Independent Streak Magazine -- Spring 2020

In d ep en d en t

St r eak

M a g a zin e Summer 20 20

Actr ess Talia Shir e & Dir ector Rober t Jur y Talk " Working M an" Also in this issue: " Crossing the Line" Director Dan Cohen & actress Kimberly Leemans talk " A Stone in the Water" " The Eccentric World of Baron Styles" Director Kel Thompson 's " The Terrible Adventure" " The Starlight Club"

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Th e St a r lig h t Clu b sh in es b r ig h t

By Rachel Gal vin In the 1960s, the Starlight Club was a hopping place, filled with gangsters with names like Jimmy the Hat, Crazy Joey Gallo and Big Red. The tale of some of the characters that frequented this establishment is told in a book by the same name written by Joe Corso, author of 33 books. It also was converted into a play format by Carrol Mendelson and read staged reading style back at the end of February into early March at Savor Cinema in Ft. Lauderdale. Utilizing mood music, a few props and a backdrop of slides, the cast lined up in front of microphones, reminiscent of a retro radio show.

Some actors played multiple characters, slightly changing their vocal style, posture or wardrobe to emulate each. The result was a fresh 1

performance that kept the audience engaged. It brought to life Corso's words in a way normally experienced through a narrated film.

Corso, who is a retired New York firefighter, wrote the book based on his own true stories. ?My father owned a bar during the Gallo-Profaci war,? said Corso, who added that one of the places many of the mobsters would go

Act ress Laurel Levey

Aut hor Joe Corso & IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin

was his dad's bar, so he had firsthand knowledge of the characters.

When one of the producers of the staged reading (who wished to remain nameless) received the book, he said he could not put it down. ?I get a lot scripts,? he said. ?Reading it was like watching a movie. I read it straight through? that

was the first time that has happened in 25 years.?

Another producer, Jeffrey Weinstein, president of JM Productions of Florida, Inc., talked about how they brought a group together to produce the staged reading. This was just one of the scripts with which they hope to do this type of production. Their group is called From Page to Stage and it does exactly what it sounds like. You can find out about them via their Facebook page.

This staged reading, directed by Kevin Dean, included Peter Salzer, Mike McDermott, Kent Harris, Dougie Almeida, Brandon Sirota and Laurel Levey.

Levey, who played the only woman characters in the cast, said that this was her first performance on stage since she was a child. These days, she works in film. ?The stage poses a bigger challenge. It is more demanding. It's a different process. There are no retakes. It is live. It's actually thrilling because you get an immediate reaction. You get to act larger and use your voice louder, [it employs] body language. Everything is magnified because it is very physical and animated.?

Levey has since started her own production company, Shemesh Films, and will be producing SAG films with a focus on Jewish culture,. Her first film is already in the works.

Corso hopes to take this project probably to film or maybe TV or a miniseries.

He also is working on another book. This one is a western.

For more information on Joe Corso, visit www.corsobooks.com.

Above: Som e of t h e cast st r ikes a pose f ollow in g t h eir per f or m an ce. Righ t : Playw r igh t Car r ol M en delson w it h au t h or Joe Cor so & pr odu cer Jef f r ey Wein st ein

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Act r ess Talia Shir e & Dir ect or Rober t Jur y on t he FLIFF cr uise.

Act r ess Talia Shir e & Dir ect or Rober t Jur y Talk about?Wor k ing Man?

By Rachel Gal vin The dignity of work and coping with not having it have become hot topics lately with so many losing their jobs due to the Coronavirus pandemic. But for many, layoffs were prevalent long before this worldwide epidemic. The Rust Belt, for example, was particularly hard hit.

The film ?Working Man,? written and directed by Robert Jury and starring Talia Shire and Peter Gerety, is a fictional story that follows one man's life after the factory he worked in for many years was shut down. The factory was the livelihood for many in the town. The man continues to "go to work daily" despite it being closed. His desire to just keep working ends up inspiring others, leading to a surprising 3 twist.

The film not only shows the closing of a factory, but also what has closed in his and his wife's marriage and lives. The man, Allery Parkes, is played by Gerety, and his wife, Iola, is played by Shire. This reporter had the chance to talk to Shire and her director, Jury, at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival a few months ago.

When asked his inspiration for writing the film, first time director Jury said that he grew up in southeast Iowa near factory towns. He also thought about some family stories dealing with mental health to tell the tale.

Jury had originally come up with the concept 10 years ago. He had moved back to Iowa 15 years ago and his father lived down the road, and liked to bring the mail up the road almost daily. One day, he brought a newspaper that included an article about a factory that was considering reopening after closure. That sparked an idea in Jury...

What if there was a man who did not get the memo that the place was closing? What if he continued to go to work every day?

When it came time to finally putting the film together, one of his producers, Clark Peterson, suggested Talia Shire for the role of the wife. ?I sent her the script on a Friday and heard back from the agent on Monday. She said 'yes;' that never happens? It usually takes weeks, months before you hear back.?

"I was thrilled to read such a unique piece," said Shire.

Jury and Shire found that collaborating and openly discussing the scenes ahead of time was beneficial. ?If we hadn't had that open dialogue, the film would have been worse,? said Jury. ?I was excited to have the opportunity and input.

Talia and Peter have done a number of films. I was leaning on that experience.?

Shire is best known from her work in ?Rocky? and ?The Godfather,? among other films. You may have seen Gerety in "The Wire" or "Sneaky Pete," among other TV shows and films. The film also stars Billy Brown as Walter Brewer, who is known for shows like "Sons of Anarchy," "Dexter" and more. The rest of the cast was filled out with Chicago, IL based cast, according to Jury. A special shout out to J. Salome Martinez as Benny, who did a great job as one of the workers

frustrated by the factory closure and annoyed by the company line.

The characters in this film are overtaken by sadness and silence, a hiding of the truth, using their daily routine to escape reality. As the film progresses, the audience gets a peek into the real truth of what is eating at them. The factory closure is just a mask for what is brewing beneath. Allery and Iola are barely able to mumble a word to each other; each is like an empty shell, their soul removed from their body waiting for something to fill them up again, but not sure that will ever happen. We discover that they are deep in grief over the loss of their son. But we find that they are not the only ones in the town that have lost something.

The film, which was done in only 20 days, with exterior shots done in Joliet, IL, is brimmed with emotion. When the couple finally opens up a crack in their exterior to let each other in, it leads to a new beginning.

her hands to illustrate a small frame.

She added, "I had a beautiful script. That was part of it."

In the scene when they finally reveal themselves to one another, said Jury, the actors played with changing it up, spatially and emotionally... trying to reverse roles to really get at the heart of the scene. He said it was one of his proudest moments.

"We were up against it timewise and I could feel the production crew crowding around and looking at clock, but we held fast and developed dialogue. I didn't have time to figure out blocking. I get so many compliments on that scene."

Asked how she worked on her character as she prepared for the role, Shire said, "I usually try to have a backstory? What was it like with her husband. What happened? Did she have her child late in life? The most important is the loss of the child. They never talked about it. Suddenly, the factory closes down... What ifs...What's it like to lose a child-- the stigma of it."

She continued, "I lost my husband 23 years ago. I know what loss is. My husband died of Cancer. I understood the role."

She said she explored not only the basic questions of the relationship and her inner feelings, but also exterior things like, what she wore daily and what they had for breakfast. Every piece helped to develop the bigger picture of her role.

She added, "I consider myself a character actress, which gives me flux. I was a theater major. Parts are not easy as you grow older. Being a character actor gives you an edge."

"My friend [actress] Barbara Stanwyck and I used to have lunch together. She would tell me, 'Act only for this space.' Ultimately, these great big thematic issues have to exist in this space," she said, using

"Working Man" is now available on on demand platforms. For more information, visit www.workingmanmovie.com.

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?A Stone in the Water?

Talking with Daniel Cohen & Kimberly Leemans

By Rachel Gal vin

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Director Daniel Cohen and actress Kimberly Leemans also sat down with Independent Streak during the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival cruise to discuss their film ?A Stone in the Water,? a psychological thriller involving a conflict between two very different women.

Cohen said of the film,?Two women of different backgrounds and objectives clashed. One is devout?

God controls everything. The other is an atheist.? Those women were veteran actress Bonnie Bedelia (Martha), best known for films like ?Die Hard,? ?Parenthood? and ?Salem's Lot?, among others, and Melissa Fumero (Alex), who is on ?Brooklyn 99.?

The film is reminiscent of films like ?Misery? and serves up the same sense of angst. A pregnant Alex, who is also an accessory to a robbery, ends up crashing her car and is taken in by Martha, who, blinded by her grief over the loss of her only son, decides to keep Alex there to protect her and the child, who she believes was her son's. What she does not know is that Alex's boyfriend, Frank, plans on invading the house to get the stash from the robbery, which is hidden in her basement, and doing away with both women in the process. And, Martha's

best friend, Grace is about to make things even more harrowing.

The film takes place mostly in a rural farmhouse and other locations in Bend, Oregon. Cohen had recently moved to town and that is where he found Leemans, who played Violet. ?I think it seemed like an ideal setting,? said Cohen.

His hope was to get a good cast, raise the money and shoot it inexpensively. He shot the film in 19 days. ?I think the principal challenge is getting a really good cast,? he added.

Cohen, who also wrote the film, added, ?I wanted to make something suspenseful. I am a great admirer of Hitchcock.?

When asked how she prepared for her character, as Alex's friend, Leemans said, ?The script gave me what I needed. I have a best friend. I asked myself, ?What would I do for her?' I tried to relate to it on a human level.?

Leemans, originally from Ocala, Florida, was happy to come back for the festival.

She lived in Los Angeles and worked in other areas, but now has a beautiful home in Bend, Oregon.

Leemans was in "America's Top Model" and says she loved working with Tyra Banks. She has also been seen in shows like ?The Walking Dead,? ?Vampire Diaries? and ?Nashville.? She has built up quite the repertoire and has continually stayed busy in the industry in shorts, features and on TV. She also was in ?Spides,? a syfy film, with her partner Falk Hentschel,who is also a prolific actor.

For more information on the film, visit www.astoninthewater.com.

Top l ef t : Bonnie Bedel ia and Mel issa Fumero st ar in t his t hril l er. Top right : Writ er/ Direct or Daniel Cohen, Above: IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin & act ress Kimberl y Leemans. Lef t : Cohen & Leemans wit h producer Howard Schor at t he FLIFF cl osing night wrap part y.

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Dir ect or Kel Thompson goes on a "Ter rible

Advent ur e"

By Rachel Gal vin Not only are there planes, trains and automobiles, but also drones, jet skis, boats and hangliders in Kel Thompson's epic adventure film "The Terrible Adventure". Perfect for kids, but entertaining for the whole Direct or Kel Thompson & his kids, Ol ivia & family, this storyline follows Jackson, st ars of Thompson's f il m "The Terribl e Advent ure."

Thompson's own kids, Jackson (12) and Olivia (9) in starring roles as they travel throughout Florida trying to solve clues in hopes to win one million dollars and help their father (played by Brett Engle), who has lost his shirt due to divorce from his high-maintenance now ex-wife, played by Jillian Chiappone. The problem that befalls the duo as they break free from dear ol' dad to hit the road is that they are chased by two madcap bumbling ice cream men. Reminiscent of a film like "Home Alone," they concoct some inventive ways to get back at the bad guys and move on their way.

The clues are given via a special contest put together by millionaire Billy Bob Branson (Ron Beau Phillips), who not only has amassed his own fortune but also wants to give back to the world by tracking down the best geniuses to fix the world's problems... problems like battling climate change an pollution, tackling greed and curing diseases. The film not only is a fun watch but also serves up a good message.

Santo Curatolo and Ciro Dobric, who play ice cream men Iceman and Chilly, are great characters filled with quirks.

Dobric is reminiscent of Bob Cat Goldthwait in many ways.

The film, says Thompson, was conceived 5 years ago on a family vacation and finally came to fruition this year.

Thompson tapped into tenured, award-winning comedians to play the various lead and supporting roles in "The Terrible Adventure", bringing natural levity and lightheartedness to each scene. Kel says, ?Stage performers are gifted actors and the on-screen chemistry among comics is second to none.?

Thompson, who has his own production company, America's Production Company, has won awards as a television and film producer, as well as a children?s book author.

"The Terrible Adventure" is currently exploring various distribution options including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and a theatrical release.

For more information, visit www.TheTerribleAdventure.com.

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" Th e Eccentri c Worl d of Baron Styl es" Ev ent bri ngs i n a crow d

By Rachel Gal vin Director Jerome-Anthony Larkin showcased his film "The Eccentric World of Baron Styles" to family and friends at the Savor Cinema on Jan. 19. Many local actors and crew members who were in the film were in attendance.

Following the film, there was a party to celebrate out on the patio. Pictured are some of those who attended the soiree.

The film follows Leonard Rothman as he begins working for a mysterious and very wealthy and eccentric Baron Styles. He soon discovers that his boss Lef t : Al ejandro Cuadra & Al ixae, cinemat ographers, wit h direct or Jerome Ant hony-Larkin; right : Larkin speaks t o a packed house wit h cast and crew behind him. Bot t om L t o R: St ar of t he f il m, Eric Cl aussen, wit h IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin hanging out at t he af t er part y; Charol t t e Adams, booking agent f or f or Thespis Rose Theat er Tal ent Agency, speaks; f ounder of mul t ipl e f il m f est ival s Jarrod Knowl es was among t he speakers; direct or Andrew Kiaroscuro shares some insight s wit h t he audience; Larkin next t o Khal iah Camacho-Al i, who addresses t he crowd.

not all that he seems to be and finds himself in a situation he never expected.

The film has gone on to be submitted to film festivals.

Larkin has many films under his belt and is already working on more. Find the film in IMDB.com.

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Cr o ssin g

t h e Lin e

By Rachel Gal vin "Crossing the Line," which was shown in a private screening Jan. 25 at Savor Cinema in Ft. Lauderdale brought in a plethora of local talent to the soiree. Independent Streak was there inside the theater and on the red carpet. One of the many in attendance was artist, fashion designer and now actor Kenny Ruiz, who gave an amazing performance in the film and became one of the hits of the event.

The film, written and directed by Hussain Ahmad, who also is in the film, stars locals you might recognize like Alexandra Bello, who also was one of the producers, Anthony Ace, Francis Allen and Juliana Duque, among many others.

In the film, a Mexican Sicario runs into plenty of troubles after meeting with cartel leader "The Viper" and is assigned a Middle Eastern hitman to accompany him on his missions. He finds that his new partner does things a little differently. The film includes suspense, violence and more.

The film is currently in the film festival circuit.

You can find out more information on its IMDB page.

Bel ow l ef t : Some of t he cast & crew at t he screening at Savor Cinema. Cent er: Al icia d'Brit o Carreno & IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin wit h one of t he f il m's st ars Kenny Ruiz. Right : Al ixae speaks at t he event .

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P u b lis h e r 's No t e We have been experiencing an unprecedent ed moment in t ime wit h t his Coronavirus, but if you l ook back in hist ory, you wil l see t hat we have suf f ered simil ar circumst ances in t he past . Then, t here were pl ent y of l osses and sorrows, but , in t he end, humanit y prevail ed; and it wil l again t his t ime. There is reason f or opt imism and hope. Just remember we are not al one. The whol e worl d is bat t l ing t his.

Now is t he t ime t o be creat ive and t o l end a hel ping hand t o ot hers, t o check in and make sure f riends and f amil y members are OK. Your day job may have gone away in t his crisis. If so, use your creat ivit y t o f ind new ways t o make money. Look at t his as an opport unit y, rat her t han an obst acl e. Don't be af raid t o t el l ot hers what you need or how you f eel .

St ay saf e!

Rachel Galvin Publisher

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