“In a city with a perpetual identity crisis, surrounded by people struggling to be someone else, we are all almost what we think we should be………..almost…..NOT quite!”
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PRODUCTION ARU: A Creative Company was created because we believe that everyone’s vision has the right to exist, and every voice heard. Through education, conversation, and project production we will strive to create artists and promote visions that are far more reachable than the current market allows. Art is the final frontier where we have a chance to have a real dialogue without being drowned out by the noise of a deafening need to be right. It is here that ARU plants its foundation.
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Jonathan Shuffield Jonathan has worked within media for over 20 years. He started a non-profit organization called “SHYNE” in 2005 that battled prejudice and discrimination through the use of the arts. SHYNE debuted “The Concert For a Hate Free World,” a completely volunteer driven stage production with choir, orchestra and even an opening interactive film put on at The Wenatchee Convention Center in 2009. He has been an activist since coming out in an article in The Wenatchee World at 20 years old and accepting the presidency of the Wenatchee Valley College Gay-Straight Alliance a few years later. He has produced theatrical plays, independent film as well as talk shows for radio and podcast. He has dreamed of this show for over a decade and is extremely excited to continue his mission to be a part of the continued growth of the LGBT community.
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WRITERS Jonathan Shuffield
Jonathan Shuffield is an accomplished writer being published in many online and print media outlets. From his first published piece at 21 in his local newspaper, The Wenatchee World, he has gone on to write interviews, op-ed and news pieces. With extensive background in sketch writing and narrative he is poised to take on the episodic format in a new and exciting point of view. 6
Leonardo Poareo
“Leonardo Poareo is a writer originally from San Pedro, now living in Simi Valley. He graduated from USC with a master’s degree in public policy, and when he’s not working in the policy field, he loves to find ways to make people laugh and think. He is also married. No, his wife did not make him write that.”
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Series Synopsis: It’s an unspoken rule, a measuring stick if you will; by the time you are in your 30s you will be happily married with 2.5 kids, a house, and a successful career, your 40s will be those greener pastures you have always dreamed of until you ride off into the sunset. In a matter of weeks, J finds himself with none of these. A single chubby gay man in his early 40’s trying to start all over again. With the help of his three best friends, they approach life with the realization that everything they thought they knew is all a sham. While waiting to feel “grown-up” they discover that it is a never-ending process in which we are never quite there. In a city with a perpetual identity crisis, surrounded by people struggling to be someone else, we are all almost what we think we should be………..almost…..NOT quite!
Episode Synopsis: Episode 1 (pilot): Jonny is distraught after his break-up with his husband Sean and calls upon his friends Sam, Mark and Todd for help. It is not at all clear if Jonny is equipped to survive on his own.
on the town. Jonny runs into an old flame, Luke, and ends up ending the night with him only to find pictures of Luke’s supposed ex still in frames. Mark deals with dating a younger man.
Episode 2 -
Episode 4 -
Sam, Mark and Todd have rallied around Jonny since his break-up and convince Jonny to go to the gym to get in “dating-shape.” Mark ends up dating a guy half his age and Jonny almost ends up in traction and they ALL end up feeling their age.
After feeling rejected by Luke, Jonny has descended into the depths of depression, so the friends try to encourage Jonny to stop hiding by creating a personal ad and picking a date for him. Things go horribly wrong for everyone.
Episode 3 The friends decide to take Jonny for a night
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Episode 5 Jonny decides to see an unorthodox therapist who turns out to have more to reveal than Jonny.
Mark struggles with news that his Dad will be visiting and needs the friends help so his Dad will not find out he is gay, but Mark’s Dad has some news of his own. Sam steps up to teach the boys to be “real” men.
Episode 9 Todd takes the boys out for a spa day. Things get a bit tense when they discuss the pressure for gay men to stay “beautiful.” Jonny’s new agent proves to be a handful.
Episode 10 Sam struggles with her gender expression as her relationship with Trace becomes more demanding. Mark meets his Dad’s fiance, while still struggling with his relationship with his father. Todd and Mark discuss possibilities and Jonny can’t figure out what he wants.
Episode 11 Episode 6 After Sam and Jonny decide to help out during a fundraiser at the local LGBT center, Sam gets into an altercation with the emcee drag queen which culminates in all the queens going on strike. (To Be Continued)
Episode 7 (part 2) Drag queens continue to strike forcing the friends to have to fill in. Luke delivers a grand gesture to win Jonny back and everyone ends up in jail. Love still seems to be in the air for everyone.
(Part 1) The big wedding day has arrived for Mark’s dad and Mark is not ready! The friends rally as Mark contemplates what he should do. Speak now or forever hold his peace? Luke confronts Jonny about acting distant, Sam and Trace make a big decision.
Episode 12 (Part 2) As each friend is dealing with their own issues, the friendly cater bartender keeps the alcohol flowing. Things get out of hand for each in turn, and actions are taken by all the friends that could have ramifications that cannot be undon
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Jonny Jonathan Shuffield
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Main Cast Jonny is the nucleus to one chaotic molecule of friends. Jonny is larger than life, passionate, eccentric at times, overly sentimental, stubborn as an ox. He may sometimes come off as a caricature, but this is partly by design. Jonny has a big heart and can get hurt deeply, so the ridiculous persona protects him from feeling things too close. He is a natural entertainer and is known for bringing the color commentary to life.
Jonathan has worked within media for over 20 years. He started a non-profit organization called “SHYNE” in 2005 that battled prejudice and discrimination through the use of the arts. SHYNE debuted “The Concert For a Hate Free World,” a completely volunteer driven stage production with choir, orchestra and even an opening interactive film put on at The Wenatchee Convention Center in 2009. He has been an activist since coming out in an article in The Wenatchee World at 20 years old and accepting the presidency of the Wenatchee Valley College Gay-Straight Alliance a few years later. He has produced theatrical plays, independent film as well as talk shows for radio and podcast. He has dreamed of this show for over a decade and is extremely excited to continue his mission to be a part of the continued growth of the LGBT community.
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Todd Sergey Grankin
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Main Cast Todd lives in the moment, he enjoys every second as it comes. He knows just how much he can get with his good looks, and feels no shame. He live by the motto, “Know your strengths and accessorize them!” He dreams of being an actor and plans to ride this ride as far as it will take him. His default is always the positive cheerleader and he feels it is a waste of energy to even think about the negative. He is not the brightest, but his sincerity makes up for it.
Sergey Grankin as Todd: From the early days of the hit radio show OUTSpoken to the Martini Lounge podcast, Sergey has a strong background in broadcasting. A columnist, writer, actor, host and improv performer, you can always expect a refreshing perspective and humorous approach to all his work. Born in Kyrgyzstan, raised in Washington State and now thriving in LA, he is excited to join the cast of Almost….Not Quite.
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Mark Reid Schmidt
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Main Cast Mark is an MIT graduate and a professor of mathematics. Mark views the world through the logic of numbers. In his opinion everything can be reasoned and has order if we just choose to find it. He is more comfortable teaching his “world” to others than actually interacting with fellow humans. He has a soft side but keeps it close to his chest.
Reid Schmidt as Mark: Jersey Boy at heart, Reid grew up on the East Coast and attended college in Boston before ultimately making the move to California. His interest in acting began with a school production of Guys & Dolls, and continues today with short films in Los Angeles. An avid fan of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Reid looks to the stars of yesteryear for inspiration in his life. He enjoys spending time at the movies and making terrible puns out of his name.
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Sam Puppett
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Main Cast Sam: Strong, self-reliant, Sam lives by the motto “If they love you, fuck ‘em…….If they hate you, fuck ‘em….It’s the Lesbian way” Her core group of friends are three gay men, she’s not sure how this happened, but she doesn’t fight it. She sees herself as the only thing between the guys and sheer chaos.
Puppett as Sam: Puppett appeared on stage in the LA premiere of Taylor Mac’s HIR at the Odyssey Theatre. Their on-screen credits include a Guest Star role on MTV’s Catfish: The Untold Stories, Co-Star in a Comedy Central Pilot, and supporting roles in Drifter (feature film) and The Mid-Autumn Dinner (short film). She is in an upcoming episode of the web-series City Kitties, to be released in June 2020, and was recently accepted into the Women’s Weekend Filmmaking Challenge where she will be starring in a short film.
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Luke Effie Cacarnakis
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Main Cast Luke is that rare creature, a masculine gay man that is very comfortable with who he is. He fought hard to come to this place in his life and has found a calm confidence in knowing what he wants now. He plays the central character’s (Jonny) love interest, he was the one that got away that has now found his second chance. Effie Cacarnakis hails from the glamorous and Utopian Inland Empire.He discovered his love of theater at the age of 6, when he played the “wisest” of the Three Wise Men in the church Christmas Pageant. He credits his love of film/television to his mother, who introduced him to classic movies like Cleopatra, Gone With The Wind, and Some Like It Hot, and old TV shows like Bewitched, I Dream Of Jeannie and The Addams Family. Effie is a graduate of the USC School of Theater, Bachelor of Fine Arts program,and also studied theater at the British American Drama Academy. He has many fond memories of performing on stage in Los Angeles and London, in productions like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Angels in America, The Barbarians, Cannery Row, The Cave Dwellers, Execution of Justice and Twelfth Night. He has also been featured in a variety of commercials and print campaigns since his early teens. Effie and his husband Nick have two children, Katarina and Nico. They live in Pasadena, CA.
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Dr. Secret Mike Baker
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Main Cast Dr. Secret is a chameleon of sorts. We aren’t even sure in the first season if he is a real doctor. He is obsessed with the lead character of Jonny. He becomes what he needs to keep himself close, he is always popping up as different “characters”
Mike Baker as Dr. Secret: thrilled to join the cast of Almost...Not Quite as Dr. Secret. He has been seen in several short and independent films over the years as well as on tv in Cuff Me if You Can and most notably as Norm in the CCFCU commercials. Favorite onstage roles include Leo Bloom, Brave Sir Robin, Fagin, Simonides/Boult, Tobias, and Judas. He is also known for his Groucho, Willie Nelson, and Jimmy Durante impressions and his show “Mike on Mime” which toured the US under direction of Richmond Shepard. Mike is a musician and co-founder of the band The Mistery Machine, as well. Throughout the years they’ve performed all over, including Las Vegas(where they opened for The Platters) and Japan, and recently released their EP “Phaze:ONE” which includes the song “We’re Best Friends” from the award winning short film Li’l Chit Chat.
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Melinda Earhart Melanie Salisbury
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Main Cast Melinda Earhart is an over-sexed and sassy talent agent. She finds societal conventions a bore and makes up the rules as she goes along. She is so far wrong that she is right again.
Melanie Salisbury plays the role of Melinda Earhart, an over-sexed and sassy agent. Melanie trained at The Arts Educational School in the UK and made her professional debut at the age of 11 dancing in a London/UK tour production of The Nutcracker with the English National Ballet. At 16, Melanie began a career in musical theatre. From On The Town to Chicago from Sweeney Todd to Company and much more.
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Supporting Cast
Jasmin Singer as Trace:
Jasmin Singer is an actor and author living between West Hollywood and New York City. Notable works include the memoir Always Too Much and Never Enough (Penguin Random House’s Berkley, 2016) and the forthcoming VegNews Guide to Being a Fabulous Vegan (Hachette, 2020). She has recently appeared in Moonzstruck: the Musical at Los Angeles’ iconic The Cavern Club Theater and is a leading character in the 2020 film, The Bra Mitzvah. Favorite credits include Sanctuary: A Radio Play (Symphony Space, NYC), New York, New York: A Helluva Town (New York City Center), and the animal rights-themed documentaries Vegucated and The Ghosts In Our Machine. She co-hosts the Webby-recognized Our Hen House podcast (now in its eleventh year). 24
Jake Jensen’s entertainment career began in Atlanta and Miami where he booked a variety
of music video, print, and commercial shoots. After booking a couple of major national commercial shoots in Miami, Jake has been in LA for five years. He recently booked a major feature film and has also done two theater productions in LA. In addition to acting Jake also enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and the beach in Southern Cal. He is also a certified Sport Psychology Consultant (CMPC) with a doctorate in Sport Psychology, and works as both a consultant and professor of Sport Psychology.
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Supporting Cast
Kyle Sing hails from the trenches of storefront and black box theater in the great city of
Chicago. A playwright, screenwriter, and actor, Kyle made the jump from stage to screen in 2015 in the family suspense thriller, End of Fall, and now resides in Los Angeles. A fan of Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Mamet, Grindhouse and Kino film, taco trucks and muscle cars, Kyle is a producer of blue-collar, existentialist dramatic art, and is stoked to join the cast and crew of Almost..Not Quite.
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Raymond Abel as Nova Kaine:
Raymond Abel Tomas who was born and raised in South Texas- a true Tejano at heart, is heavily influenced by the Tex-Mex/Tejano culture. He began performing professionally on the American stage at the age of 13. Whether on screen or on stage, his goal to bring more humorous Latinx content to mainstream entertainment and have a career path much like his childhood idols: John Leguizamo, Carol Burnett, Martin Short, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams.
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Action Plan: It is our intention to shoot the full season of Almost….Not Quite throughout the month of April with the aim to finish post-production by the beginning of June. We plan to spend the following year to year and a half submitting to film festivals with a specific angle towards the LGBT fests, but with a blanket overall approach. In this way we hope to pick up some notoriety and recognition garnering some awards. We will also begin to release to the public platform of YouTube. After this process is complete we do plan on enlisting the help of a show-runner in order to market us to the major streaming services as well as networks. In this way, we would more solidly position ourselves to be picked up as more of a package then as a concept.
We will be submitting the series to multiple film fest through the website www.filmfreeway .com. Some examples are:
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Palm Springs Seattle OUTFest Chicago Sundance Cinequest Austin Film Fest
• Raindance • New Orleans Film Fest • Encounters • AFI Fest • Many More
We have come so far from the days of the stereotypical gay characters like Jodie Dalls on ABC’s Soap in the early ’80s, Ellen paved the way coming out in her hit sitcom, which led LGBTQ people to have their own shows like Queer as Folk and The L Word. Finally, we found our holy grail with a mainstream sitcom that pulled ratings from middle America. Will & Grace brought us into family living rooms, albeit a neutered version of the gay experience, it allowed us to make strides in LGBTQ representation. The time has come when we can finally tell the outsider stories all around us in the LGBTQ world. People who do not fall within the stereotypes of the gay universe, but who can still appeal to a mainstream, broad viewership. This is where Almost….Not Quite stakes its flag. With the help of Jonny and his friends, we believe their “outsider” stories will appeal to everyone. With your help, we can fulfill the next step in the LGBTQ entertainment evolution.
Statistics estimate about 10 million U.S. citizens self-identify as part of the LGBTQ community and their viewership is powerful.
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