And the Press says...
Much Ado About Nothing
British distributors Kaleidoscope Entertainment have sent us original stills and the trailer for Joss Whedon's latest film Much Ado About Nothing (2012), starring Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Fran Kranz, and Sara Blindauer. The film will open across the United Kingdom and Ireland on June 14th.
In the late summer of 2011, Joss Whedon completed principal photography on Marvel's Avengers Assemble. Upon his return to Los Angeles Joss was contractually obligated to take a week off before beginning his director's cut of the film. Rather than travel to an exotic location, or disconnect from the world and unwind, Joss chose to make a completely different kind of film. A film that would be shot almost entirely in his home, a film that would be shot in just under 12 days, a film that would be made with close friends, and a film made with a sincere love for the text, a film that would be Much Ado About Nothing. Shot in just 12 days (and using the original text), the story of sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick offers a dark, sexy and occasionally absurd view of the intricate game that we call love. A Special Presentation at Toronto International Film Festival 2012 and the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival 2013, Much Ado About Nothing was also selected as the Closing Night film for the Glasgow Film Festival 2013.
Leonato (Clark Gregg, Iron Man), the governor of Messina, is visited by his friend Don Pedro (Reed Diamond, Moneyball), who is returning from a victorious campaign against his rebellious brother Don John (Sean Maher, Serenity, TV's Firefly). Accompanying Don Pedro are two of his officers: Benedick (Alexis Denisof, Avengers Assemble) and Claudio (Fran Kranz,Diary of a Wimpy Kid). While in Messina, Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter Hero (newcomer Jillian Morgese), and Benedick verbally spars with Beatrice (Amy Acker, The Cabin in the Woods), the governor's niece. The budding love between Claudio and Hero prompts Don Pedro to arrange, with Leonato, their marriage.
In the days leading up to the ceremony, Don Pedro, with the help of Leonato, Claudio and Hero, attempts to sport with Benedick and Beatrice in an effort to trick the two into falling in love. Meanwhile, the villainous Don John, with the help of his allies Conrade (Riki Lindhome, Million Dollar Baby) and Borachio (Spencer Treat Clark, Mystic River), plots against the happy couple, using his own form of trickery to try to destroy the marriage before it begins. A series of comic and tragic events may continue to keep the two couples from truly finding happiness, but then again perhaps love may prevail.
Stories on the Rocks
In just four months, Miserable Brilliance Ensemble (MBE) has self devised their second production, “Stories on the Rocks.” After a surprisingly successful run of their first production “Bench Stories,” performed at the ACME Theatre in Los Angeles, the group of self-starting newcomers continue to bring their original and unique blend of humor, absurdism, and tragedy to life.
At the start of “Stories on the Rocks,” the audience will realize that what they are seeing is quite untraditional; experiencing six, 10-minute plays where redemption, revenge and reconciliation become the alcoholic mixture in the relationship cocktail. It is a show that will have you laughing, crying, cringing in your seat, and possibly heading for a stiff drink afterwards.
MBE prides itself on leaving “Nothing to Chance”. They saw their success in Bench Stories as proof that what first started off as an alumni scene study class at the New York Film Academy, now had the potential to become a professional theatre company. This group of actors set in motion, the creation of MBE, writing, directing, and producing original plays and ultimately allowing them to take control of their own destinies.
“By acting in our own works that we truly believe in, our mission is to leave the audience feeling as if they have just looked through the keyhole of life” states Artistic Director, Anthony Montes. Stories on the Rocks is produced by Meghan Anne Riley, starring Sara Blindauer, Kika Cicmanec, Michael Dvorak, Alex Genther, Desi Ivanova, Valentina Kolaric, Sam LaFrance, Won Lee, Roxanna Medina, Anthony Montes, Sophia Monti, Charlotte Plummer, Adam James Shirley, William Smith Walker, and artistically associated with Yoshua Shelton and Tina Fy, leaving room for an interesting mix of personalities and talents to bring the show together.
Stories on the Rocks will run February 9th through March 17th, 2013 every Saturday at 8pm and every Sunday at 7pm at the Missing Piece Theater in Burbank, CA and tickets can be purchased for $12 on their website, www.MBEnsemble.Wix.Com/Home.