Michael T. Weiss (© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)

Brandon Espinoza

The cast of Scarcity takes an opening night bow. From left, Maggie Kiley, Jesse Eisenberg, Meredith Brandt, Kristen Johnston, Michael T. Weiss and Miriam Shor.	Scarcity leading man Michael T. Weiss parties with Norm Lewis, to be seen on Broadway this fall in The Little Mermaid.
Kristen Johnston and Michael T. Weiss continue in Scarcity at the Atlantic through October 14. Congratulations. And enjoy the run, you two!

Performances of the dark, humor-laced drama about an impoverished family - and the children who seek escape from it - began Aug. 29 at Atlantic's mainstage home, The Linda Gross Theater at 336 W. 20th Street. Official opening was Sept. 20.

The original limited engagement was scheduled through Oct. 14.

Scarcity features Atlantic Company members Kristen Johnston, Maggie Kiley and Todd Weeks as well as Meredith Brandt, Jesse Eisenberg, Miriam Shor and Michael T. Weiss.

"Set in rural western Massachusetts, Scarcity tells the tale of two siblings whose aspirations to escape the confines of poverty and small town life come into direct conflict with their sense of family responsibility," according to Atlantic. "When 16-year-old Billy is afforded an opportunity to change schools and move out of town by an unusually attentive young teacher, his family starts to unravel around him in this stark exploration of how class in America shapes our very image of ourselves."

Scarcity plays Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 PM & 8 PM and Sundays at 3 PM.

Tickets for main stage productions are $55 and are available by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 (ticketcentral.com). For more information, visit www.atlantictheater.org.

Atlantic Theater Company is proud to announce a one week extension of the world premiere production of Lucy Thurber's play Scarcity, directed by Jackson Gay.

Scarcity began previews August 29, officially opened September 20 and has now been extended through Sunday, October 21 Off-Broadway at Atlantic Theater Company at The Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street). The original limited engagement was scheduled through October 14.

Scarcity features Atlantic Company members Kristen Johnston ("Third Rock From the Sun," Atlantic's The Lights), Maggie Kiley (the upcoming film We Own the Night) and Todd Weeks (Atlantic's The Voysey Inheritance, Broadway's Full Monty) and Meredith Brandt, Jesse Eisenberg (The Hunting Party, The Squid and the Whale), Miriam Shor (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and Michael T. Weiss (NBC's "The Pretender," the feature film Jeffrey).

Playwright Lucy Thurber makes her Atlantic debut with the world premiere of Scarcity. Her play Stay was presented Off-Broadway last season and her other plays include Where We're Born, Ashville, Killers and Other Family and Monstrosity. Jackson Gay returns to Atlantic, where she directed the Pulitzer Prize finalist production of Rolin Jones' The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow and Kia Corthron's Master Disaster for the 10x20 one act festival at Atlantic Stage 2.

"Set in rural western Massachusetts, Scarcity tells the tale of two siblings whose aspirations to escape the confines of poverty and small town life come into direct conflict with their sense of family responsibility. When sixteen-year-old Billy is afforded an opportunity to change schools and move out of town by an unusually attentive young teacher, his family starts to unravel around him in this stark exploration of how class in America shapes our very image of ourselves," explain press notes.

The design team for Scarcity features scenic design by Walt Spangler, costume design by Ilona Somogyi, lighting design by Jason Lyons and sound design by Daniel Baker.

Scarcity will play Tuesday through Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 2PM & 8PM and Sundays at 3PM.

Atlantic Theatre Company Main Stage at the Linda Gross Theatre is located at 336 West 20th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues). Tickets for main stage productions are $55 and available by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com.

A. We get dozens of letters from fans who miss their weekly Weiss fix. "I've been waiting for a series I could be as proud of as The Pretender, but none has come along," Weiss, 45, tells us. "I did some indie films, and now I'm focusing on stage work." He makes his off-Broadway debut this Thursday in Scarcity, a dark comedy.

Martha is an assistant manager at the mall, and yet she relies on food stamps to keep food on the table. Her money doesn't go towards the bills or other necessities that her family needs. Her money strictly provides an abundance of booze and cigarettes for her husband and herself.... nothing more.

Herb, on the hand, drinks from dawn to dusk. His emotions he keeps hidden from his family, however, occasionally his face tells all which he makes sure they never see by turning his head away or waiting until their back is to him or the other way around. Herb tells it like it is, to those that are around him... as does Martha when the moment arises.

Louie, Martha's cousin, pays their bills, buys groceries for them, rescues, Herb on a daily basis and makes sure that he never gets arrested. Louie lets his feelings be known to Martha as to where he stands whether Herb is present or not, for he could care less.

Needless to say, the kids are basically on their own. Billy is always stressed out... he is basically on the borderline of truly going insane if he can't find a way out of his predicament... therefore he seeks help from his teacher, Ellen, which in turn makes them become emotionally and physically attracted to one another.

Rachel is more like her father, for she too hides her emotions from everyone, that is until the time comes when she realizes that her brother Billy is leaving her behind. Gloria struggles to keep her and her other half together; for she deep down inside has always known what her husbands feelings are concerning Martha. She lets her feelings be known one night while they are at Martha and Herb's house while they are playing cards; the fight begins which in turn is a forgone conclusion...

You never know from one moment to the next what is going to happen. Each minute that passes by you will find yourself doing one of the following: laughing, sighing or find your eyes brimming with tears, you too are caught up in the moment, feeling their feelings, anger, desires, desperation, happiness, sadness, trapped in a world that they cannot or choose not to dig their way out of hole.

The ending to me was very emotional. There was nothing that anyone could do or say to change what the family was faced with. So life will continue on for them the way it has for many years, live and let live as they so choose to do.

THANK YOU MELISSA!

Scarcity tells the story of a family on the fringes of society in rural Massachusetts. Martha (Kristin Johnston) is a working mother trying to keep her family afloat. She tries to make ends meet in a dead end job and on food stamps. She also has to contend with her emotions, and a basically useless and frequently drunk husband Herb (Michael T. Weiss). Thrown in the mix are their two children, Rachel (Meredith Brandt) and Billy (Jesse Eisenberg). Both are extremely intellegent, but have their own emotional problems to deal with. We are introduced to Rachel's relative Louie (Todd Weeks) early in the first act, a married cop who helps out his extended family, and has designs on Martha. Billy's excellent work in school attracts the interest of one of his teachers, the beautiful Ellen (Maggie Kiley). She helps him in his attempt to better his life as he applies to a private school, away from his dysfunctional family. As the story continues, we are introduced to Louie's wife Gloria (Miriam Shor). She is not happy in the least with Louie's lusting after Martha. We also find out that Ellen's interest in Billy may not be just professional. Rachel is caught up in all the drama going on around her, and is seriously affected as well. Everything comes to a head in the final 10 minutes of this emotionally charged play. I have to say that Scarcity is the most interesting play I have seen in some time. It is brillantly written, and never over your head. When watching it, you feel like you've met these people in your life. It is gritty, ugly, and real. I was really was amazed. Great writing is nothing without a great cast, and Scarcity certainly has that. Kristin Johnston is fantastic as Martha. It was sureal for me to see her in such a heavy dramatic role after only seeing her in comedies up to this point. She pulls it off perfectly. Michael T. Weiss is equally brillant as the retch of a father and husband Herb. It was a huge departure from the clean cut roles he played on The Pretender and Profiler. Jesse and Meredith were great as the children. Meridith really has talent beyond her years. I also think that Maggie Kiley is brillant at the attentive teacher Ellen. I wish I had a teacher like that in school. Todd Weeks and Miriam Shor are a great feuding couple, a perfect match. While at the theater, I had a celebrity sighting. Roger Rees (Cheers) and Richard Schiff (The West Wing) were sitting two rows in front of me. I would have loved to tell Roger how much I liked his work in the Prestige (if you haven't seen this movie, watch it soon. It's fantastic!), but i didn't get the chance. I did get the chance to tell the cast of Scarcity how good they were. I met everyone, and got pictures with everyone except Meredith. It was a real thrill to meet Kristin and Michael, who I have watched on TV for years. Much thanks to Marty for allowing me to post his review and photos here!! August 31st, 2007 ~ Remember Me Coming to DVD At long last, the made-for-TV movie Remember Me that Michael did in 1995 with Kelly McGillis is being released to DVD by Genius Products on October 16th, 2007. SYNOPSIS:  Haunting noises and unexplained happenings bring back the tragic past and threaten a troubled young mother, who comes to fear for her sanity and her life in this riveting psychological thriller. Set in a Victorian haunted mansion, Kelly McGillis is a grieving Mom who is being driven mad by a vocal, but unseen entity. She believes it to be her son. Amazon.com is currently taking pre-orders. List price for this DVD is $14.95, however Amazon is offering it right now for $11.19. Click on the cover on the left to go to Amazon.com. This is a Region 1 ~ USA / Canada DVD. (Thanks to my wonderful friend ISA for the heads-up!!) August 30th, 2007 ~ Higglytown Heroes episode with Michael airs September 12 A couple of days ago I filled you in on Michael's most recent voice work with the animated series Higglytown Heroes. Well ... for those of you in the US with the Disney Channel, the 2nd episode of this series where Michael voices a Veterinary Hero in the episode "Higglies On Horseback" will air September 12th at 7:30am and 10:30am ET. Check your local listings! August 29th, 2007 ~ First photo from Scarcity rehearsal and interview with Michael Two new articles surfaced this morning regarding Scarcity which begins it's preview run tonight a 8pm at the Atlantic Theater in NYC. Weiss Guy TV Star Michael T. Weiss Makes His Long-awaited Off-Broadway Debut in the Atlantic Theater Company's Scarcity Family Rocked When Opportunity Knocks in World Premiere, Scarcity, at Atlantic Theater The first article is the interview with Michael, the second has the first rehearsal photo (which I might add, has also been added to the scrapbook!). August 28th, 2007 ~ Higglytown Heroes: More voice work for Michael! Click on image above to order from Amazon.com. This DVD includes the episodes "Balloon-a-Palooza / Wayne's Day Out" It appears Michael has been doing a little more voice work during his recent screen/theater hiatus. His latest venture into the world of animation voice-overs is with Disney's Higglytown Heroes. SYNOPSIS: Four kids learn that heroes come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and are sometimes the most ordinary people in this charming animated series for preschoolers. In September 2004, Playhouse Disney introduced "Higglytown Heroes", a new television series which sent its young viewers to a whimsical 3D-animated world known as Higglytown. In the show, four children -- Eubie, Wayne, Twinkle, and Kip -- and their squirrel friend Fran embark on a series of adventures that range from everyday fun to exciting exploration. Each encounter finds them in need of help, the help of a Higglytown Hero, be it a police officer, a mountain rescue team, or even dentists. The characters' design is based on Matryoshka nesting dolls (where one doll fits into another, and into another, etc.). "Higglytown Heroes" airs every morning on Playhouse Disney at 7:30ET and consists of two appoximately 15-minute episodes per airing. Michael has lent his lovely baritone voice to two episodes of this cute little series: "Balloon-a-Palooza / Wayne's Day Out" (originally aired: Saturday March 18, 2006) and "The Big Pink Elephant Sale / Higglies on Horseback" (orginally aired: Monday February 19, 2007). In "Balloon-a-Palooza" Michael voices The Mountain Rescue Hero (this episode actually aired this morning .... Michael sings!!!), and in "Higglies on Horseback" he voices a Veterinarian Hero (sorry, I haven't seen this one yet). SUMMARIES: Balloon-a-Palooza: The kids run into trouble while hiking and rely on members of a mountain rescue squad for help Wayne's Day Out: A police officer tracks down Wayne after he gets separated from his friends at a crowded fair. The Big Pink Elephant Sale: A teacher is having a yard sale to help raise money to buy the janitor, who is retiring, a special gift and the kids are helping out. Higglies on Horseback: Grandpa Crink's horse gives birth. August 25th, 2007 ~ Fade at the Illinois International Film Festival FADE  will have its next screening at the Illinois International Film Festival (IIFF) at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles, IL. Arcada Theater 105 E. Main St. St. Charles, IL 60174 (630) 587-8400 The festival runs from Friday September 14th to Sunday September 16th. Fade  will screen Friday at 12:00 noon. August 23rd, 2007 ~ More on Scarcity's characters WARNNING: May contain spoilers! SCARCITY Atlantic Theater Company is casting Scarcity by Lucy Thurber. Jackson Gay, dir. Rehearsals begin July 31; runs through Oct. 21. Seeking -- Martha Lawrence: late 30s to mid-40s, tough survivor, works a menial job in rural Western MA to support her two children and her husband Herb, who has trouble holding down a job. Martha is sharp as a tack and somewhat volatile, often swings between being very maternal and loving, and harsh, dependent on her children for the emotional solace she doesn't get from her husband, though she loves him very much; Herb Lawrence: late 30s, well-meaning, erratic and shackled by a drinking problem, wants to preserve the image of a functional, happy family, but can't seem to manage to hold down a job or focus on his children, has a great sex life with his wife Martha, but because of his drinking can't be emotionally available to her or his children, a bit of a blowhard, but his bark is worse than his bite, like Martha, has always lived in their small town, and has rarely if ever conceived of leaving it; Rachel Lawrence: age 11, fiercely intelligent, in many ways the source of emotional stability in her family, often called upon to comfort her exhausted, overworked, emotionally-starved mother, Martha, worships older brother Billy, Keen observer of the family, nothing gets by her, she is in no way naïve, by the same token, she is still a child, and has an 11-year-old's need to be taken care of; Billy Lawrence: age 16, strapping, physically mature, very smart and is excelling in school, though this is not an identity he has embraced in his small town, fully pubescent, hormones are raging and he's really awakening to feeling like an adult, losing patience with the instability and poverty of his family life, begins to find solace in a growing relationship with his teacher, Ellen, extremely protective of and close to younger sister Rachel; Ellen Roberts: mid 20s-early 30s, idealistic young teacher, well-bred and over-educated, has moved to the area to step out of the rigid expectations of her privileged world and to see what she has to offer, a neophyte teacher, having recently finished graduate school, is kind and motivated, has not found that she fits into the local community easily or well, and sees in Billy a focus for all of her abundant energy; Louie: late 30s/40s, Martha's cousin. Local cop, has done very well to make good in a town where there are few opportunities. In a volatile but basically functional marriage to Gloria, and is in love with Martha, takes care of the Lawrence family because of his feelings for her but also out of a sense of familial duty and in keeping up appearances for a family which is gradually unraveling. He frequently buys them food, and peels Herb off the floor of the local bar. Reaching the end of his rope holding the Lawrences together; Gloria: 30s/40s, has known everyone in the play forever and is married to Louie, is like family in that she feels no compunction barging in the door and the Lawrences feel no fear about either including her in family life or booting her out the door. Basically looking for deeper connections in life, with her husband in particular and resents the amount of time he spends taking care of the Lawrence's. Tough, emotional and fearless. Equity principal auditions will be held June 19, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. & 2:30-6 p.m. at Atlantic Theater Company Stage 2, 330 W. 16th St. (btwn. 8th & 9th aves.), NYC. Sides will be provided at the audition. A complete script will also be made available to read. Bring pix & résumé, stapled together. Currently $407 min./wk.; changing after Aug. 1. Equity ANTC Contract. Casting Notice Details: Categories: Union Stage Production Personnel: Jackson Gay, dir. Pay: Professional Pay Male/female role: Male, Female Age Range: Child (ages 6-12), Teen (ages 13-17), Young Adult (ages 18-29), Thirties (ages 30-39), Forties (ages 40-49) Ethnicity: Caucasian/White, African-American/Black, Latin/Hispanic/South American, Asian, Native American, European, Middle Eastern, Indian/South Asian, Other Nudity: No August 21st, 2007 ~ FADE has world premiere August 25th FADE, an Anthony Stagliano film, invites you to its world premiere screening at the ACE Film Festival on Saturday, August 25th at 6:20 PM, at the Broad Street Ballroom, 41 Broad Street, Manhattan. Fade features a moving final performance from David Connolly (Thirteen Conversations about One Thing) who tragically passed away in the fall of 2006. Sarah Lassez (Nowhere, The Blackout, Mad Cowgirl) also offers a captivating performance along with appearances by Michael T. Weiss (TV's Pretender, Jeffery, Until the Night), and special guests Anthony Drazan (director of Hurlyburly and Zebrahead, in his debut performance), and Devon Odessa (TV's My So Called Life). Fade also features music from improvisational legends AMM, Art Bears, Ginnungagap, and original music by Cameron Presley (Upsilon Acrux) and Hollis Lee (Midnight Sun). WWW.FADEFILM.COM and FADE at MySpace.com. August 19th, 2007 ~ Iowa update We have just received proposals from several distributors and will be making a decision soon. It should be in distribution thereafter but I don't know the exact timeframe. Neil Farnsworth Iowa August 16th, 2007 ~ Scarcity first poster August 15th, 2007 ~ Scarcity characters and script snippet Cast of Characters: Kristen Johnson ............ Martha Michael T. Weiss ........... Herb Jesse Eisenberg ............ Billy Todd Weeks ................ Louie Maggie Kiley ................ Ellen Miriam Shor ................. Gloria Meredith Brandt ............ Rachel Scarcity marks Michael's off-broadway debut. Script Snippet ELLEN        That was amazing. (Pause) Did you hear me Billy? Didn't you think that was amazing? (Ellen heads towards the kitchen. Rachel gets up and goes to the                    kitchen table. She sits there eating her pickles smiling at Ellen. Ellen moves to stand in the doorway to the kitchen looking in on them.) I didn't realize you                    couldn't buy toilet paper with food stamps. RACHEL    It's fascinating. Billy don't you think it's fascinating? ELLEN        It makes sense though. If I'd thought about it, because they're food stamps. RACHEL    Billy did hear that? Miss Roberts just realized food stamps are food. ELLEN        And the cashier said- RACHEL    Dorothy. ELLEN        What? RACHEL    The cashier. Her name is Dorothy her daughter is in Billy's grade. August 13th, 2007 ~ More on Scarcity SCARCITY Drama 2M(40's), 3W(2 late30s/early 40s, 1 20s), Single Set 1boy(16), 1girl (14) A small town in Western Mass. A family, the Lawrences, struggles with poverty, boredom and lost potential. Into this isolated town comes Ellen. She is a young woman, highly educated, wealthy and well traveled. She wants to give back to her country through education. She starts teaching in the public high school where Billy and Rachel Lawrence go. Ellen develops an obsession with Billy, his intelligence, insight and potential. Her obsession and desire to lift Billy out of poverty tears the family apart. About playwright LUCY THURBER Lucy Thurber is the author of eight plays: Where We're Born, Ashville, Innocence is a Sin, Killers & Other Family, Stay, Bottom of the World, Monstrosity, and Scarcity. She was the recipient of the 2000/2001 Manhattan Theatre Club playwriting fellowship. Her play, Bottom of the World, was produced by WET in the winter of 2005 and was previously workshopped at The Eugene O'Neill Playwrights' Center this past summer. Bottom of the World was part of The Tribeca Theater festival this past fall and received a workshop at The Public Theater. She attended New River Dramatists in North Carolina. Her play, Where We're Born, was produced at Rattlestick Theater in the fall of 2003. Killers and Other Family was produced at Rattlestick Theater in 2001. Also in 2001, she was commissioned by The Keene Theater Company to write a short piece called The Kool-Aid Smile, which was presented in "Keene America." She was a guest artist at The Perseverance Theatre twice, where she helped to adapt both Moby Dick and Desire Under the Elms. She has had readings and workshops at Manhattan Theatre Club, The New Group, Primary Stages and Soho Rep. Her ten-minute play, "Dinner", is published in a collection called Not So Sweet, 16 Plays From Soho Rep's Ten-Minute Play Festival. She is a member of MCC Playwrights' Coalition, Primary Stages' writing group, and 13P. July 31st, 2007 ~ Michael back on Stage! (NY) Wanna see Michael perform live again? Missed him in Boston? He will be on stage, this time in New York City. Presented by the Atlantic Theater Company at the Linda Gross Theater, 335 W. 20th Street. Scarcity  will run from August 29th thru October 14th. This is a world premiere presentation written by Lucy Thurber and directed by Jackson Gay. Tickets are $55 and are on sale now at ticketcentral.com or Order Tickets By Phone: 212-279-4200. (I got 3rd row!) No seating chart is available at this time. Showtimes Are as Follows: Tuesday-Friday ..... 8pm Saturday ........... 2pm & 8pm Sunday ............. 3pm For more information, check out these articles: A Family Unravels in 'Scarcity' Kristen Johnston Will Lead Cast in Atlantic's Scarcity Weiss, Johnston to headline Atlantic Theater Company's 'Scarcity' Johnston, Eisenberg, Shor, Etc. Set for Atlantic 'Scarcity' Eisenberg, Johnston, Shor, Weiss, et al. Set for Atlantic's Scarcity Kristen Johnston to Star in Atlantic's Scarcity World Premiere July 30th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp wins BEST ACTION FILM // Comic Book Release Hey guys, Just wanted to share the good news that RAZOR SHARP won best action film in the 2007 Comic-Con International Film Festival over the weekend. I hope some of you had a chance to see it screen. Best, -- Marcus Congratulations my friend!! ---- Karen, JSH For more information, visit CCI:IFF DIAMOND CODE: #JUN073186 Wizard World Film Fest Winner and Comic-con entrant RAZOR SHARP makes its comics debut in SIRE: REVELATIONS #2! The winner of the 2006 Wizard World Film Fest and upcoming entrant in the San Diego Comic-con film festival, RAZOR SHARP will be making its comic book debut as part of a very special issue of The Sire: Revelations #2 - on sale August 15th. Packaged as a collectors item flip-book edition, fans can continue to unravel the mystery behind the SIRE as the stakes are raised to unimaginable proportions following issue #1. Sporting a stunning TYLER KIRKHAM cover, fans get even more comic book action as the reverse side of the issue is features the all-new RAZOR SHARP #0 debut. Winner of the 2006 Wizard World Film Festival and making its San Diego Comic-con debut in the action category next month, RAZOR SHARP takes place in a future where corporations strangle the nation with an Orwellian grip and the people are ruled by the whims of an insidious Board of Directors. The only hope: high-end corporate thieves known as Data Grifters. Part secret agent and part computer geek, they wage war to take back their country. Some with more finesse than others. Enter VERONICA SHARPE. She's a terrible thief. Order your copy now! Razor Sharp   has been selected to screen at the 2007 FirstGlance Philadelphia Film Festival which runs from September 28th - October 7th. For more information, goto the festivals official website. Razor Sharp   has been selected to screen at the Gulf Coast Film Festival which runs from September 14th - 16th. Screening time for RS is 3:35pm on Saturday, September 15th. The Gulf Coast Film and Video Festival was created to showcase the discovery of new and emerging artists. Our Goals Include: To encourage the work of the Independent Filmmaker To promote the concept of film as an art, offering awards as a means of educational outreach and expanded awareness of independent film Check out the festival's official site for more details. July 18th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp up for BEST ACTION FILM From writer/director Marcus Perry: Hey guys, For all of you getting your geek on in San Diego next week, don't forget to stop by and check out the RAZOR SHARP screening as part of the Comic-Con International film fest. We're up for best action film, and if you've never seen the flick play to a crowd, you won't have a better opportunity than this. But if you can't make the screening, RAZOR SHARP will run all weekend long at the Wizard Magazine booth, where I'll also be promoting the first issue of the RAZOR SHARP comic. The comic hits the shelves nation wide on August 15. Here's the screening info: RAZOR SHARP Category: Best Action Film Thursday, July 26 12:15-12:50pm Room 26AB I hope you'll come support the cause so we can hang out too. That is if you can tear yourselves away from your lightsabers and phasers for a few minutes. And by you, I mean me. See you in SD! -- Marcus Perry July 13th, 2007 ~ 2007 Spotlight Spectacular Photo AT LONG LAST ... A photo of Michael (looking handsome as ever) at the 2007 Huntington Theatre Spotlight Spectacular has surfaced! It is shown on the online edition of Boston Magazine in the Party Pictures section! July 12th, 2007 ~ Official Fade website updated Anthony Stagliano's website for Fade has been updated with a new opening page, a short (and somewhat different) synopsis, another trailer, and another poster. July 12th, 2007 ~ Star of The Pretender busy working as artist since program ended Q: I loved the TV series The Pretender. What ever happened to the actor who played the part? And when did the series start and end? A: Michael T. Weiss has kept a much lower profile since The Pretender ended, but he has hardly vanished. Besides acting, he has been busy as an artist, working in "various mixed media often including combinations of photography, ink, colored pencil, oils, and digital manipulation, to explore how we as socialized beings sublimate our intrinsic anima", according to www.michaeltweiss.com. (You can find a gallery of his work at that site.) The Pretender originally ran from 1996 to 2000, with two follow-up movies airing in 2001. Source: Akron Beakon Journal July 5th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp LA Screening Update Email update from writer/director Marcus Perry on upcoming screenings: Hey guys, Catch RAZOR SHARP open the Very Short Films Festival here in Los Angeles at their gala kick-off this July 13. The film screens at 8:50pm, and will be followed by a short Q and A. Here's the venue info: The Montmarte Lounge Friday, July 13 8:50PM 6757 Hollywood Blvd. http://mlhollywood.com/directions.htm Cross streets are Hollywood and Highland. I really hope you can make it. See you there! Best, Marcus Perry June 25th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp Screenings Email news from writer/director Marcus Perry on upcoming screenings: Hey guys, Well it's been at least a month since any of you have seen RAZOR SHARP, so I have some good news to curb your withdrawal. This July, you'll have TWO opportunities to catch the short pun and kick its way across the screen. I'm proud to announce that RAZOR SHARP has been selected to launch the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival on July 26!! Screening for a panel of celebrity judges, including actor Thomas Jane of PUNISHER fame, this is the be-all and end-all of geekdom, and over the past few years the con has become a Hollywood industry hot spot. The festival will play to thousands of fans and studio executives alike, and will be a perfect opportunity for anyone who hasn't seen RAZOR SHARP screen to a live audience soak up the fun. Here's the screening info: Razor Sharp Thursday, July 26 San Diego Convention Center 12:15-12:50pm Room 26AB For more information on the con, go to: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_iff.shtml But... If you can't wait that long, RAZOR SHARP will be one of three short films opening the Very Short Movies Festival in Hollywood on July 13, 2007. This preview party screening will be followed by a filmmaker Q and A (which many of you could probably do for me by now). For more information, check out this link: http://www.veryshortmovies.com/ I hope you'll all come out and support the cause! Best, Marcus Perry Writer/director June 21st, 2007 ~ Whatever Happened to Michael T. Weiss? Q: Whatever happened to Michael T. Weiss (from "The Pretender")? He played Jordan's brother in "Crossing Jordan," but I haven't really seen much of him lately. -- Joan K., Copperopolis, Calif. A: Michael has been doing a lot of voiceover work, including animated series "The Justice League" and "Disney's the Legend of Tarzan," as well as voicing the role of the protagonist, The Nameless One, in the hit computer game "Planescape: Torment." The 45-year-old actor, who got his break by playing Dr. Mike Horton on "Days of Our Lives," also has been a personal trainer, working with stars like Pierce Brosnan and James Brolin. Michael is an accomplished artist, working in many mediums, such as photography, ink, colored pencils, oils and digital manipulation. To learn more and to see some of his work, go to www.michaeltweiss.com. June 7th, 2007 ~ Fade World Premiere in August At last, some long awaited news on Anthony Stagliano's Fade Hi Karen, What a timely email! I'm sending out this info this week, and you got to me a day before I got to you. We're premiering in NY at the AceFest Film Festival. Be sure to check that often, and be sure to come out for the premiere! On that website will be a new trailer soon, and our MySpace page and Official Website should be updated in a week or so. Thanks for writing! Anthony June 6th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp Updates I had mentioned earlier, see the April 16th, 2007 news archive, that Razor Sharp won a Remi Award at the WorldFest in Houston. At the time we didn't know which award. I have learned recently that it was the Bronze Remi. Congrats Marcus! Also, Marcus tells me that the first issue of the Razor Sharp comic book will be out in August! May 20th, 2007 ~ Iowa update Finally some news on Iowa: We are anticipating a distribution deal within the next few weeks that would have IOWA in DVD distribution in the US by year end. We are just beginning to shop the film internationally.         Neil Farnsworth I have also found some additional videos from Iowa here. May 17th, 2007 ~ Michael sits in on Present Laughter dress rehearsal. From the Huntington's Blog: We had two - count 'em - two dress rehearsals today. It was nice to see the play as a whole today with no stops for tech along the way. The first run, this afternoon, was also when our photographer T. Charles Erickson took the production photos. You'll get to see those starting Monday - and it will then be clear why we hire Charlie - his photos are amazing. The slightly fuzzy ones here are mine. This evening we played to a nice crowd of nearly 200 friends and family cheering everyone along, including Huntington favorite Michael T. Weiss, the parents of actor Brooks Ashmanskas, the parents of costume director Nancy Brennan (thanks for coming all the way from the west coast to visit us), our Front of House crew, and many other staffers. May 16th, 2007 ~ Sledge at the Cannes Filmmarket Distributor Shoreline Entertainment will screen Sledge: The Untold Story at the current Cannes Film Market / Marche du film (concurrent with the Cannes Film Festival) for potential international buyers. May 3rd, 2007 ~ Michael's Fine Art Site Updated At last, Michael's latest works of art are posted on his website .... very interesting! There's a total of 11 in all that have been added. Here's a sampling:             May 1st, 2007 ~ Michael Attends 2007 Spotlight Spectacular Michael attended this year's Spotlight Spectacular at the Huntington Theatre in Boston April 30th, 2007. Former "Seinfeld" buddy Jason Alexander returned to Boston to help his alma mater, Boston University, at the Huntington Theatre Company's Spotlight Spectacular! last night . Joining Alexander at the event were Victor Garber and his "Present Laughter" costar Brooks Ashmanskas , as well as Huntington veteran Michael T. Weiss, who will always be "The Pretender" to us .... Source: © Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company April 24th, 2007 ~ Michael Donates Art to Huntington Click pic to view larger image. The 2007 Spotlight Spectacular!, the Huntington's annual benefit event, is just around the corner on Monday, April 30, 2007 and our Dear Michael has once again donated a lovely piece of his art to benefit the theatre. Item Number: 293 Estimated Value: Priceless Description: You've seen Michael T. Weiss' talent on stage. Now appreciate his artistry through another medium. Own this unique piece of provocative artwork titled J'Attends, composed with mixed media on paper, by the celebrated actor last seen at the Huntington as Le Vicomte de Valmont in last season's production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Weiss also starred in the Huntington's 2005 production of Lanford Wilson's Burn This. Best known for the lead role as Jarod on the NBC television hit "The Pretender," Weiss is a playwright, artist, and environmental activist and friend of the Huntington. The artwork is framed and measures 8"x10" (16"x20" framed). Special Instructions: This item will be available at the live event for final bidding. Live Event: After the online close, this item will be going to a Live Event for further bidding. Absentee Bidding offered. Go to the Huntington's website for more details on the 2007 Spotlight Spectacular! April 16th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp: Remi Award Winner! Razor Sharp has won a 2007 Remi Award at the WorldFest Houston Film Festival. Congratulations Marcus!! The Remi Award is inspired by the creative genius of the great western artist Frederick Remington, famous for his paintings and sculptures of cowboy life in Texas and The West. His vision brilliantly captured the true Independent Spirit of Texas and The West. You may obtain them for clients and anyone associated with the production. We even made one for a dog once ... The Grand Remi Statuette is presented for the top award in each major category. The Special Jury Awards are Grand Remi Nominees, they are the highest awards for creative excellence in each major category. Then the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Remi Awards are 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in each sub-category. WorldFest is a very big film/video festival, with more than 4,500 category entries. About 15% of the total entries win awards, based on their scores from the juries. April 10th, 2007 ~ Next Screening for Razor Sharp Razor Sharp will screen at WorldFest Houston April 22nd, 3:00pm at: AMC Studio 30 at Dunvale 2949 Dunvale Houston, Texas 77063 March 23rd, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp's Next Screening! Per writer/director Marcus Perry: Hey Karen, Next Thursday night, March 29 at 7:30PM there will be a special screening of my film RAZOR SHARP along with a Q and A at Cinespace on Hollywood Blvd. as part of their dinner and a movie series. It's a great venue for dinner, and a cool bar to hang out afterwards too, so spread the word. We need to pack the place, and the film will be projected! Here's the address and schedule: CINESPACE 6356 Hollywood Blvd. 2nd floor Hollywood, CA 90028 Call 323.817.3456 to make a reservation. Q and A with the filmmakers to begin at 7:30PM Screening at 8:00PM There's no cover at the door, so bring lots of friends. It should be a good, mellow time! I hope to see you there!! -- Marcus March 11th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp Special Screening Per the official Razor Sharp website: Please join us for a special screening of RAZOR SHARP at the Wizard World Los Angeles film festival on Saturday March 17, 2007 at 5:30PM. The screening will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Room 510. Wizard World LA Programming! Friday Saturday Sunday Any questions please email Wizard Universe at conventions@wizarduniverse.com March 06th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp Film School Per the official Razor Sharp website: Do you want to make a comic book film with the style of a Hollywood blockbuster? Don't wait for the studios to come to you, bring your own project to life without spending millions. Join the filmmakers behind the 2006 Wizard World Film Festival Grand prize winner RAZOR SHARP for a look at all aspects of high-end film production on a shoestring budget. Hosted by writer/director Marcus Perry with his production team of panelists including artists, composers, designers and producers from hit films and TV shows such as Sony's 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, SPIDER-MAN 3, Sam Raimi's BOOGEYMAN 2, FANTASTIC FOUR, EQUILIBRIUM, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, THE REAL WORLD, and more!! Join us at Los Angeles Wizard World March 16, 2007 at 3PM in The Martin Nodell Room (511) RAZOR SHARP will screen at The Wizard World Los Angeles Film Festival at 5:30PM on Saturday March 17, 2007. Details to come soon!!! Click HERE to download Friday's program. Visit www.wizarduniverse.com for convention details. March 3rd, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp Selected to Screen at WorldFest Houston RAZOR SHARP has been selected to screen at the 2007 WorldFest - Houston International Film Festival. This is the 40th annual Worldfest Independent Film Festival and is scheduled for April 20-29, 2007. You can read the full article HERE. Congratulations Marcus !! February 17th, 2007 ~ Other unknown project revealed With the redesign of the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) website and the addition of IMDB Resumés comes a slight insight into another of Michael's projects that was listed under his biography on the Huntington Theatre's website that we hadn't any information on. This being P.T.A.. All we know so far is that it's the work of director Michael Levine and Michael plays a Teacher ... I will post more information as it becomes available. February 4th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp At the Wizard World Convention in L.A. As per writer/director Marcus Perry: Hey Karen, I've confirmed that my production team and I will be teaching a mini-film school at the March 16-18 Wizard World Convention. Designed as a seminar on how to make a comic book film on a budget, the panel will provide tons of helpful production tips on everything from storyboarding, set and costume design, to visual effects. Using RAZOR SHARP as a model, our goal is to demystify the filmmaking process for anyone aspiring to create a project of their own. Best, Marcus January 25th, 2007 ~ Razor Sharp: What A Ride! A special thanks to Mr. Marcus Perry for the chance to see his film Razor Sharp. I was completely blown away. It's just a shame that it is so short. For those of you lucky enough to attend, don't forget that Razor Sharp will screen again the weekend of March 16-18 at the Staples Convention Center in Los Angeles. Marcus tells me that he'll have a booth setup on the convention floor and will be showing RS continuously that weekend as well as handing out posters and postcards and that it's possible some of the cast will also attend. Wizard World has informed Marcus that they have a surprise in store for the them at the convention ! January 17th, 2007 ~ Pretender 2001 DVD Cover Art Released Pretender, The - Fox wraps The Pretender with TV movies Fox has already released the four seasons of The Pretender on DVD, but now they've announced that the two TV movies, Pretender 2001 and Pretender: Island of the Haunted will be released on March 13, 2007. This single disc will contain Pretender 2001 (full screen 1.33:1) on one side, and Pretender: Island of the Haunted (widescreen 1.78:1) on the other. The disc runs for 216 mins, and sells for $26.98 US, or $37.98 CAN. Disc 1 Side A: PRETENDER 2001 (Full Screen) Picking up where the television series left off, Jarod reunites with two old friends and unleashes some powerful Centre revelations. This film opens with a sequence that will allow it to be enjoyed by individuals who have not yet seen the TV series. Disc 1 Side B: PRETENDER: ISLAND OF THE HAUNTED (Widescreen) Through a series of bizarre circumstances, Jarod and Miss Parker find themselves trapped together on a strange island in a life and death situation, out of which come some of the most important revelations about their pasts. Source: TVShowsOnDVD.com January 10th, 2007 ~ L.A. Premiere of Razor Sharp and Launch of the Official Website Razor Sharp premiered at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills and with this, came the launch of the film's OFFICIAL WEBSITE. If you haven't already visited the site, please take a moment to do so. I have been in contact with writer/director Marcus Perry over the past few weeks. He's been really great answering my questions and giving me details about his film and the premiere and such. Marcus has graciously shared some photos from the premiere of himself and Brian Planko (Producer/Editor), one of himself and Cassidy Freeman (Veronica Sharpe) and the third being that of Michael (Dex), Cassidy and Skye (Isis). Click here to check them out! He also tells me there's more as soon as he gets them !! Wanna find out more about Marcus and Razor Sharp? Check out the article from Script Magazine by Sarah Vance. THANK YOU MARCUS !! News Archive 2007                      2006                      2005                      2004                      2003