STAGE MANAGED, 28min., USA, Comedy
Directed by Guy Noland
A suburban community theater must successfully produce a knock-off version of "My Fair Lady" in order to keep their doors open.

http://www.viralentertain.com/

Director Statement
There’s no short answer to “Why this idea and why now?”, so many life experiences and so many people have contributed to the creation of this concept over the years.

The shortest answer I can summon: I grew up in the theater, it is in my DNA. I grew up in front of the TV, it is in my blood. I am a producer, writer, actor, and stand-up comic, so it just made sense to throw all these things into a blender to see what came out the other end. That’s the short answer.

The long answer: I first stepped onto stage at the age of six. It was a great passion of mine in my youth but took a backseat to film production as I moved into my adult years.

In October of 2019, on a whim, I decided to revisit my first love and auditioned for a lead role in a local community theater production of “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”. Much to my surprise, I landed the part of Captain Gregg (the ghost). What followed was a string of shows, back to back, which led to being cast in an AEA production a few months later. I was on track to a promising new theater career -- Then COVID-19 hit and everything shut down.

My sudden whirlwind theatrical career, with all the crazy theater people I had met, was in limbo, yet had planted the seed of an idea for a 1/2 hour comedy pilot - “Stage Managed.” Since all the theaters were on forced hiatus and I didn’t have anything else to do, I said, “Whelp! I guess I don’t have no excuses... may as well make this thing happen!” I haven’t regretted a minute of that decision.

So, to all the theater nerds, choir geeks, and glee dorks who have earned my love and devotion over the years; to all the misfits and dreamers who ever trod the boards and basked in the warm wash of a low-rent grid full of par cans; to those who have dreamed against a Broadway fantasy when the world told them it was impossible: This one’s for you.