Tired of the elections already? Perhaps all you need is a little fictional refresher. The Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe is bringing its Big Screen Classics series back this September for a look at “Election Year Films.” The new series launches on Saturday, Sept. 13, with the 1939 fave Mr. Smith Goes to Washington . Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, the movie stars Jimmy Stewart as a naive small-town politician who evolves into a cynical Washington insider. Director Frank Capra kept his usual feel-good sense of Americana while exposing hypocrisy and corruption in our government. The screening starts at 7 p.m. and tickets will set you back five lousy bucks. Future “Election Year Films” include the 1962 political thriller The Manchurian Candidate (Friday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.) and the 1972 Robert Redford satire The Candidate (Friday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m.). Tickets for each film are available at the Lensic box office (211 W. San Francisco St.) and online at TicketsSantaFe.org. As always, you can check out more Lensic info at lensic.org.
Reel World Casting Newcomers
A production company is searching for two young newcomers to star in a feature film that will be shot in New Mexico later this year. No previous acting experience is necessary. Producers are looking for a 9- to 12-year-old boy and a 15- to 17-year-old Native American boy to play the lead roles in a film based on Brady Udall’s blacky comic novel The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint . “Edgar” is a sensitive and intelligent orphan who survives a life of Dickensian tribulations, and “Cecil” is his friend and protector. If you’re interested, or know someone who is, send a photo along with the boy’s name, age, height and telephone number to: “Edgar Mint Casting, 1021½ Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, C.A. 90291.”
Reel World Acting!
Actor/acting coach Benson Simmonds (he was on an episode of “Stargate SG-1”) will be in Albuquerque on Sept. 22 and 24 to teach a two-day scene study acting course based on the techniques of Ivana Chubbuck (who coached Halle Berry through her Academy Award performance in Monster’s Ball but must have been MIA when Catwoman came along). The Monday, Sept. 22 class takes place from 3 to 10 p.m. The Wednesday, Sept. 24 class takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $225 for the classes. For more information and to register, contact Lynda Fazio at (505) 907-3447 or e-mail lfazio@msn.com.
