Saturday, April 11, 2020

Weekend Post

In an effort to keep people entertained in this international lockdown (except idiot states like Mississippi where the governor's solution to COVID-19 is just to pray), writers and directors are scrambling to find product they can either make via Zoom or find in their archives. Allow me to contribute.

In June 2015, a 99 seat theatre in the San Fernando Valley, the Whitefire, put up a program called "Dead Pilots Society." (I named it actually) Three TV sitcom pilots that never got made were presented live on the stage.  One was a pilot David Isaacs and I had done originally for Fox and then for NBC called UNDER ANDREA.

We adapted the script for the stage, knowing we had limited props and furniture.  Sets had to be defined by simple props and lighting.  It was an interesting challenge.  I directed it.   The cast included  JULES WILLCOX, SUZANNE MAYES, JACK ZULLO, STERLING SULIEMANN, PAUL CULOS, JULIE MEYER, DAVID SVENGALIS, and PAUL LAUDEN.

So this weekend I thought I'd share with you the result.  Taped with two cameras, no color balancing, and you're going to have to imagine the different sets by the furniture, projections, and lighting.  But it's a fun half hour, and hey, what else have you got to do this weekend?

Thanks for watching.

8 comments :

Ben Scripps said...

The whole piece was great--thanks for sharing!

Oh, and I loved the "Ernie Honeywell from Michigan State" reference...

kent said...

Saw it live, thanks for the rerun.

kcross said...

Typo alert: Your first mention of the play says "Dead Piots Society." It's correct everywhere else.

Whew! Now I can click on the link and enjoy the video.

Thanks for posting this.

Mark said...

I'm waiting for a Zoom production of "No Exit." Hell is (the absence of) other people.

WB Jax said...

Hi, Ken: Just finished going through every blog entry here (took four evenings).

Wanted to know if you ever met the late (film music composer) James Horner or if you and/or David attended any of the "Volunteers" scoring sessions. If so, can you share some memories about the sessions or about James Horner?

Speaking of the music for 'Volunteers" (a Horner score I've always enjoyed) I'm surprised it's never been made commercially available.

Thanks for this fun, informative blog (love the podcasts, too!)

Jon said...

Moosie Drier co-directed it? He's a near contemporary of mine (just about a year older), and I remember him from a few of my favorite shows of the 1970s (LAUGH-IN, BIG JOHN LITTLE JOHN). I'm glad to see he's still in the creative community.

Maybe you could redo that despised pilot of yours from 1977 (the SNL takeoff) the way you originally wanted to do it.

MikeN said...

Looking at the numbers, these governors aren't idiots. Things might change at the global level with Sweden but so far the numbers are in line. Japan is still low.

MikeN said...

Jax, I don't think it's possible to read every blog entry here in four evenings. Perhaps you missed all the older entries?