BY BELINDA BREMNER
The holiday season is upon us again. What a strange and difficult year
it has been. Light-years, it seems, from this time 12 months ago. Some
things, however, never change. Once again I am asking for suggestions
for year-round as well as seasonal giving. We started the ball rolling
with Hearts of the Arts. Any other agencies you want to tell our community
about? Any suggestions for volunteering time if funds are low? Any suggestions
for acts of kindness or homemade gifts to share with family as well as
strangers? Please e-mail them to me at bremnerb@aol.com (to save the beleaguered
PI office staff from having to forward your messages) and I will share
them in the next few columns.
The Illinois Film Office reports that Barber Shop is going ahead with filming commencing after the first of the year. There is a fair (and encouraging) bit of scouting going on for 2002 projects. HBO is looking here for their feature about Cabrini Green. Now I’d sure hate to see them try to film that project in Vancouver! With luck, folks will soon decide that it’s okay to fly to the Midwest to make movies. Don’t forget to keep nagging your elected officials to work on legislation and incentives to keep filming in these here United States.
"ER" did come into town. Delayed—but here. And the lovely Jane Aldermen cast Keegan-Michael Key in an episode that will air the same night he opens at ECT. Congratulations!
Chicago Casting Company reports that they cast Roscoe Orman (yes! "Gordon" from "Sesame Street") in Fences at Madison Rep. Also Chicago’s D.J. Howard. Claire Simon Casting and Tenner Paskal Casting have been busy with commercials. bookings in the next issue.
Loads of bookings from Lily’s. Commercials went to Rosalina Torres, Jenny Sanchez, Bill Belongia, Elizabeth Arceneaux, Martha Hogenboom, Scott Antonucci, Sabina Hydeni, Jim Goss, Michelle Williams, Lisa Braatz, Dennis Fritch, Johnny Knight, Julia Orlenko and Rigoberto Ortega. Booked in a music video were Bill Belongia, Nancy Kou, Marcus Horn, Dale Benton, Bryan Martorano, Sydney Pam, Zander Goodman, Nate Noggle, Kylie Werno, Jesssica Martinez, Jim Goss, Elaine Pan and Michelle Goodman. Industrials went to Katherine Lee, Eddie Covarrubius, Tiffany Johnson, and Victoria Jesionak. Elizabeth Zoller had a voice-over. The "Lucky Seven" for December are Rachel Vandeveen, Alexandria Ossey, Madelyn Patten, Joseph Stafford, Alexis Gaitling, Matt MacLagan, and Elizabeth Boule.
Shirley Hamilton Inc. hosted their first Cold Read Cocktail Party at which their clients read commercial copy for the city’s casting directors. There were libations and nibbles and entertainment by the agency’s musical talent. Kevin McNaughton from Zanies was the master of ceremonies.
Also celebrating, but definitely elsewhere, were Karen and Lance Gordon of The Actors’ Center. They, and now big brother Gabriel, welcomed second son Zachary on October 28 weighing a healthy nine pounds five ounces. Congratulations and welcome to the world.
And our deepest condolences to the wonderful and talented Mueller family—Roger and his wife Jill Shellabarger and splendid children Matt, Abby, Jessie and Andrew on the death of Roger’s father after a long illness. All who know these fine folks love and respect both their art and their lives.
Peace.