Sideshow Cinema
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sideshow Cinema is the film production company run by award winning independent filmmaker and actor Michael Legge.[1][2][3] Sideshow Cinema's short film The Lemon Man was licensed to the USA Network show, Night Flight.[4]
The company was founded by Legge sometime in the 1980's and has produced over twenty films, including Working Stiffs, Loons, Potential Sins, Sick Time, Honey Glaze and his award winning 2005 released political satire Democrazy[5][4][6] Sideshow Cinema's films have been screened worldwide. They have been shown at film festivals in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Venezuela.[4]
[edit] Stable of actors
Sideshow Cinema has a stable of actors which Legge uses both on stage and in his films. The following actors appear in at least two of Sideshow Cinema's productions.
[edit] Stacy Armstrong
Stacy Armstrong is an award winning stage and screen actress. She has worked with Legge on several plays he directed including The Philadelphia Story, Cocoanuts, Hotel Faux Pas, “Ghost Train’’[7] and The Crayon Jungle. She also has a featured role in his 2005 comedy film Democrazy. She has also worked on dozens of stage musicals and plays and worked on the independent comedy feature by filmmaker Eric Bruno Borgman called The Man in the Movie where she plays a silent film actress.[8] Stacy is married and lives in Massachusetts.[9]
[edit] Maury Doyle
Maury Doyle has worked for Sideshow Cinema in a couple of roles as an associate producer on Legge's 1989 film Working Stiffs and as an actor in both Working Stiffs and he palyed "Sam, the Judge" in Loons.[10] Michael Legge's 1995 film Sick Time is dedicated to him.[11]
[edit] Ed Dunn
Ed Dunn is a longtime friend and collaborator of Michael Legge. He has appeared on stage with Legge playing Harpo to Legge's Groucho in the stage versions of several of the Marx Brothers musical comedies. Dunn is considered a superb visual actor and a great Harpo impersonator. On film Dunn has played the father of Honey Glaze in Legge's Honey Glaze and Dr. Triclops in Democrazy.[12]
[edit] Edward Eck
Edward R. Eck (b. September 24, 1949) is an American stage and movie actor. He has appeared in at least eight films directed by Michael Legge and many more stage plays. Some of the films he has been in are Chat for Mrs. Order, Loons, Potential Sins, Honey Glaze, and Democrazy.[13]
[edit] Bob Eiland
Bob Eiland is a Massachusetts-based New England area actor who received second billing in Legge's 1999 sci-fi comedy Braindrainer where he played Senator Rick Vapid.[14] In the 1997 released film Alien Agenda: Under the Skin he acted in the Legge directed segment "Alien Abductee Interviews".[15]
[edit] Beverly Epstein
Beverly Epstein is an actress who had the lead in Michael Legge's film Working Stiffs[2] where she played "Lacey Shannon".[16] She received "Special Thanks" credits for Cutthroats.[17]
[edit] Tony Ferreira
Tony Ferreira is a New England actor who has appeared in at least three of Michael Legge's Sideshow Cinema films. In 1999, he played Webb in Braindrainer. Ten years before he appeared as Larry Shannon in Working Stiffs in 1989[2] and as Steve Weevil in 1991's Loons.[18]
[edit] Phil Fougere
Phil Fougere has appeared in three Legge written and directed farces: Potential Sins, Braindrainer and Democrazy. Fougere is an accomplished vocalist and stage actor who has appeared in productions with The Medway Players, Gateway Players and Millis Theater Group. He is currently completing work on his first fiction novel tentatively entitled "Valuable Antiques."[19]
[edit] Robin Gabrielli
Robin Gabrielli has played major roles in the last two Sideshow Cinema films, Democrazy and Honey Glaze.[20] Gabrielli is a New England actor and has worked with Michael Legge on stage as well as the movies.
[edit] Bruce Harding
Bruce Harding has acted in at least six Sideshow Cinema films written and directed by Michael Legge.[21] He appeared in Chat for Mrs. Order in 1987 and played Carl Worm in 1989's Working Stiffs.[2] His acting in films seems to be mainly with as a Sideshow Cinema actor. It appears his last part was as Velcro in 1999's sci-fi farce Braindrainer.[22]
[edit] Linda Baxter Hardy
Linda Baxter Hardy is a New England area actress based out of Massachusetts who received first billing in Michael Legge's 1991 comedy Loons.[23][24]
[edit] Alan Kennedy
Alan Kennedy is an important member of the Sideshow Cinema stable of actors having appeared in at least eight of Legge's films. His first known film of Legge's that he worked on was Chat for Mrs. Order in 1987. In 1989, he played "Eldon" in Working Stiffs,[2] Socks in 1991 in Loons and "Don Drinkwater" in 1994's Cutthroats. The next year Kennedy then appeared as "Terry Random" in Sick Time. 1997 saw two more roles in Legge films, Potential Sins and Alien Agenda: Under the Skin. He last appeared in 1999 in Braindrainer playing "Novak".[25]
[edit] Michael Legge
Founder of Sideshow Cinema, and an award winning actor, director and screenwriter. Legge also acts in and directs stage plays and has written several comedy stage productions.[26]
[edit] Mary Ellen Maloney
Mary Ellen Maloney has appeared in a least four Sideshow productions since playing a crazy woman in 1991's Loons. She then played "Polly" in Cutthroats in 1994 and "Rene" in Sick Time the next year. Her last known work with Sideshow was in 1997's Potential Sins. In 1997, Maloney also appeared as "Cindy Callabro" in the film Ralph Talk directed by John N. Michaels. She also played a pregnant woman in Love... at Your Disposal which was released in 2000 and directed by Paul Lombardo.[27]
[edit] BJ McCoy
BJ McCoy (born July 8, 1947) is an American film and stage actor who has appeared in at least eight Sideshow Cinema comedies over a twenty year period, including Chat for Mrs. Order, Working Stiffs, Loons, Cutthroats, Sick Time, Braindrainer, Honey Glaze, and Democrazy.[28] He has performed live in numerous plays and musicals and has also worked as a director in theater.[29][30]
[edit] Diane Mela
[edit] Cheryl Miller
Cheryl Miller has appeared in at least four of Legge's Sideshow Cinema productions. Starting in 1991 she played a nurse in Loons. Then she played "Ms. LeClaw" in 1995's Sick Time and "Madame Anne Slack" in Braindrainer which was released in 1999. Braindrainer was re-released in 2005 on DVD as the second feature along Democrazy where Miller portrays a puzzle victim. She was given a "Special Thanks" credit on Sideshow's Cutthroats in 1994.[31]
[edit] Todd Miller
Todd Miller has worked on both sides of the camera and has been given "Special Thanks," credits on three Sideshow Cinema productions, Loons, Cuththroats, and Braindrainer. He has also appeared on camera playing "Mr. Fishbreath" in Democrazy, a restaurant patron in Honey Glaze, "Robodoc" in Braindrainer and a character named "Fred who Stares," in Loons.[32]
[edit] Steven Mullahoo
[edit] Jan Nargi
Jan Nargi is a well known theater writer and reviewer. She is also an actress of the stage and screen. She has appeared in several Sideshow prodcutions, most recently playing a terrorist in Democrazy. Nargi portrayed a character named "Nina Callous" in both Sick Time and Braindrainer and played Peg in Cutthroats and Pawn in Working Stiffs.[33]
[edit] Lorna Nogueira
[edit] James O'Brien
James O'Brien is a New England based actor and award winning director. He has appeared in numerous Michael Legge productions both on stage and on screen. His last film appearance was as Dr. Fooch in Legge's Honey Glaze.[34]
He also played roles in these Sideshow Cinema productions Potential Sins, Loons, and Working Stiffs.[2][35]
O'Brien has been performing on stage since at least 1974 when he "Jack Chesney" in Where's Charley? and "Officer O'Hara" in Arsenic and Old Lace. By 1985 he was also directing stage productions such as 6 Rms Riv Vu for The Concord Players in Concord, Massachusetts. Two of the productions he directed The Collection and Pvt. Wars won awards. O'Brien won best director for Pvt. Wars in 1988.[36]
He has also played "Thomas Moore" in A Man for All Seasons and travelled in competition to Knoxville, Tennessee in a performance of Glengarry Glen Ross where he played "Dave Moss".[37]
[edit] Sydelle Pittas
Sydelle Pittas is an American stage and film actress. She has worked with Legge on stage and with him in his 1999 comedy Braindrainer where she played “Dr. Belinda Garland.”[38][39] The film critic Kevin P. Hoffman described her as, “very funny” in the role. In 2003, Pittas appeared in the world premiere of Shirley Timmreck's play Circles of Time where she played an octogenarian and was described as being, “captivating,” by Boston stage critic Suzanne Bixley. She is also a stage director and directed “Doctor Please!” on the stage in Boston in 2003.[40][41]
[edit] James Porter
[edit] Phyllis Rittner
Phyllis Rittner is an American actress who lives in Massachusetts. She played in Potential Sins and Alien Agenda: Under the Skin.[42] She debuted on stage with the Concord Players in Concord, Massachusetts in 1995 playing "Rose" in Dancing at Lughnasa. Other stage performances include "Corinne" in Luxury Cruse, "Alice" in The Octette Bridge Club, and "Gabrielle" in Meanwhile Back on the Couch.[43]
[edit] Debbie Rochon
Debbie Rochon (November 3, 1968) is an independent film actress from Vancouver, Canada and has a cult following. Rochon is the most successful of the Sideshow Cinema stable of players having appeared in well over 130 independent and low budget film productions.[44]
In 1998, she played "Clarice" in Michael Legge's Stumped[45] In 1999, she appeared in some new footage in the 30th anniversary re-cut of the 1968 film Night of the Living Dead played "Reporter Darlene Davis".
In 2004 Rochon won the Micro Cinema Film Festival Award for Best Actress in a Comedy for her work in Dr. Horror's Erotic House of Idiots. In October of the same year she was inducted into into the B-Movie Hall of Fame.
[edit] John Shanahan
John Shanahan is a stage and screen actor who debuted in a Michael Legge film as "Chip Martin" in Democrazy. Shanahan has also worked for Jodom Pictures where he acted in A House Divided. Shanahan is also writer and playwright having written several stage plays within the past few years. He has appeared onstage with Legge several times which includes Hotel Faux Pas.[46][47][48]
[edit] Ruth Shane
Ruth Shane is a New England area actress based out of Massachusetts. She appeared in a total of four Sideshow Cinema productions starting in 1987 in Chat for Mrs. Order. Shane played "Liz" in Working Stiffs in 1989 and then "Margaret" in Loons in 1991. She received a Special Thanks credit on Loons as well. Her last film for Legge was in 1994's Cutthroats where she portrayed "Lucille".[49]
[edit] Rebecca Tredeau
Rebecca Tredeau is an actress whose most recent film role was as "Anne" in the 2003 drama Barbara James directed by Winston Moxam.[50] James' work with Michael Legge and Sideshow Cinema goes back to at least 1995 when she appeared as "Bat Girl" in the film Sick Time. In 1997 she acted in both Potential Sins and Alien Agenda: Under the Skin and then in 1998 she appeared in the Dryer Straits segment directed by Legge in Creaturerealm: Demons Wake.[51] Her last known association with Sideshow was when she played "Dour" in Braindrainer in 1999 where she also received a credit under Special Thanks.[52]
[edit] Jay Washburn
Jay Washburn—sometimes credited as Jay Bob Washburn—is a New England independent film actor based out of Massachusetts. He has worked on over eight of Michael Legge's films. Not only has he appeared as an actor in at least six films but he has also taken on the roles of sound man for such films as Braindrainer, Sick Time, Cutthroats, Loons and Working Stiffs as well as associate producer for Loons and Working Stiffs. As an actor he is one of Legge's chosen few for he has played most recently in 2003 the waiter in Honey Glaze. But he can also be seen in small roles in Braindrainer, Sick Time, Loons, Working Stiffs and Chat for Mrs. Order. On Working Stiffs he was also credited as being the publicity stills photographer and on 1995's Sick Time he was credited as "Jay Bob Washburn" as being the cat wrangler.[53]
[edit] Phyllis Weaver
Phyllis Weaver has been a long time member of Michael Legge's acting team. She has worked as an actress on stage under Legge's direction and in at least ten of his films. Her latest role was as Walker in his award winning comedy Democrazy (2005). According the the Internet Movie Database she has appeared in Chat for Mrs. Order , Working Stiffs, Loons, Cutthroats, Sick Time, Potential Sins, Alien Agenda:Under the Skin, Creaturerealm: Demons Wake[54]and Braindrainer. She was also an associate producer on Loons (1991).[55]
[edit] Cherry Lynn Zinger
Cherry Lynn Zinger has been a member of the Sideshow Cinema players since at least 1999 when she appeared in Michael Legge's comedy sci-fi film Braindrainer where she was a Nuisance Media Type.[56] Zinger has acted on stage for many years. She has played "Rosalind" in As You Like It, "Puck" in A Midsummer Nights Dream, and "Bloody Mary" in South Pacific. Zinger has appeared in over sixteen stage productions and fims.[57] She has been in several plays directed by Legge including most recently The Cat and the Canary in 2005. She had one of the starring roles in the comedy spy feature Honey Glaze where she played Nurse Tarika and in the award winning Democrazy where she played Sim Moroshi.[58]
[edit] References
- ^ Moria: Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film Review
- ^ a b c d e f Jones, Stephen (2000-09-01). The Essential Monster Movie Guide: A Century of Creature Features on Film, TV and Video. New York: Billboard Books, 418. ISBN 978-0-83-207936-8.
- ^ Tower of the Obscure: The Films of Michael Legge, Penguincomics.net
- ^ a b c Lindenmuth, Kevin J. (1998-07-01). Making Movies on Your Own: Practical Talk from Independent Filmmakers. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 10. ISBN 978-0-78-640517-6.
- ^ Democrazy at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Jac Publishing
- ^ The Country Gazette, 11 April 2003, Vol. 22, Iss. 50, pg. C5, by: Jennifer Pollack, "Taking a ride on the 'Ghost Train'
- ^ The Man in the Movie Website
- ^ Stacy Armstrong at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Sophomoric comedy routines by Dennis Schwartz
- ^ Maury Doyle at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Ed Dunn at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Ed Eck at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ b-independent.com
- ^ Bob Eiland at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Beverly Epstein at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Beverly Epstein at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Tony Ferreira at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Phil Fougere at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Robin Gabrielli at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Bruce Harding at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Bruce Harding at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Linda Baxter Hardy at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Sophomoric comedy routines by Dennis Schwartz
- ^ Alan Kennedy at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Michael Legge at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Mary Ellen Maloney at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ BJ McCoy at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ "The Country Gazette", Jennifer Pollack, "Taking a ride on the 'Ghost Train'", April 11, 2003, Vol. 22, Iss. 50, pg. C5.
- ^ "The Metro West Daily News", David Brooks Andrews, "Local troupe performs at theater festival", May 28, 2006, Vol. 8, Iss. 216, pg. C3.
- ^ Cheryl Miller at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Todd Miller at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Jan Nargi at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ James O'Brien at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ James O'Brien at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Concord Players Profile
- ^ Concord Players Profile
- ^ b-independent.com
- ^ Sydelle Pittas at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Sydelle Pittas at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Article on Circles in Time
- ^ Phyllis Rittner at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Concord Players
- ^ Debbie Rochon at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ b-independent.com
- ^ John Shanahan Official Website
- ^ John Shanahan at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Article about Jodom Pictures
- ^ Ruth Shane at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Rebecca Tredeau at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Moria: Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film Review
- ^ Rebecca Tredeau at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Jay Washburn at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Moria: Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film Review
- ^ Phyllis Weaver at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Cherry Lynn Zinger at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Concord Players Bio
- ^ Cherry Lynn Zinger at the Internet Movie Database
