgang Bodison
Prod: Ingrid Clay
Screenplay: Ingrid Clay
Cast: Ingrid Clay, Jim Parrack, Holly Gagnier, Joe Gerety

A young black woman and her white boyfriend are forced to make important life decisions involving class, race and love.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Short Films

Taken

(2m, comedy)

Dir: Kirby Heyborne, Lincoln Hoppe
Prod: Lincoln Hoppe
Screenplay: Lincoln Hoppe, Kirby Heyborne
Cast: Dave Thompson, Kirby Heyborne, Lincoln Hoppe

You should share – but some things are just already taken.

Hector Corp

(14m, comedy/action)

Dir: Gary H. Lee
Prod: Luke E. Watson
Screenplay: Gary H. Lee
Cast: Roger Horn, Preston Smith, Andrea Monier, Stan Haptas, Luke E. Watson

Hector Corporation takes extreme measures to manage their employees with unexpected executioners.

The Elevator

(14m, comedy/romance)

Dir: Heather Morris, Ashley Lendzion
Prod: Heather Morris, Ryan Sanson, Garret Sanson
Screenplay: Ashley Lendzion, Heather Morris
Cast: Nathan Larkin-Connolly, Heather Morris, Ashley Lendzion, Jaclyn Stover, Josh Sussman, Kevin Farley, Garrett Sanson, Lance Kreple, Kelly Perine, Ryan Sanson, Hannah Douglass

Nate always took the stairs, until one day, when he recruits the help of his best friend Louise to help him try to overcome his fear and get this mysterious elevator girl.

5:00 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Dinner Break

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Featured Event

Special Guest Speaker – Actor, Scott Caan

9:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. – PWFF 2011 Awards Ceremony

Table Read of Script “Harvest Dance”

Tony — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:39:15 +0000

Doug Van Bebber

Presents a table read of his script Harvest Dance

at Playhouse West Studio 2, May 13th, 7 – 9 p.m.

Harvest Dance: A lonely, eccentric young woman living in a small farm town in 1972 develops an unexpected relationship with a troubled Vietnam vet who is recently released from a mental institution.

Harvest Dance Cast:

Cora Lee Finkle: Kaylan
Ruthie Finkle: Holly Gagnier
Charlie Peterson: Michael Harris
Ida Mae: Robyn Cohen
Zack Tinker: Eric Edwards
Darla: Ingrid S. Clay
Larry McNutt & Mr. Kilbourn: Brian Lally
Johnathan: Bo
Billy: Jim Parrack

Doug Van Bebber-Writer/Director/Producer

After graduating from UCLA, Doug Van Bebber studied acting under Robert Carnegie at Playhouse West in Los Angeles. Following his 5 years at PW, Doug began writing and performing original comedy shows at such prestigious venues as The Improv on Melrose and The HBO Workspace in Los Angeles.

In 2000, Doug took his comedy from the stage to the screen with his first short film, La Femme Ballon which he wrote, starred and co-produced. The comedy film went on to win a number of high-profile competitions and festivals including: Showtime’s Latino Filmmakers Showcase, USA Film Festival (Best Fiction Short), Montreal International Latino Film Festival (Best Short), IFP South Film Festival (Best Short), as well as a Fade In: Magazine Screenwriting Award. After garnering numerous honors, the f was picked up by Showtime, HBO, The Sundance Channel and The Movie Channel.

For Psyche on Melrose (Doug’s directorial debut), he assembled a stellar cast and crew including actor/comedian Sean Whalen (Twister, Employee of the Month), actress/comedienne Debra (Wilson) Skelton (MADtv), Emmy winning editor Barry A. O’Brien and Emmy nominated composer Howard Pearl. Psyche on Melrose has screened at 17 international film festivals and was awarded two Audience Choice Awards for Best Short Film.

In 2008, Doug graduated from UCLA’s Professional Program in Screenwriting where his comedy feature Out of Left Field, won “Best Screenplay” for the program’s annual Screenwriting Competition. In addition to screenwriting and filmmaking, Doug also works as a freelance writer and producer for television.

Advanced Class Scene Night

Tony — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 22:21:51 +0000

Advanced Class Scene Night

An Advanced Class Scene Night has been scheduled on Wednesday, February 9th, 7 p.m., at Studio Two on Magnolia Blvd. There will be 8-10 scenes presented by students who attend M/Th 9 a.m. Advanced Class in Studio Two, and the Wed. 7 p.m./Sat. 9 a.m. Advanced Class at Studio Two. The evening will last between an hour and a half to two hours.

All students, industry folks, and general public may attend a Scene Night. If you are an industry person, please go to the Contact Us page and let us know you would like to attend so we can reserve you a seat.

Playhouse West Members Starring in TV Series!

pw_admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:57:26 +0000

Scott Caan stars on the new CBS #1 hit series, “Hawaii Five-O”. Scott character, Dano, was also recently named the #1 Favorite TV character! Scott is just one of the current or former Playhouse West students starring this season on a television series. Take a look at some of our other students starring on a television series.

Current student, Heather Morris stars on Fox’s hit series, “Glee”. Heather is also a cast member of our long-running play, “Welcome Home, Soldier.”

Mark Pellegrino, a long-time member and teacher, has joined the cast of “The Closer” this season. He also stars in the new Sci-Fi Channel series, “Being Human.”

Jim Parrack, a current student and teacher, has starred on HBO’s “True Blood” since season one. Also joining the cast this year is fellow PW member, Marshall Allman. Jim also appears in “Welcome Home, Soldier”.

Scott Wolf stars as Chad Decker on the ABC series, “V”.

Jamie Anne Allman has joined the cast of the Fox series, “The Killing”.

Josh Cooke stars as Ben Coles on the ABC sit-com, “Better With You”.

Adrianne Palicki has starred as Tyra Collette on “Friday Night Lights” since season one.

Michael Trevino plays Tyler Lockwood on CW’s, “The Vampire Diaries”.

Kristen Bell and Chace Crawford both star on CW’s series “Gossip Girl”.

Ksenia Solo stars on the CW series “Life Unexpected”. Ksenia also stars as Veronica in the Oscar nominated film, Black Swan, with Natalie Portman.

James Franco gets Oscar Nomination for "127 Hours"!

Tony — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:55:06 +0000

Congratulations goes out to Playhouse West alum and long-time student, James Franco, nominated for lead actor for his commanding performance as Aron Ralston, the hiker who cut off his lower arm in director Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours. This accolade is in addition to being nominated for a Golden Globe Award, Critics Choice Movie Award, Independent Spirit Award, BAFTA and SAG Awards, New York Film Critics, Chicago Film Critics, and more – all in the lead actor category.

James spent 9 years studying at Playhouse West and was one of the hardest-working students we ever had. During that time he was not only in the classes continuously, but he regularly acted in plays, wrote and directed plays, and was the consummate scene partner and classmate; always in class and always prepared. His years of hard work and dedication to his craft and profession is second to none, and his work epitomizes what we at Playhouse West teach and strive for. The nomination for his wonderful performance is much deserved, and we could not be happier or more proud of him!

Another special note to make is that on Oscar night, James will become one of the few actors to be nominated for an Oscar and serve as host of the ceremony in the same year. It will not be the first time an Oscar nominee has served as a host, though you have to go back close to 40 years to find an example. In 1973, Michael Caine was a co-host of the show and was nominated for his role in Sleuth, while in 1959, David Niven hosted the show and received the lead actor prize for Separate Tables that night.

James is co-hosting the 83rd annual Academy Award ceremony on Sunday, February 27th, with actress Anne Hathaway, who isn’t nominated this year but was previously nominated for her performance in Rachel Getting Married.

All of us in the Playhouse West family will be rooting for you, James!

You can also check out TV Guide Network’s special feature, “James Franco: Hollywood Rebel”.