City Life
Janet Marcavage at the Handforth Gallery
B5
TACOMAWEEKLY.com
ON A ROLL SECTION B, PAGE 1
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016
Puyallup actress Sarah Butler comes home to discuss new film “Before the Sun Exploded”
PHOTO BY SEAN WEBLEY
INDIE FILM. Puyallup Native Sarah Butler appears with co-star Bill Dawes in the new film
“Before the Sun Explodes.” The movie – directed and co-written by Debra Eisenstadt – will be shown at the Grand Cinema on Dec. 3 followed by a Q & A with its star. By Ernest A. Jasmin ejasmin@tacomaweekly.com
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ctress Sarah Butler has been pretty busy in Hollywood since she graduated from Puyallup’s Rogers High School in 2003. She tangled with sadistic townies in the 2010 remake of horror cult classic “I Spit On Your Grave.” She learned it’s sometimes better to take the stairs in the 2014 thriller “Free Fall.” And more recently, fans may have spotted her on ABC-TV’s hit series, “Grey’s Anatomy.” (She plays Danielle on the Nov. 17 episode, “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” for anyone who wants to pull it up on Amazon Video.) But none of that compares to finally being able to showcase one of her projects at home. Butler will make an appearance after a screening of her new film, “Before the Sun Explodes,” which will shown at 6:45 p.m., Dec. 3 at the Grand Cinema, 606 S. Fawcett Ave. “I wanted to be able to share something that I’m really proud of with my family and friends back home,” she said earlier this week. “They’ve been begging, ‘When will one of your films show in a theater here?’ So I made it happen,” she added, laughing. Earlier this week, Butler discussed the project – in which she co-stars with comedian Bill Dawes – and revealed details of a thriller she wrote, which – if all goes according to plan – could turn her into a mainstream action star. TACOMA WEEKLY: How did you get started in acting while you were here? BUTLER: Besides doing all the productions in high school, which included a really nice production of “My Fair Lady” … I went and auditioned for Tacoma Little Theater and ended up being a chorus girl in their production of “South Pacific.” Then I squeezed in another production at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, playing Liesl in “The
Sound of Music.” I actually completed some of my intern hours from my senior project at the Tacoma Musical Playhouse, as well, while they were having their kids’ summer camp. (Company founder) John Rake knows me really well. We spent a lot of time together over a couple of summers. TW: Where did all that take you? BUTLER: I ended up getting accepted into USC . … From that point, I was studying, but I also auditioned for the role of the princesses at Disneyland because my good friend, Jeff Adams, whose mom did all the costumes for all of our productions – she’s a costume designer, Peggy Adams – he had moved down to California, and he was working as Woody. I did it, so I was working as Belle at Disneyland. TW: Are you talking about a production or one of the actors who interact with the visitors? BUTLER: Yes, it’s almost like being an improv actor. You’ve gotta be in the moment and responding but stay in character. They take it very seriously. You cannot break character, and you can be fired for even a little transgression there. It was good practice – actually, better practice than some of my classes at USC. So eventually, I ended up dropping out. I just didn’t feel that education was getting me closer to my goal, which was now to be a television and film actress. From that point on, honestly, it’s just been climbing up one rung of the ladder at a time and making a little progress here and there until finally I can say I am a full-time actress. It took maybe 10 years of being active in the industry to get to that point, but I’m here.
BUTLER: I had met friends through another friend while hiking, which is how a lot of business is done in L.A. I think he just liked that I was – in his words – kind and down-toearth and talented, and he wanted people like that to succeed. He told me he was gonna look out for me, which is something you hear all the time down here. But this guy actually did. His name is J. Chris Newberg. He’s a fantastic standup comedian. J. Chris introduced me to Bill (“Sun Exploded” actor Dawes) and he said that they were having an extremely difficult time finding their leading lady ‘cause there had to be a really unique set of traits in this person. I guess I was lucky. No. 1, I had some of the traits they were looking for. No. 2, I read the script, and based on the character development they had already done (and) the incredible dialogue … I was immediately drawn to it. I was actually shooting at the time. … I was shooting 12-hour days on (Lifetime movie) “Nightmare Nurse” when I put together my audition tape. Based on that tape, they brought me in and started to work with me on bringing my own personality to my character, Holly.
TW: How did you get involved, and who do you play?
TW: What is the story about? BUTLER: Basically, it takes place over one night and the following day. It follows a stand-up comedian who’s sort of had his moment and is hanging onto it while his wife is now the breadwinner and he stays home with their two kids. He’s really feeling lost, and his wife gets upset with him. She comes home drunk and tells, “If you’re gonna go to your show, then just don’t come home.” So it follows him in that night and how he just feels very helpless when, all of a sudden, this girl pops into his life.
Casino at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. He will be joined by fellow Vietnamese pop stars Huong Thuy, Dan Nguyen, Nguyen Hong Nhung, Ha Thanh Xuan, Phuong Thao, and MC Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen. Construction is currently taking place near the EQC I-5 entrance, located at 2024 E. 29th St. If you are planning on attending an event, it is strongly recommend allowing additional time for travel and parking. Admission is free, but you must be 21 or older to attend; www. emeraldqueen.com.
small town of Bedford Falls, whose dreams of escape and adventure have been quashed by family obligation and civic duty, whose guardian angel has to descent on Christmas Eve to save him from despair and to remind him – by showing him what the world would have been like had he never been born – that his has been, after all, a wonderful life. Find times and ticket information by calling (253) 588-0042 or online at www.lakewoodplayhouse.org.
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CHRISTMAS CLASSIC Lakewood Playhouse’s adaptation of Frank Capra’s Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” kicks off Friday, Nov. 25, and continues through Dec. 18. The story follows George Bailey, the Everyman from the
CRAFT SALE Meeker Mansion, located at 312 Spring St. in Puyallup, will host a “Small Business Saturday Craft Sale” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26. Visitors can view the Meeker Mansion in all of its Christmas
TW: So you’re coming here for a film called “Before the Sun Explodes.” BUTLER: Yes.
PHOTO BY DANA PATRICK
TW: Holly, I presume. BUTLER: Yes, and she kind of takes him on this roller coaster ride. … The title “Before the Sun Explodes” essentially is leading the viewer to decide in the end if this night out with this girl is going to be the end of Ken. Or will it be the rebirth of Ken? TW: That’s all exciting. So things seem to be coming together for you. BUTLER: Yeah, they are. It’s been a long road, after 10 years of really putting down my head and doing the work and supporting myself with supplementary jobs. For about a year and a half now, I haven’t worked anywhere else. I’m acting. I wrote my first script. It’s been optioned, and we’re basically wrapping up the development phase on that. We’re gonna talk about budgets and schedules soon which leaves that completely open to investors coming in. That’s a crime thriller that I’ll be starring in as a female vigilante. It’s kind of like “Taken,” almost, but with a female lead. It’s set up to be a franchise where, in each installment, my character will wind up in a different place in the world to save other victims of senseless crime. TW: So you are the Liam Neeson-type character. BUTLER: That’s right. (She chuckles.) That’s what I’m hoping for. It’s been getting some good response from people in the industry here. We’ve gotten some good informal offers for distribution. So I’m really enjoying the process and hoping that it continues, and that we actually get to go through with this.
THE THINGS WE LIKE ONE SANTA IN PUYALLUP Kids can share their Christmas wishes with Santa without going all the way to the North Pole. North Pole at the Fair will offer families the opportunity to take photos with Santa, visit his house and hang out in the elf village, which have all been magically transported to the Washington State Fair Event Center, 110 Ninth Ave. SW, in Puyallup. The displays will be located near the Red Gate through Dec. 23. Admission is $5 for ages 2 and older, free for the littlest squirts; www. northpoleatthefair.com.
TWO ASIA FEST Asia Fest will bring Manh Quynh, star from “Paris by Night,” to the Emerald Queen
glory and purchase craft treasures from vendors located throughout the many rooms of the Mansion. Hot cider and cookies will be served. Admission is $5, which goes toward the mansion’s restoration fund or a dollar off for anyone who donates a nonperishable food item for the Puyallup Food Bank. Learn more online at www.meekermansion.org.
FIVE USA DANCE Lakewood Elks, located at 6313 75th St. W, in Lakewood, will host its fourth Saturday event USA Dance Tacoma at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26. Arrive early for lessons before the main event at 8 p.m. Admission is $8 for members, $12 for non-members. Learn more at www. dancetacoma.org.