BY BELINDA BREMNER
It’s back to school time. Do you miss the thrill of buying number two pencils and color-coded notebooks? Or making that all too important decision as to which is the coolest backpack? But you’re too old for Elmer’s and too educated for various shaped erasers? Worry not. You can recapture that excitement of shopping for school supplies while kindling a little glow in your heart. Claire Simon and Stacy Shaffer are accepting donations for the new school year to help the kids of Englewood. Details of what and where to drop off donations will be in the next issue. Just remember–no red or blue.
And speaking of "school days, good old golden rule days..." A golden rule for golden girls and boys to remember is that no one, no matter what the position of power (real or assumed) should be able to intimidate you into doing anything against your principles or gut instinct. No, it is not right for anyone (especially those in the position to further your career) to make advances at an audition. This can come in many forms, such as, "Gee, I/we/they are really interested in you for a 'commercial’ and you stand a good chance. By the by, I know of someone doing some tasteful nude photography and I/we/they think you’d be great. So just to be sure you’re really right for the part and comfortable, why don’t you take off your clothes right here?"
Okay, if you haven’t any qualms about taking off your clothes. But if you have a smidgen of a doubt, know that you are under no obligation whatsoever and your career will not suffer. We repeat, your career will not suffer. Do NOT feel coerced into doing anything with which you are uncomfortable. No matter what the venue, no matter what they say the stakes are. Are we perfectly clear?
Okay, so what’s up that’s on the up and up. Well, we’re still waiting for the moguls to return to their corner offices and green light some projects so that we can get some film action here for heaven’s sake. Barber Shop from the people who created Soul Food is a maybe to start prep in November and begin shooting in January.
Jane Alderman Casting booked Paul Turner and Tab Baker for "ER" and Lina Miranda Gonzales, Chris Rehmann, Weston Mueller, Tim Kazurinsky and John Walson, Sr. for "What About Joan."
And it’s still commercial-o-rama at Tenner Paskal.
Claire Simon is casting for Sister Carrie for Indiana Rep before heading out to L.A. for the premiere of Hardball. And for Homemakers, she cast Erika Winters, Lily Shaw, Jannell Cox, Phoebe Fry, Kelly Longi, Erin Mosher, Rebecca Spence, Montsho Pettaway, Heather O’Brien, Suzy Ibrahim, Cindy Barrymore and Eileen Duban.
And on the agent front, Lily’s had commercial bookings for clients Alan "Puddin" Ferguson, Mia Park, Wilyum Bugs, Parker Narice and Nick Poprovak. Industrials went to Eileen Pagenkopf, Tom Gibson, Phillip Selvey, Ericka Aychée Johnson and Eva Pietris.
Peace.