A&RT, Inc.
PRESENTS
FEATURE FILM DEBUT OF DIRECTOR MICHAEL L. SUPEY
(2004 - Short Film TERMINUS premiered at the Frederick Film Festival
2005 - Awarded Grant from the National Board of Review for short film MERCY
- SYNOPSIS It's 1972 in a small mining town of northeast Pennsylvania. MARK wearily makes his way to the Rolling Hills Strip Mine to begin a backbreaking twelve-hour work day with his fellow miners under the supervision of JOEY, assistant foreman and MARK's domineering older brother. Working under harsh conditions with mining buddies KELLY (comic relief and loud-mouthed) and DUTCH (soft-spoken and gentle whom only KELLY understands), MARK keeps his loftier goals private. Every night after dinner at home with MOTHER, the widowed tough-loving matriarch, JOEY, and his sweet wife, ASHLEY, MARK secretly escapes from his blue-collar life to visit MR. CLEMENS, retired English professor and reclusive novelist.
- CLEMENS has fallen into a deep depression after the recent death of his wife, numbing himself with prescription drugs and wine. Having never been close to his now-deceased father, MARK has developed a father-son relationship with his former professor and assists CLEMENS with proofing his latest novel in a series of hack adventure stories written under the pseudonym Darren Van Hanna. At the same time, CLEMENS assists MARK with his own manuscript that mirrors his life's trials and tribulations, including his secret love of ASHLEY, with whom he is spending more and more time with as his brother spends more time at work.
- At the Beer Garden, a local bar and eatery catering primarily to miners under the proprietorship of PETE, MARK discovers that instead of being busy at work, JOEY is having an affair with THELMA, PETE's daughter and fellow waitress of KELLY's perpetually pregnant wife PEGGY. This leads to a brotherly confrontation that ripples through the entire family.
- Will MARK escape his blue-collar destiny by writing a best-selling novel? Can CLEMENS escape his haunting past and survive his own self-loathing? Will MARK's love for ASHLEY become known, or will JOEY's adultery tear a family apart? As personal secrets are revealed and relationships change, a devastating tragedy will prove the end for some and a new beginning for others.
M. Supey - Director
Neal Fenton (MARK) Neal is a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. Most recently he performed in the OOBR winning Vital Theatre Company's production of the Robert Sherwood play IDIOT'S DELIGHT. He has been acting on the New York stage for several years.
Nedra Morgan (ASHLEY) Nedra is a founding member of JUXTAPOSED, a new, exciting theatre company in NYC that focuses on classically based material. She is originally from Kentucky and a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYC. Among many roles, her favorite would be "The Moon" in Frederico Garcia Lorca's BLOOD WEDDING.
Mike Boland (JOEY) He is currently on tour with the Roundabout Theatre Company's national tour of "12 Angry Men," (with Richard Thomas and George Wendt, directed by Scott Ellis). Mike recently played the lead in the indie feature "Bobby Dogs," which will premiere in June 2007. For details on the project, go to www.bobbydogs.com. Mike has performed in six productions at the renowned Long Wharf Theatre, including the world premier of MYSTERY SCHOOL (with Tony Winner Tyne Daly), the East Coast premiere of WIT, A QUESTION OF MERCY (directed by Tony winner Doug Hughes), SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER and two different productions of RACE. He is an award-winning writer and actor currently studying with the great George DiCenzo and is busy creating a one-man stage play called WAITING ON GEORGE.
Kayce Glasse (MOTHER) Kayce has acted extensively on stage, having created musical and non-musical roles in dozens of shows, with well over 150 shows on the boards to date. A Young Company member of the AlleyTheatre in Houston, she was the first actress to bring Patsy Cline to the stage in ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE . Her voice has been featured as several interactive game characters as well as readio commercials. In New York since 2002, she recently sang in the workshop of Broadway-bound RING OF FIRE and is working on a BMI Broadway Musical Workshop production of "The Addiing Machine" in the role of Mrs. Zero.
Richard Rice Alan (CLEMENS) is happy to be working on his fourth film with Michael L. Supey. His favorite stage roles include: Dracula in DRACULA, Serge in ART, Charles in BLITHE SPIRIT, Achille Weber in IDIOT'S DELIGHT , El Gallo in THE FANTASTICKS, John Dickinson in 1776, Emile de Becque in SOUTH PACIFIC, Skip in CABIN PRESSURE. Richard created the role of "Young Carrier" in the World Premier of Maury Yeston's PHANTOM.
Joe Wissler (KELLY) Joe is a native New Yorker. Born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn, Joe has had a lifelong love of acting. Since the early 70's when he started appearing in TV commercials, Joe has desired to be on a stage. He made his off-off B'way debut in 2003 as Curt(lead) in Rebecca Gillman's BLUE SURGE. Joe has continued to appear at Comedy Clubs, on film, TV and stage, including performances at the '05 Midtown International Theatre Festival in GUNS, SHACKLES and WINTER COATS, where he played dual roles.
Christopher Jobin (DUTCH) Stand up at Chicago's "Funny Firm" and Improv Comedy in Florida's West Palm Beach nightclubs is where Chris' comedic outlets were in the early 90's. After a ten year break spent in Corporate America (not so comedic), he returns to performance this year as a successful Voice Over artist (Grand Theft Auto, Dowling & O'Neil Insurance, Childrens Books Narrator as well as Television Commercials, (Intelligent Energy, The 'N' Network, Nick at Night). He is thrilled to take on his first film role as Dutch in ABSCOND VALLEY.
Eadie Scott (PEGGY) New York credits include: WHAT IN THE WORLD: THE NEWSICAL REVUE at the John Houseman as we;; as several featured appearances at Town Hall as a solo vocalist. Regional credits include EVITA (Walnut Street Theatre), THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Pittsburgh Public Theater), A CHRISTMAS CAROL and MY FAIR LADY (GeVa Theater). Eadie has received awards for her solo cabaret acts.
Nick Cosco (PETE) has appeared in a wide variety of industrial and educational films, and over 70 plays - from New York to Alaska - including such diverse roles as Big Daddy in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, Quince in MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM and Doolittle in MY FAIR LADY. Nick is also an accomplished pianist/singer who performs both "solo" and in bands. His repertoire includes something for everyone (jazz/blues, rock, country, standards and classical); and his compositions have been featured in commercial jingles and in the off-Broadway production, BLUES IN RAGS. This fall, Nick and his partner (Ariel) will release their first CD - an album of original songs, entitled, NEVER ISN'T NEVER ANYMORE.
Jessi Gotta (THELMA) After graduating with a BA in Theatre, Jess spent a few years performing with various regional theatre companies before moving to NYC. After moving, she performed in Vital Theatre Company's OOBR Award winning spring production of IDIOT'S DELIGHT and their fall production of DEAR VIENNA. Along with other projects throughout the past year, Jess has been creating and performing ensemble dance-theater pieces with
Piper McKenzie productions. The full-length piece BIZARRE SCIENCE FANTASY was performed this past winter and has been created into a performance series. The latest installment, THE PERFECT GIRL, was performed at the Brick Theater's summer Moral Values Festival.