Cliff Roles' Newsletter Week March 30
Cliff Roles' Talk of the Sun Coast
It's Show Time!
Where everybody knows your name ...
The Sarasota Film Festival's up and running!
Photo: Cliff Roles
It's a big week for Sarasota and for movies: the Sarasota Film Festival began officially on Friday with the red-carpet glitz of the Opening Night film "The Messenger" and subsequent party at the Van Wezel.
SFF Pres Mark Famiglio and Programming Director Tom Hall kicked it off and the film's stars and production team were in attendance (see below). We were also honored to have many war veterans and their families in attendance.
Jay wrote a comprehensive blog review on the evening for the Tribune, and you'll find great podcasts by Ann, Mady and contributors at www.RadioSRQ.com!
The week continues with more of the 165 films and features compiled by Tom, his colleague Holly Herrick, Tom Garrett and Allison Koehler (Education and Outreach), with Kathy Jordan and Kim Miele heading up events, and they will be constantly updating the SFF website to bring you the latest news on which films are playing where, who's at which events, and of course when the dignitaries are arriving!
__________________________
In contrast, you may also like to vist the Rustic Grill facilities at 400 North Lemon from April 2-5 to view films at The Sarasota Fringe Film Festival, which is being organized by Patrick Nagle and Ian Black. There's an opening cocktail reception and presentation taking place this Thursday evening from 5 - 7.30 pm.
More info at http://sarasotafringefilmfest.squarespace.com/
Ringling College Avant Garde
Best Of Broadway
March 28 2009
The Oldest Inhabitant croaks
Well, of all things, can it be really?
Yes! No! Ho! Hi! Oh, my eye!
My mind may be wandering, but I confess
I believe it is Old Deuteronomy!
Well, of all things, can it be really?
Yes! No! Ho! Hi! Oh, my eye!
My legs may be tottery, I must go slow
And be careful of Old Deuteronomy!
I was delighted to be Master of Ceremonies and conduct the live auction at the 12th Annual Avant Garde at the Ringling College of Art and Design. The theme this year was Best of Broadway, and the guests made sure that photographers and Ringling art students were treated to some wonderfully innovative costumes to shoot and draw. As always, it was such a pleasure to visit College President Dr. Larry Thompson and his wife Pat, who gave us the entrance of the evening as they marched through the main gates as The Music Man's Professsor Harold Hill and Marian Paroo, accompanied of course by a band of "76 Trombones"!
Check Heather Dunhill's Out & About, Molly Schechter's Black Tie and Tales and Rebecca Baxter's Limelight for some great photos and reports!
And yes, that's me up top as Cats' Old Deuteronomy, made possible by the make-up genius of actor Steve Dawson and by the costume lent to me by the lovely Dee Richards of the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre.
Go and admire Dee's costumes and enjoy the season's happiest production - directed by my friend Kyle Ennis Turoff and starring my friend Robert Ennis Turoff - of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - it'll send you home with a big smile on your face!
_______________________
SCENE Magazine's SCENE UpClose
"SCENE Up Close", SCENE Magazine's very own television show is broadcast live every two weeks on Channel 21 from 8 - 8.30pm.
Just as on my radio show, I offer my audience the chance to experience wonderful people who make a mark on and contribute to our Sarasota community.
Don't worry if you can't see the show live - the edited clips will be available for viewing through our respective websites www.CliffRoles.com and www.SceneSarasota.com!
Guests tomorrow,
Tuesday, March 31,
8pm, Channel 21:
Malaka Hilton - Admiral Travel
Debbi Benedict - Women On The Scene
Would you like to be a sponsor and have your own commercial during the show, as well as regular features in SCENE Magazine? Then contact Julie Milton at 941 365-1119 or mail her at editor@scenesarasota.com.
________________________
Follow me on TWITTER!
_______________________
Sarasota Film Festival Opening Night
Photo: Rebecca Bolletti
I just read a very interesting blog on "The Messenger", Friday's SFF Opening Night Film starring Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster and Jena Malone. It was written by Steve Persall, the movie critic for the St. Petersburg Times (persall@sptimes.com). I thought I'd share it with you:
It's the side of war that only the dutybound know, between lives ending and the beginning of grief. Soldiers die, and someone must inform the survivors.
Lt. Col. Paul Sinor has knocked on those doors, and ordered hundreds of soldiers to do the same, leading the Pentagon office for informing loved ones that soldiers were killed in action. Later, Sinor became a military liason for film and television projects, lending authenticity to such projects as both Transformers movies, I Am Legend and Delta Farce.
Friday night at the Sarasota Film Festival, Sinor's dissimilar assignments converged, on his final night in the U.S. Army.
Sinor's last detail was introducing Oren Moverman's movie The Messenger to a near-capacity crowd at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The officer served as technical advisor for the film, from first rewrite of the screenplay to the opening night festival showcase. He also contacted active and reserve troops across Florida, inviting them to view a film about something likely to happen.
"In the grand scheme of things, soldiers sitting there either have or will at some time in their career be a messenger," Sinor said before the show. "They will have to do that duty. To see a feature film like this, that honors that service, is great for the military."
Even when it depicts an aspect of military duty that's seldom addressed, after years of even flag-draped coffins being banned from publication.
"We don't censor," Sinor said. "The requirements for military support are: portray the military in a realistic manner, show soldiers doing what soldiers do, and it has to have some vaule as far as public awareness, public relations or recruiting. This (movie) certainly has the public awareness factor, letting the public know what happens in these situations.
The Messenger stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster as Iraq War veterans assigned stateside to deliver tragic news. One soldier doesn't cope easily with the strain, the other develops a close relationship with a new widow, played by Samantha Morton.
Sinor doesn't believe such a story has been told on screen before.
"In every movie you've seen that has a death notification, the door closes and you follow the father, mother, wife, whoever, to see how it affects them. This one shows what happens on both sides of the door, how it impacts the soldiers as well."
On the red carpet entering Van Wezel, Harrelson expressed his pleasure with having dozens of active and retired veterans in the audience.
"I can't understate the importance of having these guys here," the actor said. "This movie was done as much for them as anyone. I know when Oren and Alessandro (Camon) were writing it, (the troops) were very much in their thoughts. To me, seeing their reaction is big."
Judging from the audience's response, The Messenger's Florida debut was a mission accomplished. Blending foxhole humor with sobering scenes of wartime remembrances, the movie impressed Lt. Col. Mike Worth of Fort Dix, N.J.
Worth made the trip to Sarasota after the unit he commands assisted with filming during five days last May. Prior to that, he spent three years in that Pentagon agency where Sinor served.
"I've never done a notification," Worth said. "But they captured it accurately. I'm personally familiar with examples of everything I saw in the movie."
__________________________
"Decorating can be murder"
Cliff Roles is in deep doo-doo!
If you've been following Bob Plunket's masterful murder mystery series "Decorating Can Be Murder" in Sarasota Magazine and on its blog at SarasotaMagazine.com, you'll know that at the end of Chapter Five, I was arrested on suspicion of killing old Mr. Kneff and Magda Barlow!
The April issue is out now, and in Chapter Six you'll be able to read what happens to me, and how Timothy Spryke delves deeper into everyday life in Sarasota to try to find the answers to his questions: how did Magda Barlow die? Is Marco Massima really an international porn star? Will Mary Alice and Doris Dickens sleep with him? Are Pam Daniel and Bob Plunket in reality one and the same person (well, have YOU ever seen them in public together at the same time?)?
_______________________
Youth Screenwriting Circle LIVE Tonight!
Where: Florida Studio Theatre, (FST), Goldstein Cabaret
When: Monday, March 30, 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.)
What: A unique group of talented actors will take the stage to perform nine short film screenplays, created by 8th, 9th, and 10th graders from Phoenix Academy in Sarasota.
Organized by Debra Hussong, this is a FREE SFF event and since this year nine Middle and High School screenwriters wrote their screenplays on one of their real-life experiences, you can expect a very powerful and emotionally charged evening.
Cost: This FREE Program is in partnership between the Youth Screenwriters Circle, Sarasota Film Festival, (SFF), AnythingArts.com, and FST.
______________________________________
My performance tips "for your viewing pleasure":
Theater Odyssey,
Crocker Memorial Church (12th Street between N. Tamiami Trail and Cocoanut Avenue)
Ten-Minute Play Festival (through April 5)
941 744-6858 or www.theatreodyssey.org
ASOLO Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre:
"The Winter's Tale" (thru May 16)
"Inventing Van Gogh" (thru April 16)
"Murderers" (thru May 23)
"Devil's Disciple" (thru May 23)
941 351-8000 or www.asolo.org
Manatee Players:
"Smokey Joe's Cafe" (opens April 9)
941 748-5875 or www.manateeplayers.com
Players of Sarasota:
"Smile" (April 16 thru 26)
941 365-2494 or www.theplayers.org
Venice Theatre:
Mainstage: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (opens May 5)
Stage II: "And the winner is ..." (thru March 29)
"Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf" (opens May 5)
941 488-1115 or www.venicestage.com
Golden Apple Dinner Theatre:
"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (thru May 31) 941 941 365-5454 or www.thegoldenappple.com
Florida Studio Theatre:
Mainstage: "Boleros for the Disenchanted" (thru April 3)
Goldstein Cabaret: "Laughing Matters 09" (thru June 6)
The Gompertz Theatre: "Blackbird" (opens April 22)
941 366-9000 or www.floridastudiotheatre.org
__________________________________
Sarasota Film Festival tips
http://www.sarasotafilmfestival.com/2009/
Art and Artists
- The films covering the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and the award-winning Herb and Dorothy directed by Megumi Sasaki, about two of the twentieth-centuries most notable collectors of contemporary art ... a postal worker and a librarian named Herb and Dorothy Vogel.
Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be The Same directed by Jody Lee Lipes. Famed for his incendiary performance experiments such as false kidnapping, Brock Enright's reputation as a provocateur was significant, and yet his esteem as an artist had not secured him an economically stable career. This portrait of Enright's struggle to produce a financially and critically successful show uncovers the deep paradoxes of art stardom, and reveals the human casualties wrought by the pressure to produce compelling work. Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner directed by Murray Grigor (who is available and will be coming in) follows the architect John Lautner who spent his professional career designing and making buildings that are integrated into the natural landscape.
Internet Celebrity - Ondi Timoner's award winning We Live In Public documents internet pioneer Josh Harris, founder of Pseudo.com, rise to the top of the NYC tech world, his performance art project "Quiet" and his personal surveillance project We Live In Public, and the toll online living took on Harris' life and fortune. Winnebago Man directed Ben Steinbauer. In the world of viral video, "Winnebago Man" Jack Rebney is the height of celebrity. Rebney's disintegration into a torrent of explatives during a Winnebago corporate marketing shoot became famous when this footage was released and duplicated onto VHS. Tapes of the hilarious antics were distributed hand to hand, and Rebney became an underground celebrity whose fame only took off further with the advent of the internet.
Mental Illness & Mental Health - Boy Interrupted, directed by Dana Perry (available in advance and at SFF), is the unforgettable story of Evan Perry, a young boy whose battles with mental illness took a heavy toll on his family. Perry captures the highs and lows of her son's life with a sublime understanding of Evan's character and humanity, allowing the audience to discover a wide range of meaning in each and every emotion. No Kidding, Me Too! directed by Joe Pantoliano who makes his documentary directorial debut with this work-in-progress presentation as part of his fight against the stigma and shame of mental illness. It's an educational, provocative, inspiring, hopeful and sometimes even humorous look at mental illness and recovery. Invisible Girlfriend directed by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, is an eloquent and intimate chapter in a story of a man living with schizophrenia. Charles Fihoil, a native Louisianian who has experienced a long battle with mental illness, is deeply in love with Joan of Arc, who he calls his "invisible girlfriend". The Messenger, winner of the Silver Bear for Screenwriting at the recent Berlin Film Festival, is a timeless story of military brotherhood and service and examines universal themes of hope, redemption and the resilience of the human spirit. The film is a deeply moving tale about the complex and unexpected ways people reach out to one another to gain strength, and offers a unique and inspiring vision that deftly balances string emotions with humor, compassion and empathy. Stars Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson and director Oren Moverman are expected to attend and available in advance. You Won't Miss Me, directed by Ry Russo-Young, follows a struggling actress who is on her way to being released from a psychiatric care facility. A multi-faceted portrait of this fascinating protagonist, a young woman whose dedication to real feeling causes all sorts of problems, tossing her and turning her and leaving us breathless. Blood Trail, directed by Richard Parry, follows young war photographer from 1992 to the present, as the photographer made his much too rapid journey from a clueless kid to a war-scarred and trauma-ridden adult.
Theater and Dance - Every Little Step directed by Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern, is the story of the smash hit musical "A Chorus Line," from its humble beginnings in Michael Bennett's workshop to the new Broadway production of the show, featuring young dancers and actors following their own dreams of landing a role on The Great White Way. VSPRS Show and Tell, directed Sophie Fiennes, follows Alain Platel, one of Europe's most innovative modern choreographers, and his dance company Les Ballets C. de la B as they stage one of their most controversial dance pieces, VSPRS, a performance that explores the connections between faith and madness, early music and modern dance. The Extraordinary Journey of Fernando Bujones, directed by Israel Rodriguez, about Fernando Bujones, one of the leading lights of American ballet. It is a celebration of Bujones life and work and honors one of Florida's truly great artists, a man as at home in Orlando and Miami as he was on the world stage. Trust Us, This Is All Made UpWinners of numerous awards in New York City and Chicago, TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi are improvisational performers who improvise a unique one-hour play each time they take the stage; no two performances, stories or characters are the same twice! Gotta Dance, directed by Dori Berinstein, looking for a new way to draw fans and interest to their franchise, the NBA's New Jersey Nets established the nation's first dance team made up entirely of senior citizens. Theater Of War, directed by John Walter, is the story of the Tony Kushner adaptation of Bertold Brecht's "Mother Courage And Her Children" starring Meryl Streep, and this unique production and collaboration between three amazing artists; Kushner, one of our finest playwrights, Streep, an indomitable actress shown here throughout her rehearsal process as she searches for her character and her performance, and especially Brecht, the political-minded writer and raconteur whose life and work are examined in-depth.
Music - Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love, directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, following one of the most popular singers ever to emerge from the African continent, Youssou N'Dour, an icon to millions of music fans around the world. African Underground: Democracy In Dakar, directed by Magee McIlvaine, Chris Moore, Ben Herson, is a groundbreaking documentary film about hip-hop, youth, and politics in Dakar, Senegal. Ashes of American Flags: Wilco Live, directed by Brendan Canty, Christoph Green, follows Wilco, one of the best rock and roll bands in America and is an irrefutably great testament to the band's power. A concert film in the grand tradition of Let's Spend The Night Together and Stop Making Sense. D-Tour, directed by Jim Granato. Indie band Rogue Wave began to take off in the pop music scene, 39-year old drummer Pat Spurgeon reached a tipping point with his health. 10 years earlie D-Tour is the incredible and adventurous tale of Indie band Rogue Wave and its 39-year old drummer Pat Spurgeon reached a tipping point with his health. The Family Jams, directed by Kevin Barker, and follows musicians Joanna Newsom and Devendra Banhart who joined with their friend Andy Cabic's band Vetiver for a DIY tour across the United States. It reflects the engaging spirit of a special group of artists connected by their passion for music and care for one another. Say My Name, directed by Nirit Peled, is the story of the women lyricists past and present who have created and shaped hip-hop and rap. Featuring performances and interviews with Roxanne Shante, Erika Badu, Remy Ma, Estelle and many more, Say My Name presents issues and the images behind the music, and the real life dilemmas that are brought to the forefront by the artform.
Human Rights - Sari Soldiers, The, directed by Julie Bridghman, following women soldiers in Nepal who have joined armies on both sides of a recent conflict, asserting both a drive to fight against their adversaries but also a desire to be acknowledged as citizens. Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, di
rected by Alan Dater and Lisa Merton, about one of the hardest working and most inspirational leaders of the global environmental movement - Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai - and is the incredible story of Maathai's life, from her traditional childhood through her work to create an African woman's movement that would safeguard the environment and protect democracy and human rights. Upstream Battle, directed by Ben Kempas, documents the fight between members of the Hoopa tribe and the energy company (owned by billionaire Warren Buffett) over the fate of the salmon population, a once-glorious river and a changing way of life. Kimjongilia, directed by N.C. Heikin, where North Korean émigrés uncover the harrowing secrets of a closed country in their own words, and discuss the painful and traumatic division between North and South after the Korean War. English Surgeon, The, directed by Geoffrey Smith. On his 1992 visit to Kiev, Henry Marsh, a veteran brain surgeon from England, discovered that his skills were vitally necessary in Ukraine. For the next 15 years, Marsh made annual pilgrimages to Ukraine to consult and treat hundreds of patients with tumors and brain disease. World We Want, The, directed by Patrick Davidson, captures the inspirational stories of teenage activists throughout the world engaged in changing their communities and nations.
Gay Themed Films & Filmmakers
The Man Who Loved Yngve, directed by Stian Kristensen, In a rural Norwegian high school, a group of friends is inspired by their collective boredom to take life by the reins and form a rock and roll band that promises to insult the stiff adult world and inspire their peers. But when a new student joins their school, unexpected new feelings arise that threaten their rigid social order. It is a pop-infused return to the grand emotions of our teenage-age years, a reminder of the feeling of falling in love with the possibilities that life can offer.
Second Guessing Grandma
Directed by Bob Giraldi, How do you come out of the closet to your aging Jewish grandmother?
Countertransference, directed by Madeleine Olnek (her third time in SFF with gay themed), sometimes therapy sessions can be more productive than you want them to be.
Say My Name, directed by Nirit Peled, is the story of the women lyricists past and present who have created and shaped hip-hop and rap. Featuring performances and interviews with Roxanne Shante, Erika Badu, Remy Ma, Estelle and many more, Say My Name presents issues and the images behind the music, and the real life dilemmas that are brought to the forefront by the artform.
____________________________________
and finally ...
Photo: Gene Pollux
Thanks so much to all the readers of SRQ Magazine for awarding me the title
"Best Local Charismatic Actor 2009". I would also like to acknowledge here my fabulous colleagues Tom Aposporos and Kathryn Ohrenstein for their SRQ Readers' Choice nominations!
I'm very honored and hope never to disappoint you!
__________________________
www.cliffroles.com
Here are my dates of where I'll be appearing / emceeing / auctioning / acting etc. during the season - I hope to see you out and about!
Mar 30 7:00P SFF's Youth Screenwriters Circle LIVE! @ FST Goldstein Cabaret
Apr 3 6:30P PAL Sailor Circus 60th Anniversary Extravaganza @ PAL Sailor Circus
Apr 4 6:30P Ave Maria Academy, Miracle Fest 5 @ Shriners, Beneva
Apr 5 4:00P Art Auction @ Boca Grande
Apr 18 6:30P MCC Venice Pops @ MCC Venice
May 1 6:30P Children First 10th Annual Celebration Dinner, Soiree By The Sea @ Sharky's On The Pier, Venice
______________________________
And please check out my pages on
Facebook
AnythingArts.com
SarasotaLocal.com.
For a more extensive show list and guest photos, go to CliffRoles.com!
_________________________
I am proud to be the recipient of the Sarasota County Arts Council 2007 Arts Leadership Award for Media. I won Best Suncoast Enthusiast and Best Local Actor in Creative Loafing's Best of 2007 and 2008, and I was voted one of the top three in the category Best Local Actor 2008 by the readers of Sarasota Magazine and the Readers' Choice winner in the Sarasota Herald Tribune's Curtain Call 2008 of Best Supporting Actor, Play for my performance as Val in last season's Golden Apple Dinner Theatre production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor. In March 2009, the Readers of SRQ Magazine voted me Best Local Charismatic Actor in its Best of SRQ Local 2009.
Contact: Tel. (941) 685-9017
cliffroles@aol.com
cliffroles@yahoo.com
http://www.cliffroles.com
Skype: cliff.roles
Check out my pages at www.AnythingArts.com and www.SarasotaLocal.com!
It's Show Time!
Where everybody knows your name ...
The Sarasota Film Festival's up and running!
Photo: Cliff Roles
It's a big week for Sarasota and for movies: the Sarasota Film Festival began officially on Friday with the red-carpet glitz of the Opening Night film "The Messenger" and subsequent party at the Van Wezel.
SFF Pres Mark Famiglio and Programming Director Tom Hall kicked it off and the film's stars and production team were in attendance (see below). We were also honored to have many war veterans and their families in attendance.
Jay wrote a comprehensive blog review on the evening for the Tribune, and you'll find great podcasts by Ann, Mady and contributors at www.RadioSRQ.com!
The week continues with more of the 165 films and features compiled by Tom, his colleague Holly Herrick, Tom Garrett and Allison Koehler (Education and Outreach), with Kathy Jordan and Kim Miele heading up events, and they will be constantly updating the SFF website to bring you the latest news on which films are playing where, who's at which events, and of course when the dignitaries are arriving!
__________________________
In contrast, you may also like to vist the Rustic Grill facilities at 400 North Lemon from April 2-5 to view films at The Sarasota Fringe Film Festival, which is being organized by Patrick Nagle and Ian Black. There's an opening cocktail reception and presentation taking place this Thursday evening from 5 - 7.30 pm.
More info at http://sarasotafringefilmfest.squarespace.com/
Ringling College Avant Garde
Best Of Broadway
March 28 2009
The Oldest Inhabitant croaks
Well, of all things, can it be really?
Yes! No! Ho! Hi! Oh, my eye!
My mind may be wandering, but I confess
I believe it is Old Deuteronomy!
Well, of all things, can it be really?
Yes! No! Ho! Hi! Oh, my eye!
My legs may be tottery, I must go slow
And be careful of Old Deuteronomy!
I was delighted to be Master of Ceremonies and conduct the live auction at the 12th Annual Avant Garde at the Ringling College of Art and Design. The theme this year was Best of Broadway, and the guests made sure that photographers and Ringling art students were treated to some wonderfully innovative costumes to shoot and draw. As always, it was such a pleasure to visit College President Dr. Larry Thompson and his wife Pat, who gave us the entrance of the evening as they marched through the main gates as The Music Man's Professsor Harold Hill and Marian Paroo, accompanied of course by a band of "76 Trombones"!
Check Heather Dunhill's Out & About, Molly Schechter's Black Tie and Tales and Rebecca Baxter's Limelight for some great photos and reports!
And yes, that's me up top as Cats' Old Deuteronomy, made possible by the make-up genius of actor Steve Dawson and by the costume lent to me by the lovely Dee Richards of the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre.
Go and admire Dee's costumes and enjoy the season's happiest production - directed by my friend Kyle Ennis Turoff and starring my friend Robert Ennis Turoff - of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - it'll send you home with a big smile on your face!
_______________________
SCENE Magazine's SCENE UpClose
"SCENE Up Close", SCENE Magazine's very own television show is broadcast live every two weeks on Channel 21 from 8 - 8.30pm.
Just as on my radio show, I offer my audience the chance to experience wonderful people who make a mark on and contribute to our Sarasota community.
Don't worry if you can't see the show live - the edited clips will be available for viewing through our respective websites www.CliffRoles.com and www.SceneSarasota.com!
Guests tomorrow,
Tuesday, March 31,
8pm, Channel 21:
Malaka Hilton - Admiral Travel
Debbi Benedict - Women On The Scene
Would you like to be a sponsor and have your own commercial during the show, as well as regular features in SCENE Magazine? Then contact Julie Milton at 941 365-1119 or mail her at editor@scenesarasota.com.
________________________
Follow me on TWITTER!
_______________________
Sarasota Film Festival Opening Night
Photo: Rebecca Bolletti
I just read a very interesting blog on "The Messenger", Friday's SFF Opening Night Film starring Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster and Jena Malone. It was written by Steve Persall, the movie critic for the St. Petersburg Times (persall@sptimes.com). I thought I'd share it with you:
It's the side of war that only the dutybound know, between lives ending and the beginning of grief. Soldiers die, and someone must inform the survivors.
Lt. Col. Paul Sinor has knocked on those doors, and ordered hundreds of soldiers to do the same, leading the Pentagon office for informing loved ones that soldiers were killed in action. Later, Sinor became a military liason for film and television projects, lending authenticity to such projects as both Transformers movies, I Am Legend and Delta Farce.
Friday night at the Sarasota Film Festival, Sinor's dissimilar assignments converged, on his final night in the U.S. Army.
Sinor's last detail was introducing Oren Moverman's movie The Messenger to a near-capacity crowd at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The officer served as technical advisor for the film, from first rewrite of the screenplay to the opening night festival showcase. He also contacted active and reserve troops across Florida, inviting them to view a film about something likely to happen.
"In the grand scheme of things, soldiers sitting there either have or will at some time in their career be a messenger," Sinor said before the show. "They will have to do that duty. To see a feature film like this, that honors that service, is great for the military."
Even when it depicts an aspect of military duty that's seldom addressed, after years of even flag-draped coffins being banned from publication.
"We don't censor," Sinor said. "The requirements for military support are: portray the military in a realistic manner, show soldiers doing what soldiers do, and it has to have some vaule as far as public awareness, public relations or recruiting. This (movie) certainly has the public awareness factor, letting the public know what happens in these situations.
The Messenger stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster as Iraq War veterans assigned stateside to deliver tragic news. One soldier doesn't cope easily with the strain, the other develops a close relationship with a new widow, played by Samantha Morton.
Sinor doesn't believe such a story has been told on screen before.
"In every movie you've seen that has a death notification, the door closes and you follow the father, mother, wife, whoever, to see how it affects them. This one shows what happens on both sides of the door, how it impacts the soldiers as well."
On the red carpet entering Van Wezel, Harrelson expressed his pleasure with having dozens of active and retired veterans in the audience.
"I can't understate the importance of having these guys here," the actor said. "This movie was done as much for them as anyone. I know when Oren and Alessandro (Camon) were writing it, (the troops) were very much in their thoughts. To me, seeing their reaction is big."
Judging from the audience's response, The Messenger's Florida debut was a mission accomplished. Blending foxhole humor with sobering scenes of wartime remembrances, the movie impressed Lt. Col. Mike Worth of Fort Dix, N.J.
Worth made the trip to Sarasota after the unit he commands assisted with filming during five days last May. Prior to that, he spent three years in that Pentagon agency where Sinor served.
"I've never done a notification," Worth said. "But they captured it accurately. I'm personally familiar with examples of everything I saw in the movie."
__________________________
"Decorating can be murder"
Cliff Roles is in deep doo-doo!
If you've been following Bob Plunket's masterful murder mystery series "Decorating Can Be Murder" in Sarasota Magazine and on its blog at SarasotaMagazine.com, you'll know that at the end of Chapter Five, I was arrested on suspicion of killing old Mr. Kneff and Magda Barlow!
The April issue is out now, and in Chapter Six you'll be able to read what happens to me, and how Timothy Spryke delves deeper into everyday life in Sarasota to try to find the answers to his questions: how did Magda Barlow die? Is Marco Massima really an international porn star? Will Mary Alice and Doris Dickens sleep with him? Are Pam Daniel and Bob Plunket in reality one and the same person (well, have YOU ever seen them in public together at the same time?)?
_______________________
Youth Screenwriting Circle LIVE Tonight!
Where: Florida Studio Theatre, (FST), Goldstein Cabaret
When: Monday, March 30, 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.)
What: A unique group of talented actors will take the stage to perform nine short film screenplays, created by 8th, 9th, and 10th graders from Phoenix Academy in Sarasota.
Organized by Debra Hussong, this is a FREE SFF event and since this year nine Middle and High School screenwriters wrote their screenplays on one of their real-life experiences, you can expect a very powerful and emotionally charged evening.
Cost: This FREE Program is in partnership between the Youth Screenwriters Circle, Sarasota Film Festival, (SFF), AnythingArts.com, and FST.
______________________________________
My performance tips "for your viewing pleasure":
Theater Odyssey,
Crocker Memorial Church (12th Street between N. Tamiami Trail and Cocoanut Avenue)
Ten-Minute Play Festival (through April 5)
941 744-6858 or www.theatreodyssey.org
ASOLO Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre:
"The Winter's Tale" (thru May 16)
"Inventing Van Gogh" (thru April 16)
"Murderers" (thru May 23)
"Devil's Disciple" (thru May 23)
941 351-8000 or www.asolo.org
Manatee Players:
"Smokey Joe's Cafe" (opens April 9)
941 748-5875 or www.manateeplayers.com
Players of Sarasota:
"Smile" (April 16 thru 26)
941 365-2494 or www.theplayers.org
Venice Theatre:
Mainstage: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (opens May 5)
Stage II: "And the winner is ..." (thru March 29)
"Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf" (opens May 5)
941 488-1115 or www.venicestage.com
Golden Apple Dinner Theatre:
"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (thru May 31) 941 941 365-5454 or www.thegoldenappple.com
Florida Studio Theatre:
Mainstage: "Boleros for the Disenchanted" (thru April 3)
Goldstein Cabaret: "Laughing Matters 09" (thru June 6)
The Gompertz Theatre: "Blackbird" (opens April 22)
941 366-9000 or www.floridastudiotheatre.org
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Sarasota Film Festival tips
http://www.sarasotafilmfestival.com/2009/
Art and Artists
- The films covering the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and the award-winning Herb and Dorothy directed by Megumi Sasaki, about two of the twentieth-centuries most notable collectors of contemporary art ... a postal worker and a librarian named Herb and Dorothy Vogel.
Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be The Same directed by Jody Lee Lipes. Famed for his incendiary performance experiments such as false kidnapping, Brock Enright's reputation as a provocateur was significant, and yet his esteem as an artist had not secured him an economically stable career. This portrait of Enright's struggle to produce a financially and critically successful show uncovers the deep paradoxes of art stardom, and reveals the human casualties wrought by the pressure to produce compelling work. Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner directed by Murray Grigor (who is available and will be coming in) follows the architect John Lautner who spent his professional career designing and making buildings that are integrated into the natural landscape.
Internet Celebrity - Ondi Timoner's award winning We Live In Public documents internet pioneer Josh Harris, founder of Pseudo.com, rise to the top of the NYC tech world, his performance art project "Quiet" and his personal surveillance project We Live In Public, and the toll online living took on Harris' life and fortune. Winnebago Man directed Ben Steinbauer. In the world of viral video, "Winnebago Man" Jack Rebney is the height of celebrity. Rebney's disintegration into a torrent of explatives during a Winnebago corporate marketing shoot became famous when this footage was released and duplicated onto VHS. Tapes of the hilarious antics were distributed hand to hand, and Rebney became an underground celebrity whose fame only took off further with the advent of the internet.
Mental Illness & Mental Health - Boy Interrupted, directed by Dana Perry (available in advance and at SFF), is the unforgettable story of Evan Perry, a young boy whose battles with mental illness took a heavy toll on his family. Perry captures the highs and lows of her son's life with a sublime understanding of Evan's character and humanity, allowing the audience to discover a wide range of meaning in each and every emotion. No Kidding, Me Too! directed by Joe Pantoliano who makes his documentary directorial debut with this work-in-progress presentation as part of his fight against the stigma and shame of mental illness. It's an educational, provocative, inspiring, hopeful and sometimes even humorous look at mental illness and recovery. Invisible Girlfriend directed by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, is an eloquent and intimate chapter in a story of a man living with schizophrenia. Charles Fihoil, a native Louisianian who has experienced a long battle with mental illness, is deeply in love with Joan of Arc, who he calls his "invisible girlfriend". The Messenger, winner of the Silver Bear for Screenwriting at the recent Berlin Film Festival, is a timeless story of military brotherhood and service and examines universal themes of hope, redemption and the resilience of the human spirit. The film is a deeply moving tale about the complex and unexpected ways people reach out to one another to gain strength, and offers a unique and inspiring vision that deftly balances string emotions with humor, compassion and empathy. Stars Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson and director Oren Moverman are expected to attend and available in advance. You Won't Miss Me, directed by Ry Russo-Young, follows a struggling actress who is on her way to being released from a psychiatric care facility. A multi-faceted portrait of this fascinating protagonist, a young woman whose dedication to real feeling causes all sorts of problems, tossing her and turning her and leaving us breathless. Blood Trail, directed by Richard Parry, follows young war photographer from 1992 to the present, as the photographer made his much too rapid journey from a clueless kid to a war-scarred and trauma-ridden adult.
Theater and Dance - Every Little Step directed by Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern, is the story of the smash hit musical "A Chorus Line," from its humble beginnings in Michael Bennett's workshop to the new Broadway production of the show, featuring young dancers and actors following their own dreams of landing a role on The Great White Way. VSPRS Show and Tell, directed Sophie Fiennes, follows Alain Platel, one of Europe's most innovative modern choreographers, and his dance company Les Ballets C. de la B as they stage one of their most controversial dance pieces, VSPRS, a performance that explores the connections between faith and madness, early music and modern dance. The Extraordinary Journey of Fernando Bujones, directed by Israel Rodriguez, about Fernando Bujones, one of the leading lights of American ballet. It is a celebration of Bujones life and work and honors one of Florida's truly great artists, a man as at home in Orlando and Miami as he was on the world stage. Trust Us, This Is All Made UpWinners of numerous awards in New York City and Chicago, TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi are improvisational performers who improvise a unique one-hour play each time they take the stage; no two performances, stories or characters are the same twice! Gotta Dance, directed by Dori Berinstein, looking for a new way to draw fans and interest to their franchise, the NBA's New Jersey Nets established the nation's first dance team made up entirely of senior citizens. Theater Of War, directed by John Walter, is the story of the Tony Kushner adaptation of Bertold Brecht's "Mother Courage And Her Children" starring Meryl Streep, and this unique production and collaboration between three amazing artists; Kushner, one of our finest playwrights, Streep, an indomitable actress shown here throughout her rehearsal process as she searches for her character and her performance, and especially Brecht, the political-minded writer and raconteur whose life and work are examined in-depth.
Music - Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love, directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, following one of the most popular singers ever to emerge from the African continent, Youssou N'Dour, an icon to millions of music fans around the world. African Underground: Democracy In Dakar, directed by Magee McIlvaine, Chris Moore, Ben Herson, is a groundbreaking documentary film about hip-hop, youth, and politics in Dakar, Senegal. Ashes of American Flags: Wilco Live, directed by Brendan Canty, Christoph Green, follows Wilco, one of the best rock and roll bands in America and is an irrefutably great testament to the band's power. A concert film in the grand tradition of Let's Spend The Night Together and Stop Making Sense. D-Tour, directed by Jim Granato. Indie band Rogue Wave began to take off in the pop music scene, 39-year old drummer Pat Spurgeon reached a tipping point with his health. 10 years earlie D-Tour is the incredible and adventurous tale of Indie band Rogue Wave and its 39-year old drummer Pat Spurgeon reached a tipping point with his health. The Family Jams, directed by Kevin Barker, and follows musicians Joanna Newsom and Devendra Banhart who joined with their friend Andy Cabic's band Vetiver for a DIY tour across the United States. It reflects the engaging spirit of a special group of artists connected by their passion for music and care for one another. Say My Name, directed by Nirit Peled, is the story of the women lyricists past and present who have created and shaped hip-hop and rap. Featuring performances and interviews with Roxanne Shante, Erika Badu, Remy Ma, Estelle and many more, Say My Name presents issues and the images behind the music, and the real life dilemmas that are brought to the forefront by the artform.
Human Rights - Sari Soldiers, The, directed by Julie Bridghman, following women soldiers in Nepal who have joined armies on both sides of a recent conflict, asserting both a drive to fight against their adversaries but also a desire to be acknowledged as citizens. Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, di
rected by Alan Dater and Lisa Merton, about one of the hardest working and most inspirational leaders of the global environmental movement - Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai - and is the incredible story of Maathai's life, from her traditional childhood through her work to create an African woman's movement that would safeguard the environment and protect democracy and human rights. Upstream Battle, directed by Ben Kempas, documents the fight between members of the Hoopa tribe and the energy company (owned by billionaire Warren Buffett) over the fate of the salmon population, a once-glorious river and a changing way of life. Kimjongilia, directed by N.C. Heikin, where North Korean émigrés uncover the harrowing secrets of a closed country in their own words, and discuss the painful and traumatic division between North and South after the Korean War. English Surgeon, The, directed by Geoffrey Smith. On his 1992 visit to Kiev, Henry Marsh, a veteran brain surgeon from England, discovered that his skills were vitally necessary in Ukraine. For the next 15 years, Marsh made annual pilgrimages to Ukraine to consult and treat hundreds of patients with tumors and brain disease. World We Want, The, directed by Patrick Davidson, captures the inspirational stories of teenage activists throughout the world engaged in changing their communities and nations.
Gay Themed Films & Filmmakers
The Man Who Loved Yngve, directed by Stian Kristensen, In a rural Norwegian high school, a group of friends is inspired by their collective boredom to take life by the reins and form a rock and roll band that promises to insult the stiff adult world and inspire their peers. But when a new student joins their school, unexpected new feelings arise that threaten their rigid social order. It is a pop-infused return to the grand emotions of our teenage-age years, a reminder of the feeling of falling in love with the possibilities that life can offer.
Second Guessing Grandma
Directed by Bob Giraldi, How do you come out of the closet to your aging Jewish grandmother?
Countertransference, directed by Madeleine Olnek (her third time in SFF with gay themed), sometimes therapy sessions can be more productive than you want them to be.
Say My Name, directed by Nirit Peled, is the story of the women lyricists past and present who have created and shaped hip-hop and rap. Featuring performances and interviews with Roxanne Shante, Erika Badu, Remy Ma, Estelle and many more, Say My Name presents issues and the images behind the music, and the real life dilemmas that are brought to the forefront by the artform.
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and finally ...
Photo: Gene Pollux
Thanks so much to all the readers of SRQ Magazine for awarding me the title
"Best Local Charismatic Actor 2009". I would also like to acknowledge here my fabulous colleagues Tom Aposporos and Kathryn Ohrenstein for their SRQ Readers' Choice nominations!
I'm very honored and hope never to disappoint you!
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www.cliffroles.com
Here are my dates of where I'll be appearing / emceeing / auctioning / acting etc. during the season - I hope to see you out and about!
Mar 30 7:00P SFF's Youth Screenwriters Circle LIVE! @ FST Goldstein Cabaret
Apr 3 6:30P PAL Sailor Circus 60th Anniversary Extravaganza @ PAL Sailor Circus
Apr 4 6:30P Ave Maria Academy, Miracle Fest 5 @ Shriners, Beneva
Apr 5 4:00P Art Auction @ Boca Grande
Apr 18 6:30P MCC Venice Pops @ MCC Venice
May 1 6:30P Children First 10th Annual Celebration Dinner, Soiree By The Sea @ Sharky's On The Pier, Venice
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And please check out my pages on
AnythingArts.com
SarasotaLocal.com.
For a more extensive show list and guest photos, go to CliffRoles.com!
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I am proud to be the recipient of the Sarasota County Arts Council 2007 Arts Leadership Award for Media. I won Best Suncoast Enthusiast and Best Local Actor in Creative Loafing's Best of 2007 and 2008, and I was voted one of the top three in the category Best Local Actor 2008 by the readers of Sarasota Magazine and the Readers' Choice winner in the Sarasota Herald Tribune's Curtain Call 2008 of Best Supporting Actor, Play for my performance as Val in last season's Golden Apple Dinner Theatre production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor. In March 2009, the Readers of SRQ Magazine voted me Best Local Charismatic Actor in its Best of SRQ Local 2009.
Contact: Tel. (941) 685-9017
cliffroles@aol.com
cliffroles@yahoo.com
http://www.cliffroles.com
Skype: cliff.roles
Check out my pages at www.AnythingArts.com and www.SarasotaLocal.com!
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