BY BELINDA BREMNER
What a lovely way to start the new year–welcome to Miss Evie Werstler,
who made her debut on January 1. This adorable young lady weighed in the
new year at six pounds 12 ounces, measuring 20 inches, and sporting "tons
of beautiful brown hair." She is the daughter of actress Ilysa
Fradin and husband Greg Werstler who, though flabbergasted
that she was not the expected boy, are absolutely "happy, excited
and proud." Welcome to the world, sweet child. May you and your delighted
parents share a long and happy life.
Speaking of children, thanks to the generosity of many, some 51 children from the Englewood neighborhood enjoyed a wonderful Christmas party at Filippos Restaurant and went home with gift bags filled with NEW warm clothing and toys. The great hearts at Hearts of Arts report that they are "amazed and inspired" by the generosity of our community.
Want to start the year with that warm glow of giving by helping those less fortunate in a way that will really make a difference? Through next month deposit boxes for new and gently used books for children can be found at participating agents and casting directors offices, studios, unions and Act One Bookstore. The books will be placed in homeless shelters that serve families. This is an outreach program operated by Book Pals, who are sending this first annual Heart To Heart Book Drive as a Valentine to Chicago’s most at risk children. Please, open your hearts. Share the invaluable gift of reading. Talk about teaching a man to fish...
On a sadder note, the end of the year saw the closing of ReginaCast. Longtime Chicago extras caster Regina Prokop has, under strict doctors’ orders, closed her doors. She assures everyone with whom she worked that, "all pictures, letters, documents–everything–has been destroyed with a document destruction company and I have an affidavit to prove it. So all information has been safely destroyed and nothing is able to be read by other parties...Thank you to everyone who has been so helpful and worked so hard for the past several years. I will miss all of you." We wish her a speedy recovery.
Soon Sundance (where Chicago indy Design was screened) will be over and folks will get back to work after that extension which prolonged the holiday break. Then we may get some word on projects currently scouting here and start getting calls (please God) from other interested parties. Only BarberShop is currently shooting, but there are nibbles from HBO on a few projects that are scheduled for spring and summer. We will, of course, keep you posted of any stirring on the film front.
Claire Simon Casting is working on projects for ING Financial and casting for the radio version of "The Twilight Zone," as they gear up to launch into pilot season for NBC.
And Chicago Casting Center is casting a commercial for Ebel as well as casting Cat On a Hot Tin Roof for Meadowbrook Theatre and projects for Actors Theatre of Louisville and their Humana Festival. Big news is that Melissa Soso was flown out to meet with ABC for a pilot CCC is casting here
Lily’s reports very nice news indeed regarding the filming of BarberShop. Clients Ray Thompson and Roosevelt University student Parvesh Cheena landed roles. Commercial bookings went to Eric Jenkins Jr., Cissy Flowers, Laurel White, Sandy Green, Betty Shenberg, Leslie Gray, Pat Gray, Gary Goodson and Ron Raines. Voice-overs went to Chelsey Mortenson, Maritas Cumba, Cory Gutwilling, Lisa Stran, and Valerie Glowinski.
More projects and bookings next issue. If, however, you are still owed funds from last year–as are the folks who often call me, oddly citing the same non-union or marginal talent agencies as being particularly dilatory if not downright evasive–now would be a good time to apply even more effort to extract money owed you. The Illinois Department of Labor wants to know all about any and all shady operators. A letter to this paper, with your name please, can often get even the most reluctant ball rolling and be further proof of malfeasance.
Peace.