12-9-05
BY BELINDA BREMNER
The holidays came early to Chicago. “Prison Break” has been picked up for another season! What a great way to start a new year!
Jane Alderman has been busy with projects for both the big and small screen. When the Clint Eastwood feature, Flags of Our Fathers came to town, she cast John Hoogenmaaker, Lisa Dodson, Danny McCarthy and Patrick New. And, for the most recent visit by “ER,” she cast Karol Kent, Bradley Mott and that “Famous Brother” Will Clinger.
Tenner Paskal Rudnicke has been very busy with casting and major office renovations. We will run their bookings very soon. Those bookings will be for the independent feature Broken Bow, and commercial spots for SBC Ameritech, Cadillac, American Family Insurance, and the Wisconsin Lottery.
Catching up with Claire Simon Casting brings word that they did searches for NBC/Universal for “The Cheryl Holiday Project,” and 20th Century Fox’s “Paging Dr. Freed.” Movie searches include the Universal feature, The Untitled David O. Russell Project. For the small screen, they cast a documentary about President McKinley for The History Channel with actors Richard Stroebel, Ron Ferraro, Nick Maroon, Martin Shannon, John Melhuse, Victory Doylida, David Coranado, Arthur Rucker and Amy Arbizzani. Loads of commercials! Jessica Vilchis was booked for Fazoli’s. John Blick, Doug MacKechnie, Shay Ames, Ben Osbun, Zach Welsheimer, Ethan Henry and Bryan Dawidowicz were booked for a spot for Dick’s Sporting goods. Cast for Blue Glass Cellular were Scott Westerman, Tempe Thomas and Ed Hofmann. Brian King, Erick Juarez and Marz Timms were booked for an IDOT spot. Cast in a commercial for Dairy Management were Sandra Burgos, Ellis Lora-Arceo, J.J. McCormick, Omar Halais, Kathy Browne, Lupe Aguirre and Rebecca Garcia. And for Sales Genie, they cast T.J. Miller and Darinka Lora-Stephan. James Foster and Ithamar were booked for Safe Auto. And in a spot for the May Company, they cast Jonathan Moran, Kelly Maigler, Wade Gotwals, Wanaki, John Cherland, Jennifer McDonnagh, Meliyssa Reinhardt, Shelby Colemen, Lina P, Kayla Tucker, Helen Fagan and Cameryn Dic. They were currently casting a spot for User Friendly Phonebook. And, there was theatre casting as well. Cast in a Raisin In the Sun for Kansas City Rep were Shane Williams, David Alan Anderson, Bakesta King and Adeoye Mabugunje. Claire Simon also cast for the Chicago production of The Awesome 80’s Prom. They are currently casting for the New York musical Spring Awakening.
No wonder that they have added two new staff members! Welcome Chelsey Peterson and Becca Knights!
And glad tidings for film and theatre actor/playwright John Lordan. His play, Homeboys, was produced in November at University of Michigan’s Basement Theatre, directed by a young Chicago director, Whitney Dibo. Earlier in the year his play, Heavenly Bliss, was produced at The Cherry Lane Theatre Studio Space in New York City.
Traditionally, I written at this time of year about chances around town for us who have been blessed to share it with others less fortunate. There are always days when we feel slighted, ill-used, under-rewarded and generally at the bottom of some food chain. However, we don’t go “home” to a cardboard box under Lower Wacker or hope there is still a shelter which the upscale neighbors haven’t shut down. Luckily this year, there is an entire article devoted to such opportunities. Maybe next year, an entire edition of stories of folks brought joy through the kindness and generosity of time and spirit which so marks our community.
It seems, sadly, that everywhere you turn these days there is bad news and/or a request for help. Here is another. Very recently Cerny American producer extraordinaire Bob Benson (son of Bob Baron) lost his wife, Gail. She also left behind two little girls. The Chicago community, led by Tim Dadabo, has rallied around and tried to help in this impossible time. A fund has been set up for the girls’ education and a Web site established to let folks learn more about this cause and how they may help. Go to: www.gailfund.com.