Dan's Acting Journey

Dan Delventhal Cast as Dr. V. in Sensory Perception

2010-02-27T03:02:00Z

Dan Delventhal is Dr. Velcovich in Sensory Perception, a movie filming in CT, slotted for release in late 2010.

Gary Craig (Dr. V's Congressman), Dan Delventhal (Dr. V.), Kent Williams, Military Laison

Author, Director, Alessandro Signore, Producer, Ryan Casey on set, Sensory Perception

Standing In for Donald Trump

2010-02-27T02:19:00Z

Donald Trump Dan Delventhal

Got a call to stand in for Donald Trump. Should be interesting.

When casting sought a stand in for Donald Trump, they checked New York Castings and selected me from the photo shown above.

CT Film & Film Companies Looking for Actors - Casting Call

2009-08-21T02:44:00Z

CT Film & Film Co.'s Looking for Actors! August, 2009

FILM CASTING EVENT August 23rd, 1 pm - 7 pm @ the SHADOW ROOM CAFE/LOUNGE - 170 Main St. Middletown, CT.

Top CT-based filmmakers uniting to seek out local talent for upcoming feature film projects featuring...

Casting for Director Alessandro Signore's Sensory Perception, a sci-fi drama (with existential/human condition story).

The film will be shot in P2 HD with 35mm adaptors and an impressive array of premium lenses, in the Waterbury/Cheshire/Middletown area, in October 2009...AND ...

Several other projects casting, including the Untitled Kurtis Spieler film, as well as a new feature film from Synthetic Cinema International.

Accomplished industry professionals in attendance will include:

David Gere - Producer/Actor (Gossip Girl, Rocky Balboa, Pistol Whipped, Circulation)
David Gere & John Travolta on set, Disney's Old Dogs, Redding, CT 2008
Andrew Gernhard - Producer Synthetic Cinema International (Opponent, Sasquatch Assault, Banshee!!!)
Alessandro Signore - Writer/Director (Sensory Perception)
Ryan Casey - Producer/Director/Writer (Crushing Pennies, The Icon of 2nd St.)
Gary Fierro - Writer/Director (Pickman's Model, Ditch)
Kurtis Spieler - Writer/Director (No Remorse For Bloodshed, Circulation)
Leigh Radziwan - Acclaimed Special F/X Artist (Invasive Image)

*We encourage all talent from the NY/CT/MA area to audition. Please bring headshot and resume if you have one. All types and levels of experience considered as we will also be casting extras, and smaller roles. Experience preferred, but not necessary.

For more information, contact: casting@palenail.com

"I'm excited to have this chance to go to a casting here in CT with such a quality group of folks. David Gere is a long time friend and serious, respected industry professional. The Shadow Room/Lounge will afford a great back-drop for the additional benefit of gathering with the growing family of CT Film industry professionals! See you there!"
- Dan Delventhal, Actor, Producer

MBA Mid-Term Paper - Accounting 500 - The Bernie Madoff Fraud Case

2009-03-05T04:19:00Z

Here is a paper I just wrote on the Madoff Case.
Madoff Fraud Case Paper - Dan Delventhal

Exit 43! Great Music in Fairfield CT - 2/20/2009

2009-02-14T01:16:00Z

Two dear friends are with this band; Rozanne Gates and Suzanne Sheridan. Rozanne is a veteran show biz. expert, former agent, author, fabulous fun political mind, etc.. Suzanne is an amazing talent in music and photography to just mention a couple.

Come to Fairfield and check them out!

Click below for more information.

Exit 43 Show Flyer

Beth Campbell's Play Reading in NYC on V-Day

2009-02-13T14:14:00Z

Hi All,

Beth Campbell is a good friend and talented actress, comic, model and writer. Here is her info. for the reading on V-Day.

This cabaret play about Brick Top. You might remember her, and for sure, you will remember the music. This is just a play reading, and the very first official read, but it is FREE. I am the playwright, and I'm thrilled that La MaMa has chosen my play. Yes it is on Valentine's Day, and there is no sex in this play at all. So that should make for a romantic night. And my friend Matt Wrather is the piano player! Named "Itchy", itching to play.

hope to see you!
Beth

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
        presents as part of
         “Experiments ‘09”
Concert Readings of experimental plays at the La MaMa Annex
George Ferencz, Curator

         shadow
a festival of concert playreadings celebrating Black History
four plays, February 12-15, 2009
http://www.lamama.org/archives/2009/Shadow.html

and on February 14:
IT MATTERS WHERE YOU’RE BURIED
by Beth Campbell

Directed by George Ferencz
http://www.georgeferencz.com/

Featuring Sheila Dabney as Brick Top
Lee Beebout as Jim Comstock
and
Matthew Wrather as Itchy
http://www.matthewwrather.com

Brick Top, cabaret chanteuse and saloon keeper to the stars of the Lost Generation in Paris, gives an interview to Jim Comstock, editor of the West Virginia Hillbilly newspaper, in her bar in Heaven.
“Where ever I am, that’s Brick Top’s. As a gin joint it ain’t bad.” Brick Top

Free Admission
No Reservations

February 14, 2009
7:30 pm
with a “talk back” after

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Annex
74A East 4^th Street
New York, NY 10003
212-475-7710
http://www.lamama.org

Funding for this program provided in part by the
NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS, the AXE-HOUGHTON FOUNDATION and the JOHN GOLDEN FUND

xo,
Beth Campbell
860-912-5263

T.O.P. Star Talent Event - MTV Reality Casting!?

2008-11-15T02:50:00Z

The event is Sunday in Staten Island, 10a to 5p.

Networking and casting for MTV 2009 Reality TV Shows

TopStarTalent MTV Casting Flyer PPT

TV Show Production Workshop & Crazy For Love!

2008-06-18T05:26:00Z

CT TV Show Production Workshop - No Charge - No Pay - Thursday June 19th, 7:30p to 9:30p in Bridgeport CT. Must attend 2 other sessions to follow, and then participate! Inquire to Dan Delventhal (www.DanDelventhal.com)

CRAZY FOR LOVE, Goes up 23-28 June at The Turtle Shell Theater in New York, 300 W. 43. Written and Produced by Elizabeth Bove, Director is Arthur French - renowned actor, and teacher at HB (and director). He's currently in a play at the Public directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman.

SAG & AFTRA Union News

2008-06-16T03:51:00Z

I like to guage the overall value and effectiveness of unions in general and SAG specifically - whether they continue to serve the benevolent and necessary purposes for which they were originally founded. There are so many pros and cons, I really would like to study the whole affair more closely and as always, welcome your comments.
-Dan Delventhal

--- On Sun, 6/15/08, Bill Rapp <billrapp7@yahoo.com> wrote:

Forwarded Message: RE: SAG/AFTRA NEWS-- East Coast SAG BRASS: "WE WERE LIED TO"! from my friend Bobby.
Bill

RE: SAG/AFTRA NEWS-- East Coast SAG BRASS: "WE WERE LIED TO"!

East Coast SAG brass: 'We were lied to'

Claim they were misled about nature of Monday's rally

By Leslie Simmons and Lauren Horwitch

June 10, 2008, 11:30 PM

Alan Rosenberg, left, and Doug Allen (Getty Images photos)

Related Content
Complete coverage: SAG/AFTRA
East Coast members of SAG's national leadership board are fuming over what they say were lies told by union president Alan Rosenberg and national executive director Doug Allen about the nature of Monday's rally.

The rally at guild headquarters -- which drew hundreds of SAG and WGA members as well as dual cardholders who also are members of AFTRA -- included AFTRA bashing and calls for AFTRA members to vote down the recently brokered primetime/TV contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers.

A member of SAG's national executive committee who attended a meeting Friday said Allen and Rosenberg had said that the rally would be pro-SAG and nothing more.

"We were told this would be a pro rally for the (SAG) negotiating team," the member said. "Anything that was remotely anti-AFTRA, we were told by Alan Rosenberg and the national executive director, wouldn't happen. We were lied to by both of them."

A source close to negotiations said the East Coast contingency's allegations are inaccurate.

Friday's meeting took place while SAG was awaiting AFTRA's response to a request to delay its ratification vote, the source said, adding that it was made "very clear" that the rally was to support the negotiations. It also was discussed that if AFTRA refused to delay, that could change the tone of the rally.

NEC members voted 13-11 in favor of going forward with an educational campaign for members about the downfalls of the AFTRA contract that would cost at least $75,000 of guild funds, which already had been set aside for negotiations.

SAG said the vote -- which was split between Hollywood NEC members, who voted in favor, and East Coast and regional members, who opposed -- was about the AFTRA campaign and not about the budget for it, as previously reported.

In the meantime, some SAG members are reaching out to Rosenberg about the anti-AFTRA action. Todd Hissong, president of SAG's Chicago branch, said SAG and AFTRA members in his city have sent Rosenberg and others an "advisory motion" asking them to call off the campaign.

"We are not telling anybody how to vote on the AFTRA contract," he said. "(The campaign) is an unconscionable waste of our resources and our time. And Chicago's rank and file does not support it."

AFTRA and the AMPTP reached their deal May 28, and AFTRA's national board voted Friday to send the new deal to its members for ratification. That vote is expected before July 7.

SAG and AFTRA have Los Angeles membership meetings planned this week. SAG will hold a town hall meeting tonight; AFTRA is set to meet Thursday night.

Lauren Horwitch is news editor of Back Stage West.

Private Lives of Pippa Lee - Blake Lively & Danny D!

2008-05-20T03:06:00Z

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is filming in CT and I got to do a scene with Blake Lively. I didn't have any lines, but doing a scene with the beautiful and pleasant young star of Gossip Girl and Traveling Pants fame, was an honor and fun too. Working with Director Rebecca Miller and First AD John Tyson was cool as well. Rebecca Miller wrote the original novel, reflecting her father Arthur Miller's legacy perhaps. David De Roos, a fellow actor and friend (see pics below) doing a lot of stand in work on it for Keanu Reeves and others, mentioned that her husband Daniel Day Lewis visited the set one day, adding to the positive energy of the project.

Blake Lively, Young Pippa Lee Dan Delventhal, Young Pippa's First Fling Robin Wright Penn, Pippa Lee

The trip to Danbury was a breeze, just 20 miles from home -- sure beats the train line from Fairfield to NYC!

Directors Miller and Tyson were really courteous, welcoming and efficient, as were all the staff there, including the other actors, PA's, AD's, hair and make-up, props, lighting and film crew.

We had to gaze into each other's eyes a bit during the shoot and afterwards I laughed and said, "my daughters are never going to go for this"! She didn't skip a beat and quipped "well neither is my father"!

I was already “wrapped” following the scene with Blake and she was walking her dog Penny so I asked her to pose with me for a photo for my daughters Nikki, Shanna & Kayla who “loved her in Traveling Pants and rarely miss an episode of Gossip Girls”. She said “Of course, no problem. Thank them for me for watching the Show!” I offered some napkins and even tried to help her scoop Penny's poop, but she insisted that it was her job -- she's a woman of honor!

Left to Right: Penny, Blake Lively, Dan Delventhal

Dan Delventhal with David De Roos - CT SAG Actor who worked many days on Pippa Lee, Standing in for Keanu Reeves & Others

This funny and talented actress wouldn't let me use her name in a picture with me!-)

They didn't get to shoot my scene on the first day there, so I logged in and conference called to work on a multi-million disaster recovery deal for CAPS Business Recovery Services and RecoveryPlanner.com with an international telco software company. When we were hanging up, they said, "don't quit your night job"! I thought I was in the twilight zone! Photo and Direction courtesy of David De Roos.

One of the funniest men alive - former NYPD, turned set carpenter

Hovering Hawk - Harbinger of Happiness and Healthy Bounty for this Hunt

Radioman Minute

2008-05-16T02:53:00Z

Radio just called. He visited the set of Private Lives of Pippa Lee way out in New Milford! He is having a rough time while out on roads of CT where there is little mass transit. He is riding through the hills, calling me for occaisional mapquests, and boy is it a learning experience to figure out how to get around the new action in CT and MA, compared to the old days when most of the action was in NY.
Quite a voyage for him with the vintage Schwynn!
If you haven't see the wheels project below for him, take a look. I hope to rally his friends in the industry of all kinds that he has helped and or those that want to help him. The birthday list includes bike friendly GPS portable, fold up bike for better mass transit access, and an electric scooter ultimately.
He is probably hanging in New Milford for the night and then on to Kent to check out the Wes Craven set, and then on to Boston to check out The Proposal. Ride Radio Ride!

Casting Info forwards

2008-05-16T02:31:00Z

From MarkAnthony Izzo:

www.BostonCasting.com - Kevin Janes movie checking for availability Mon/Tues?

-------------------------------------------------

Casting Call - NonUnion NonPaying:

Extras wanted for indie film

Males & Females ages 18 & up

Non paying gig/food provided

Saturday , May 31st

10:30 A.M to 3:30 P.M

"Vengeance"

Contact Johnny

vengeancecasting@yahoo.com

2838 Fairfield Avenue

Bridgeport, CT ostalCode>06605ostalCode>

Fairfield's Earthday, Unnamed Sam Mendez Project, Etc.

2008-05-15T13:24:00Z

Its been a busy few weeks!

I volunteered with the Fairfield's Earthday team and we had a great event. I was able to script and participate in creating video and radio public service announcements (PSA's) which were on the air, as well as joining a radio interview on the David Smith show on WICC 600AM.

MowGreen.US exhibited at the Fairfield Earthday and people were able to use modern reel mowers to cut the grass in the Fairfield Warde High School courtyard amongst the music, education and other fun of the event. MowGreen.US has hopefully inspired many to reduce noise and air pollution related to lawncare by hireing MowGreen, or just getting their own reel mowers. Reel mowers are the best exercise machines going!

I was in a featured extra role on camera last week while riding a train along the Naugatuck River in the Unnamed Sam Mendes project, aka Farlanders. It was great to be connected to my office doing real technology executive work while on camera, and the set was just miles from my Mom's house, so I got over there afterwards for an early Mother's Day!

I got a call for a potential voice over job from some good folks I met while doing the PSA's. Hopefully that will work out -- its always most fun to get to know the other folks you run into when out doing projects. Networking is a beautiful thing!

When I get a breather I will be posting some pictures and samples from recent activities.

Happy Mid May!

Radioman Birthday Wheels Project

2008-05-05T03:27:00Z

Here is a copy of email I sent out recently:
I will be adding pictures and other information to this later.

Join me in a birthday wish for Radioman! Please consider chipping in any amount toward Radioman's new wheels - a scooter with lights and some propulsion, a bike route GPS, and a fold up bicycle which can be brought on trains during peak! Send anything and become a lifelong member of RadiomanPR - with a listing and whatever else we can do to muster an eternal thank you for you. We hope to have a birthday celebration event in the near future, perhaps co-inciding with a Crystal Skulls Indy Jones viewing or something, where we'll roll some footage, and ultimately some sort of documentary or movie.

Radioman is on the move like always, but with the sprawl of Hollywood East spilling into CT, RI and MA, his movements have been strained and difficult, what with his 40 year old Schwynn Bicycle and that big Radio strapped around his neck!

As you may know, Radioman moves from set to set and seems to be everywhere, as he does occaissional background, principal and avid autograph collecting work. If there is a lull in the acting, he is known to sell some of his autographed photos from time to time to pay the bills. Navigating CT and MA with mass transit and the bike has been brutal lately, he is not getting any younger and its time for a change. Like many actors its hard to live on acting alone, so his day job is to be the super fan of the industry, visiting sets, and if not immediately placed into background or a role, at least to collect autographs -- but getting New England is tough!

Yesterday he tried to make it from Brooklyn to the New Milford CT set of Private Lives of Pippa Lee, but it was too far to ride the bike and the train crossovers were long and he got as far as Danbury and had to abort, and take a bus to Boston to get his role in Ashecliffe directed by Scorcese. He just called me and said "Picture an onion if you will - they shaved my hair and beard for the part and put me in old fashioned pants pulled up past the waist!" He traveled late into the night and was there bright and early After checking out Bruce Willis on The Surrogate set! This week he was a featured extra at Grand Central with Robin Williams on Law and Order! He's on a Role!

I will post a blog entry for this fund raising project and update his site, and hope to set up a credit card processing function as well. In the meantime, if you can, please send any amount to the address below. We'll do an online card featuring your name as a signature and whatever else we can include to promote you.

Radioman has always supported his fellow actors with his hotline and avid information assistance. Lets help him get around and see what can come back to us in a positive reflection. Please send checks memoed Radioman Birthday payable to Dan Delventhal to:

Dan Delventhal c/o CAPS, Inc.

2 Enterprise Dr.

Shelton, CT 06484

Att: Radioman Scooter Project

Casting Info

2008-05-05T03:04:00Z

From Bill Rapp & Bobby Negron:
----
I just received this from my SAG friend Eugene.
Bill

Lynne C and Co., a full service model/talent agency based in NY is holding an Open Call for models/actors for possible representation for on-camera and commercial print projects.

Note:
- Please be punctual and please observe order and silence during the Open Call.
- Parents we would appreciate if your children behave well during the Open Call since the casting will be held in an office setting. Thank you.
- Please STRICTLY follow the time schedule for your category. You will NOT be seen if you are late for the given hour meant for your category.

Actors and Models Open Call on Thurs., 5/8
1PM-2PM: Males and females, any ethnicity, 30-40, all types
2PM-3PM: Males and females, any ethnicity, 18-28, all types
3PM-4PM:
- Males and females, any ethnicity, 50+
- M/F parts models, all ages
4PM-5PM:
- Plus size females, any ethnicity, 20+, dress sizes 18-30
- Big and Tall males, 5'10"-6'4"or taller, chest 46"-56", waist 42"-52"
5PM-6PM: M/F kids and teens, 5-17, all types

Location:
NYCastings
243 West 30th St. (bet. 7th and 8th Avenues)
3rd Fl.
NYC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Rachel Fraser & Bobby Negron:

This is a goodie everyone! We all know Victor is a talented Comedic Writer ("Life on a Stick" "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" "My Name Is Earl"). So submit those hard copies..SMILE.

You all have a great weekend,

Rachel

Rachel Fraser

rfraser31@yahoo.com

www.myspace.com/rfilms31

VICTOR FRESCO PROJECT (NY Release)

Pilot Presentation

20th Century Fox/ABC

Executive Producer: Victor Fresco

Director: TBA

Writer: Victor Fresco

Casting Directors: Sharon Klein,Geraldine Leder

Casting Associate: Lindsey Kasabian

NY Casting Director: Janet Murphy

NY Casting Assistant: John Ort

Start Date: June 2

Location: L.A.

SUBMIT NY ACTORS ONLY

To download the script, go to www.screenplayonline.com and use script key code: 417victor07

[TED] (32-38) is strong, confident, good-looking, is the head of a research and development department for a large Fortune Five Hundred company. Ted is in control, comfortable with who he is, comfortable with women, and charming. At work, he's competitive and successful. But he also has a developing sense of right and wrong. This is something he tries to hide, as he works for a company that views having a moral core as a weakness... SERIES REGULAR / SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES

[VERONICA] (32-38) is Ted's boss. Attractive, tough, and very competitive. Unlike Ted, Veronica isn't saddled with a conscience and finds morality in the workplace quaint. She's willing to do whatever it takes to win and move up the corporate food chain, which is why most of her employees fear her. Ted has had an affair with Veronica, at her initiation. It ended when she was done with him and broke it off. They still have a good working relationship... SERIES REGULAR / SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES

[LINDA] (26-32) is a new to the company and works for Ted in his department. If the office is a sea of conformity, Linda is a pocket of resistance, and this intrigues Ted. Linda doesn't go along with what she considers the most oppressive aspects of the corporate work environment because, unlike most of her co-workers, Linda isn't emotionally invested in her work. She has other interests-- she writes children's books as a hobby. Linda is a ray of honesty in an environment that rewards hidden agendas... SERIES REGULAR / SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES

[PHIL] (32-36) and Lem are a team of researchers who came up together and are now stuck together. Like many teams, they formed because they were too afraid to go into the work world alone. While Lem seems often annoyed with Phil, they would both be lost without each other. Phil is socially uncomfortably, tending to state the obvious. He speaks methodically. As someone who's never had an exciting adventure, he's surprisingly open to one when it comes his way. Phil realizes his life isn't exciting and secretly wishes it were. He still has dreams... SERIES REGULAR / SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES

[LEM] (32-36) has more energy/anger than Phil. He wants to appear brave, and so can be confrontational, but at his core he is really a coward. Perhaps because he suspects as much, he over-compensates by calling people out for the slightest perceived transgression... SERIES REGULAR / SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES

[DR. BHAMBA] (40's) is an immigrant from Pakistan. He's a researcher, fascinated with weapons technology. He loves the pure science of what he does, the exciting possibilities of discovering a new organism, which if weaponized, could cause mass destruction. He doesn't give a thought to the morality of what he does, that's for others to dwell on. He has single-minded purposed. Think Dr. Strangelove... GUEST STAR / RECURRING / SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES

~~IF YOU ARE SUBMITTING FOR THIS CASTING & IF ANY ROLES ARE OBTAINED, PLEASE CONTACT MICHAEL WALKER (C.E.O.) @ 646-337-8440 or 212-862-9511 OR CHRISTAL J. (PRESIDENT) @ 917-969-9298. THANK YOU!

The Tempest is Coming! Interview with Thom Delventhal

2008-04-14T14:20:00Z

The Tempest Is Coming!
April 17,18,19 - 7:30 - 10pm
The Theatre Dept. at CCSU (Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT - www.theatre.ccsu.edu) is putting on a really big show. Prospero's book is a laptop, so the evening promises to be a magical multi-media event! Thom Delventhal, who teaches and directs at CCSU will be directing The Tempest and playing Prospero.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interview w/ Thom Delventhal, by Dan Delventhal

Dan: Thom, you’ve been talking about this show for a while now, and I remember a few key points you made, like this is one of Shakespeare’s greatest works, perhaps one of his last, and also the unique choice you’ve made to be part of the show yourself, playing the role of Prospero. You’ve mentioned how excited you are to play such a monumental role, with so much import from the master himself and how you are going to juice the show up with creative use of music and video. I don’t remember much, but I remember the energy and enthusiasm, and of course so much of your past work, so this is a show I personally won't miss! Why would others want to catch the show?

Thom: You used the word juice, there will definitely be an abundance of that. The fact that its in Welte, a huge theatre—1900 seats and amazingly receptive to dynamic energy production, and that we are taking this multimedia approach-- The phrase Prospero’s books has been made famous by the title of a Peter Greenaway movie, the books are largely the source of Prospero’s power. And this became our point of departure--Prospero’s book is a laptop. “So is his magic real or imagination?” the designers asked. “Yes.” I answered. His magic is as expansive and as limited as the internet, but he has Ariel. She is a spirit, a living electric current through which he can “enter the matrix” so to speak. With the combined explosive energy of all the actors in the show (there is nothing like live theatre), and with the music--live and taped, the video(the audience is surrounded by 4 screens resembling sails), and in that tremendously vibrant space, I think this will look and feel amazing. It should be a sumptuous feast for the senses and emotions!

Dan: You normally teach acting and only direct the shows, but you are also playing a lead role along with your students this time. Why?

Thom: Well, I never really intended to be a teacher. But I started having kids so soon. And I've managed to have some rewarding professional experience as well as earn and maintain my equity card around all of it. I keep teaching, though, cause I learn so much. And One of the things I've learned is, I'm a really good actor. I learned as a teacher of acting, that I am really good at acting, and I realized that I am first and foremost an actor. That’s what God made me. I can be the best teacher for my students by playing a role. Doing the things I ask them to do. As a director and a teacher, I place myself in the “role” of the person I’m directing or teaching. I imagine myself as them, that’s how I naturally work, and how I can best advise or direct them. So I am taking this final step to actually be in the show. I can give my students more by doing the role. So that rather than telling them to risk, or to dig deeper, they see me doing it, they know I wouldn’t ask anything of them that I’m not willing to do myself... So far so good. Everyone is having a totally unique experience, and everyone is enjoying it; we are going through it together, walking the walk together. It has been an extraordinary amount of fun, I must say.

Dan: So why did you choose the Tempest as your production?

Thom: I wish I had a better reason for this, but it was intuition. Actually the entire faculty had agreed that we would do Hamlet. At a faculty meeting where we were finalizing the season, I suddenly knew that I--for the good of my students and I, and the department-- had to get on the boards again. And I knew this was a play with a role where I could get away with the age difference between me and my students.

I blurted out, “I don’t want to do Hamlet, I want to do the Tempest, and I want to play Prospero”. I am blessed to work with such a great crew of people, that after a brief moment of shock, and a pause, they all said, with genuine enthusiasm, “Okay then, that’s what we’ll do!”

Thom Delventhal, Prospero, Ben McLaughlin, The Botswain, in The Tempest

Dan: I have always considered you to be a bit of an expert on Shakespeare work and performing it, would you agree with this? What kind of background do you have with it?

Thom: The word expert scares me a little bit. I have definitely been blessed to spend a lot of time working with Shakespeare. I have also been blessed with a new faculty member Sheila Siragusa, who has studied, um, there is a school of thought, I am not sure, where it originated, but we study the first folio for clues about what Shakespeare’s original intentions actually were. She has led a couple of rehearsals and she and I have had a couple of tremendous creative conversations sparking off each other. But one of the things we talked about is that we have both seem to have been blessed with insight into his language. Neither of us ever went through that awkward period of feeling like his language was foreign, so right away in high school, when I read Comedy of Errors for the first time; he opened windows into amazing worlds for me. And since then I have been blessed to study him in undergrad and grad school, to have read many of his plays on my own and to have performed in 15 - 20 productions, with some pretty tremendous artists such as Mark Rylance, the former Artistic Director of The Globe Theatre in London and Mladen Kiselov, the former Artistic Director of The Bulgarian National Theatre in Sophia.

Dan: You mentioned that this might have been his final work, and it may in fact be one of his best. Can you talk about that?

Thom: Well, controversies about authorship aside, scholars believe this to be the last play he wrote alone. I feel so powerfully the yearning of a mature artist to return to his family.

He had conquered London, dominated the stage for years and Stratford is a long journey. It must have been difficult to balance his profession and his family. His son had drowned at age 10, perhaps he was away when it happened. His relationship with his wife and daughters was likely strained, Just as Prospero’s is with Miranda. I think the best work is personal. I’m struggling a bit trying to balance career and family. It’s really nice to feel that I can work on something that helps me exercise my own personal perspective while examining that of the playwright’s. There’s also the freedom of the language. After over 30 plays, Shakespeare really developed a sense of play in “The Tempest.” That’s a lot of fun.

Dan: What is the play about?

Danielle See (in foreground) & Kate Bunce, as Ariel

Thom: The plot is that a very learned and accomplished magician, Prospero, has an opportunity to revenge certain crimes that were perpetrated against him 12 years ago. But what the play is really about is power, forgiveness and about the way that we hold grudges and choose to dwell in our disasters, rather than celebrate the goodness that’s before us. Prospero has almost lost his daughter because he is so obsessed with revenge. And by the end of the play he realizes that he has to forgive all of those people who have wronged him and that true power can only be acquired through a balanced heart.

I have seen a lot of productions of the Tempest where Prospero’s amazing power as a magician is highlighted and his relationship with his daughter is depicted as ideal, as if there is nothing wrong. But when you examine the scenes between he and his daughter, there are signs of contention. She is a 15 year old girl and her need to be acknowledged as her own person – as an adult--is present in the text. When you consider what he does to her… Ostensibly, he has arranged a wonderful marriage for her, but he tricks her into falling in love with a man she doesn’t know. In doing so, he exhibits an extraordinary lack of respect for her autonomy as a person. In this production we depict the result of his obsessively controlling parental energy by having two actors play Miranda. Because he is so controlling she has actually split into two people, one being the dutiful daughter and the other being the rebel. When he learns the grace of forgiveness, the two halves of her personality re-unite. He also has to forgive himself, and admit that the heinous creature Caliban is actually his son. Which is kind of interesting in rehearsal because he is being played by my son, Zach Delventhal.

Dan: So although a lot of theatre is light and funny, this sounds like a visit to a therapist and minister. Is this what Shakespeare’s always about?

Thom: The simple answer to that is yes. One of the reasons Shakespeare has such enduring power, is that he has an understanding of human nature, that… is unrivaled.

As with any of his plays, when you look below the surface, you find an extraordinarily complex storm of chaotic thoughts and passions. But the spirit world does keep this play light. Their freedom and energy and sense of play gives a very real feeling of magic in that space. And of course, Shakespeare always balances the complexity with some fun. In the case of the Tempest, the monster Caliban hooks up with a jester and a butler and they go on a drinking binge. This provides some great comic relief.

Dan: How did the students respond to having you play a role in the show?

Thom: I am sure there a few thoughts and feelings that I don’t ever hear or see, but from what I perceive, they feel really excited that they get to watch me explore in the ways that I’m always telling them that they must. And they’re excited to exchange ideas with me, I, I really ... the essence of theatre is in the word Ensemble, and this basically means that no individual is as important as the group, and I strive to create a genuine atmosphere of ensemble in the rehearsal space. So there is an extraordinary sense of trust and lively exchange – we know that we can take extraordinary physical and emotional risks, because everyone in the Ensemble will support every other member of the Ensemble in whatever happens. It’s a rare thing. I don’t think that many people get to experience something like that in their lifetime.

Dan: Speaking of rehearsal, you mentioned some exercises which spawned what I picture as childlike mayhem and play with some really intense vulnerability and emotional experiences shared by all. What was that all about?

Thom: We were exploring the relationship amongst the spirits and what exactly a spirit is and how one creates a character-bio for a fairy. And we researched a lot of different cultures. We tried to understand the belief system, for example, in a Native American culture when a shaman will enter a trance and become a spirit for the people. And then I employed some exercises originated by a man named Michael Chekhov, intended to bring the actor to a place where they can physically explore the realms of their own imagination. We had spirits that were part ant, ahhh, part frog, dragon, and there was a hierarchy amongst the 10 of us, ahh… then I put on some music that I had selected ahead of time--music has a power to go immediately deeply inside of us and release our passion and our imagination-- and I simply asked them to discover the time in their lives as spirits when they experienced their greatest delight. And the room… it… it built slowly, but after about 3 or 4 minutes, it erupted and there was such an energy of delight and playfulness that the stage managers at one point were bouncing up and down in their chairs with looks of total joy on their faces – clapping their hands like children watching what was going on.

----------------------------------

Author's note: This interview was done while riding the train to NYC together, Thom was on his way to audition for a role. It was a nice treat to see the audition, as he and the other player, Rebecca, were impressive and each brought me to the edge of tears. Funny that he would have the ability to relax and do the interview rather than stressing over preparation for the audition. Thom has really applied himself to his craft, and as he says, acting is in his DNA. He is trained in stage combat and has done fight choreography for the likes of The Boston Ballet, and is also great with dialects. I always look forward to his motives and insights when putting up a show, and this one, The Tempest, has been rewarding to discuss, as anticipated!

Thom Delventhal, Actor, Director, & Acting, Voice, & Movement Professor, can be reached at DelventhalT@mail.ccsu.edu

Dan Delventhal, Actor, Writer & Entrepreneur, can be reached at Dan@DanDelventhal.com

Forensics Files, Grandpa is a Weirdo, Marathon, etc.

2008-04-12T14:19:00Z

From Bill Rapp:
Whoops, sorry, Forensic Files was TODAY
11am until 4pm
Chelsea Studios
151 w 26 bet 6 and 7th.
-----------------------------------
From Beth Campbell:

Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:44:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: Big L Pictures <biglpictures@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Beth Campbell for teacher
To: Beth Campbell <bethcampbell@att.net>

Beth,

Thanks for your interest in "Grandpa is a Weirdo"! We will be holding auditions one week from tomorrow - Saturday, April 19th from 9:30-11:30am in Hartford. The location is still being worked out, but our website ( www.biglpictures.com) will be updated with final audition information by this Sunday evening, so I hope to see you next week!

Thanks again!

Mike Lombardi
Big L Pictures

------------------------------------------------------------

MARATHON
Feature Film
NON-UNION
PAY RATE: TBD

Director/Cinematographer: Biju Viswanath
Screenwriter: Celia de Freine
Line Producer: Richard Harteis
Casting Director: Richard Harteis
Audition: May 1-5 in Connecticut
Shoot: (BODY AND SOUL) July 15-August 5
(MARATHON) October 10-November 5
Shoot Location: New London, CT and NYC

SUBMIT ELECTRONICALLY RICHARD HARTEIS
TEL: 860-961-5138

There is nudity in this project.
An initial scene has brief nudity as two men meet at the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference.

90 minute feature film based on the book, MARATHON (VIVISPHERE.COM). MARATHON tells the story of training and running the New York City Marathon and Richard's life as caregiver for the poet William Meredith after his stroke. 23 minute short documentary precursor, BODY AND SOUL will document the career of John Kelley and the road race named in his honor.

Auditions will be held at the Garde Gallery, the corner of State and Meridian, downtown New London, Ct. Very close to Amtrack station. Garde Arts Center 325 State Street, New London, CT 06320.

MARATHON is based on a true story.

SEEKING:

[ WILLIAM ]
(based on the poet William Meredith) Male, Caucasian. Story opens when William is 52, in good health as a faculty member at the Bread Loaf Writer's conference. Much of the action takes place after his stroke at age 63. The story ends with William's winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry at age 68. PRINCIPAL

[ RICHARD ]
Male, Caucasian. Richard is 25 when the story opens in 1972, a student at Bread Loaf. The middle action takes place 11 years later and ends when he is 41 and has completed the New York City Marathon. PRINCIPAL

[ ELIZABETH ]
Female. Caucasian. William's sister. Two years older than William, i.e. 54, 63, and 70. She provides the dramatic conflict in her opposition to Richard's plans. PRINCIPAL

-------------------------------------------
From Bobby Negron:
Send Headshots for future film project:
ANDREWKRANZ@MSN.COM also send to me @ BobbyNegron@hotmail.com
---------------------------------------------

Hi Bobby

Please send this out to your non union members I need approx. 3 adults age range 20-30 and 2 or 3 adults age range 50-60. This is for a Japanese game show out in Long Island and a bus will be provided, it is for audience participation.

The date will be for Wednesday, April 16, 2008 and the bus will leave at 9:15. If anyone is interested please email me at mcglosterg@yahoo.com.

Thanks
---------------------------------------------------
Castingnetworks.com....

From: <projectnotices@castingnetworks.com>
To: <projectnotices@castingnetworks.com>
CC:
Subject: Can Openers /Film & TV/AFTRA/Looking for AFTRA and non AFTRA for 4/14/08
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:59:32 -0700

Casting Notice

Project Name:

Can Openers

Project Type:

Film & TV

Format:

Rate/Compensation:

Message:

please, no phone calls to the office.

Role	Role Type	Gender/Age/Ethnicities	Description/Note
4/14/08 AFTRA actors available that date	Extra	Male or Female / 18 to 88 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland
4/14/08 NON AFTRA actors avilable that date	Extra	Male or Female / 18 to 88 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland

PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THIS NOTICE.

If this project does not fit your specifications, click here to update your gender, ethnicity and e-mail options in your actor profile.

----------------------------------------------

A copy of this message [in HTML] is posted at: www.cpcasting.com/email.html

The below announcement is begin distributed as a courtesy for RPM CASTING.
Please read carefully... Anything and everything I know is below:

MOVIE CASTING CALL
RPM CASTING IS HOLDING AN OPEN CASTING CALL FOR
"SURROGATES"
A FEATURE FILM STARRING BRUCE WILLIS AND RHADA MITCHELL

WHEN:
Saturday, April 12, 2008
10:00 AM until 1:00 PM

WHERE:
Boston University
George Sherman Union - Metcalf Hall
775 Commonwealth Avenue - 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215

WHAT:
Extras are needed for a science fiction feature film
that will shoot in Boston for several weeks starting April 28.

We are looking for men and women AGE 18-30 *ONLY* of all races and types.

We are particularly looking to cast SURROGATES, remotely operated
synthetic humans who are distinguishable from flesh-and-blood humans
primarily by their *physical perfection.*

In this future world, any consumer who can afford it can have an attractive
looking SURROGATE replace them in the real world.

Please bring recent photo(s) with you. (They will not be returned!)

NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE!
JUST SHOW UP!

-------------------------

If you went to the first open casting call for "Surrogates" at Felt Nightclub,
you do NOT need to attend this casting call.

Can't make it? VISIT: www.rpmcasting.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW! matt@cpcasting.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-----------------------------
Pay Unknown
SAG, Non-SAG

“The Sinatra Club”, Feature Film (NYC)
Sinatra Club Inc. Gabriel Bologna Director
Sinatra Club Inc. is currently accepting headshots for the feature film 'The Sinatra Club' shooting in NYC July 8th for three months.

Seeing SAG/Non SAG. Italian mob type actors are encouraged to apply. Email submissions (preferred) to <mailto:ubatzproductions@aol.com> ubatzproductions@aol.com or mail to Sinatra Club Inc, 1134 Crane Street #216 Menlo Park, CA 94025.

Breakdowns—

Male: 41-50, Caucasian. Roy Cohn, 40’s, famed New York attorney.

Female: Any Age, Caucasian. Goldie, 20's, attractive, busty blond, outgoing hooker.

Male: 41-50, Caucasian. Jimmy “Jimmy The Gent” Burke, 40's very Irish, good-looking.

Male: 61+, Caucasian. Carlo Gambino, 70’s, white hair, aging, frail, NY Boss of Bosses.

Male: 51-60, Caucasian. Charlie Fatico, 50’s, very Italian, ultra-street smart,

The Taking of Pelham 1:23

2008-04-09T03:01:00Z

I worked a day on Pelham for Billy Dowd. It was a fun day and interesting as usual to see the chase scenes unfold and all the work associated with it, as well as to hang out with the actors and other team members.

More Calls for Work, Barb M, Pelham, and 25/8 Call

2008-04-06T03:54:00Z

I got called by Barbara McNamara Casting earlier in the week to work on a movie they have, but I couldn't make out the name of it, had a bad connection, but had to decline due to business travel.

Also called by Billy Dowd Casting to do the driving scenes in The Taking of Pelham 1:23 this weekend, but begged off on that too, as they say they could cover it okay without me. I am super impressed with Billy Dowd and Shawn Duffy there. Courtesy, warmth, friendliness, efficiency, genuine caring, and professionalism are the stuff of buena gente and good business.

I did get time to visit the call for the 25/8, Wes Craven movie. I understand its a horror movie involving high school, all shot in CT! It appeared folks from Sylvia Fay were there and Johnston Agency. I like the Fairfield Theatre Company, its a nice resource worthy of investment and so conveniently located at the train station there. I'm posting some pictures taken from the visit soon to http://photos.DanDelventhal.com. Just go there and click on 25/8 Movie Call Pics.

The best part about getting today off was time with my older daughters Nikki and Shanna, their time at home is so progressively fleeting, so I'm happy to relish it while I can! Visiting with extended family, the fabulous film faithful of the tri-state area was great too.

Casting Call Crowd for 25/8 Wait outside The Fairfield Theatre Company next to the Fairfield Train Station

L to R: Shanna Delventhal, Nikki Delventhal and friend Courtney ?.

Amerifilm Casting & Wes Craven Movie, 25/8

2008-04-01T14:19:00Z

Peter Wells mentioned this one:

For those of us who like to travel a bit, Amerifilm is looking for people on multiple, soon dates to work in Norfolk, CT (up rte.8 & hang a left). Call them if interested. (212) 253-2528
I googled them and put their contact information on my website, www.dandelventhal.com under Actors Resources.

Also, I looked at the CT Tourism site to see an email for a casting call this Saturday (mentioned here in previous blog entry) for 25/8. If you can't make it, email your info. to 25.8extras@gmail.com. I found it at the CT Film site, under casting calls:http://www.cultureandtourism.org/cct/cwp/view.asp?a=2126&q=318914&cctPNavCtr=|#45493