Brolin, Lewis & Kirman Release 'Standing Ovation' Movie Musical 7/16

Taking a page from the High School Musical songbook, Executive Producers James Brolin and Dr. William Lewis, alongside Producer Diane Kirman, will soon present the "Junior High School Musical" equivalent in the soon-to-be-released Standing Ovation family film. A positive tale of perseverance and passion, Standing Ovation arrives in theaters on July 16, 2010, featuring 20 original songs and 13 never-before-seen dance numbers that showcase a cast of talented young newcomers as they learn the importance of loyalty, friendship and family on a journey to fulfilling their dreams. Featuring actors, singers, songwriters, dancers, gymnasts and musicians from Philadelphia, Atlantic City and the surrounding areas, Standing Ovation reveals the undiscovered talent and drive of the East Coast's youth. Every cast member has their own success story to tell that embodies the Standing Ovation message to all young people who have a similar dream, "If you are a Wannabe, then you Gonnabe!"

Set in Atlantic City, junior high school best friends, Brittany (Kayla Jackson), Tatiana (Alexis Biesiada), Blaze (Pilar Martin), Cameron (Kayla Raparelli) and Maya (Na'jee Wilson) form the singing/dancing group, "The 5 Ovations." Despite all odds, they chase their dreams of becoming champions in the biggest television music video contest of the year. They may be short on money, but they are rich in friendship, talent and hope and these street-smart kids use their wits, courage and passion to create some impressive musical performances.

When a national TV network announces a music video contest with a one million dollar grand prize, "The 5 Ovations" eagerly set to work on creating the perfect routine and music video. However, they must face off against their rival group, "The Wiggies" -- Ziggy (London Clark), Angel (Erika Corvette), Zita (Ashley Cutrona), Twiggy (Devon Jordan) and Zoey (Jeana Zettler) -- five rich, beautiful and scheming sisters whose performance trademark is their series of extravagant wigs and underhanded pranks. The Wiggies also enter the contest, helped by their flamboyant and unscrupulous father, Mr. Wiggs (Sal Dupree), who will stop at nothing to win.

Alanna Palombo, Joei DeCarlo, Austin Powell, Rocco Bateman, Dexter Darden, Al Sapienza, Mario Macaluso, and P. Brendon Mulvey round out the cast.

Presented under the banner of Kenilworth Films, Standing Ovation is directed by Stewart Raffill (The Adventures of the Wilderness Family), and features original music by Benedikt Brydern and musical supervision by Sal Dupree.  The original music is produced by Tony Coluccio, Ed Kessel, Troy Harrington and Brian Thomas, Roy "Royalty" Hamilton III.

For more information, visit www.standingovationmovie.com.

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"The Ovations"

KAYLA ANNETTE JACKSON (Brittany/Ovation), 13, has been interested in singing, acting and performing since the age of 7 when she appeared in her school's talent show, singing "Reflections" from Mulan. Since then, Kayla has become no stranger to the stage. She has played the role of Dori in School House Rock, Junior and Annie in Annie, Junior. The young performer played the role of Sally in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and appeared in the chorus of Camelot. Past film credits include the role of Lead Girl in an independent film called Love of My Life in 2004. Television appearances include The Simple Life, Best Friends and the NJ Network for Kids in Concert in 2005. Kayla has been studying under her vocal coach, Sal Dupree of Dupree Performing Arts, since March of 2007.

ALEXIS BIESIADA (Tatiana/Ovation), 14, is vocally trained under Sal Dupree, Alexis has performed the National Anthem at numerous sporting events, has sung at many charity events including the American Cancer Foundation Event for Radio Disney. Her theater credits include The People Garden, The 70's Experience and The Nutcracker All Jazzed Up. Alexis's television appearances include Props TV Show on the Cartoon Network, Me TV on Nickelodeon Television and America's Most Talented Kids. Alexis co-wrote the song "All I Wanna Do Is Sing " which she performs in the film "Standing Ovation."

NA'JEE WILSON (Maya/Ovation), 14, a trained hip hop dancer and student of vocal coach, Sal Dupree, has performed on stage in The Piano Lesson, Unhappily Ever After as Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin Junior. Other performances include singing the National Anthem at many sporting events and at a Memorial Home for Veterans. Na'Jee recently opened for Smokey Robinson at the NJPAC in Newark, NJ. She was the New Jersey representative at the Junior National Leadership Conference.

PILAR MARTIN (Blaze/Ovation), 12, had studied under vocal coach Sal Dupree, trained at the Walnut Street Acting Theater Acting School and The Acting Center. Her stage credits include the Christmas Spectacular with Community Theater in New York, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Her television credits include the Guinness World Record Special on the Food Network and on Comcast Interactive TV On Demand.

KAYLA RAPARELLI (Cameron/Ovation), 14, has been taking dance lessons since she was 3 and has been singing since she was 6. At age 5, Kayla won the Miss East Coast USA Pageant and went on to win the Miss New Jersey Sweetheart Division for American Co-ed Pageants. Kayla loves to donate her time at local hospitals and also tutors underclassmen at school. She is number one in the country for Language Arts Placement and serves on her school's Student Council and the National Junior Honor Society.

"The Wiggles"

LONDON CLARK (Ziggy Wiggs/Wiggie), a high school senior, started taking dance lessons at the age of 2. She began vocal training at the age of 5 and started competing in vocal talent competitions at age 6, becoming a finalist in the first "Teen Idol Search" in Philadelphia. London has worked with numerous theater companies, performing in over twenty regional productions. As a young actress she portrayed Eva in an original musical entitled Moon Dreams and Helen Keller in the production of The Miracle Worker. Her later stage credits include Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Cinderella in Into the Woods and play Kate in Kiss Me Kate. London has performed with several dance competition teams and has won numerous awards for solo as well as group performances in every style of dance. She has appeared in various commercials including an ad for Dollywood with Dolly Parton. London's first film experience was an independent production titled Abby, Girl Spy: Timepiece.

ERIKA CORVETTE (Angel Wiggs/Wiggie) is a trained performer in acting, modeling and dance. She has appeared in many Theater Productions, including the lead of Dorothy in The Wiz, Grease and Young Americans. Her television credits include the lead role of twins, Keisha and Beverly, in T K, which she was nominated for a Best Female Actress Award at the 2008 AOF California International Film Festival. Erika was selected to travel to Japan and learn the culture by the People to People Student Ambassador Program.

ASHLEY CUTRONA (Zita Wiggs/Wiggie) has received acting training at the Fine and Performing Arts Academy, the WB-Ryan Acting Studio in Atlantic City, NJ and the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York City. Studying under vocal coach Sal Dupree, Ashley has had a wide range of vocal training, including pop music and classical/theatre song study. Ashley's television appearances include Law & Order and The Manhattan Diaries. Her other film credits include The Roadhouse, which is currently in production. Ashley has been nominated for the Perry Award for the Best Young Actress in a Play and for the Governor's School of the Arts for Musical Theatre.

Devon Jordan (Twiggy Wiggs/Wiggie), 18, is a high school senior who has been passionate about singing and acting ever since she was a little girl. At 10, Devon fell in love with performing when she was cast as Kate in Annie. Shortly thereafter she became a devoted student of vocal coach, Sal Dupree. Devon is a professional jingle singer for radio and has appeared in numerous television commercials. Her film credits include M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening, How Do You Know with Reese Witherspoon and The Good Thief. She recently starred in two short PBS films in The Maple Avenue Series, both of which have won critical acclaim and REMI Awards.

JEANA ZETTLER (Zoey Wiggs/Wiggie), 18, credits include: High School Musical: Get in the Picture on ABC and Janet Jackson's MTV show, Prodigy. Jeana has performed the National Anthem at many New Jersey Nets games, among other sporting events. She has appeared in multiple commercial advertisements, including NFL Films, Philly tourism, I-Sing Karaoke, and Pep Boys. Jeana currently has a CD that is available on iTunes, which was produced by her vocal coach, Sal Dupree. Jeana is a certified counselor for the Yellow Ribbon Campaign, an organization which hopes to prevent teen suicide.

STEWART RAFFILL's (Writer/Director) career has spanned over 3 decades. Raffill has written and directed over 14 theatrically released films, some of which include: Napoleon and Samantha, Adventures of the Wilderness Family, Across the Great Divide (Recipient of Outstanding Merit by Southern California Motion Picture Council, The Philadelphia Experiment (Winner Best Science Fiction Film at Rome Film Festival); Sea Gypsies (Winner Award of Excellence by Motion Picture Film Advisory Board), The New Swiss Family Robinson (Netted Best Wonderful World of Disney rating on ABC for 1999), Mannequin 2, Mac and Me, Grizzly Falls and Ice Pirates. Raffill also wrote the original screenplay for the enormously popular blockbuster movie Passenger 57 starring Wesley Snipes. The list of those he has directed is a veritable list of Hollywood's "Who's Who" and includes many Academy Award Winning Actors like Michael Douglas, Angelica Houston, Richard Harris, Jodie Foster, Jane Seymour, James Brolin, Bryan Brown, Rod Steiger. Most recently he filmed two features in the Bahamas, Survival Island, starring Billy Zane, and Mysterious, starring James Brolin, Antonio Sabato Jr., and AnnaLynne McCord.

DIANE KIRMAN (Producer) The concept for Standing Ovation and the independent Production Company of Kenilworth Films is the passion and creation of film producer Diane Kirman. Kirman began her entertainment career after college as a singer for the Light Opera Company of Philadelphia under the direction of Fred Pollack and a student under vocal coach Sal Dupree. She later worked producing live remote broadcasts for the Philadelphia based dance show Dancin' On Air that later became the nationally syndicated Dance Party U.S.A. Kirman continued her career as a casting director with credits including: Shaw Cable, ABC, MGM/UA, Orion, Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox and Columbia Pictures, for features including Rocky V, Nash Bridges, Mannequin On The Move, The Mexican and Rat Race. She was the executive producer on the film Survivor Island (aka Three) starring Billy Zane (Titanic) and Kelly Brook which was released theatrically in the foreign marketplace and sold to Showtime. The New Swiss Family Robinson was produced by Kirman and won the highest Disney Movie of the week rating on ABC for the year.

James Brolin (Executive Producer) has served as director of the television series' Pensacola: Wings of Gold (of which he also executive produced and starred), Hotel, and the ensemble Western series, The Young Riders. In 1997, Brolin made his feature film directorial debut in My Brother's War, in which he also starred. The movie went on to win Best Film Award at the Hollywood Film Festival. He is most widely recognized for his starring roles on Hotel (1983-1988) and Marcus Welby M.D. (1969-76), for which he earned Emmy and Golden Globe awards for best supporting actor. Brolin has also appeared on the series Trapped, the CBS mini-series And the See Will Tell, wildlife reality series The World of Discovery, and NBC's hit dramas The West Wing and Law & Order: SVU. Brolin also starred in the action-adventure series Extreme and the Western serial drama Angel Falls. Film credits include Take Her, She's Mine with James Stewart and Sandra Dee, Cape Town Affair, a remake of the 1953 thriller Pick Up on South Street, Capricorn One: West World, The Amityville Horror, Gable and Lombard, Traffic, Master and Disguise with Dana Carvey, Catch Me If You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, Antwone Fisher with Denzel Washington, A Guy Thing starring opposite Julia Stiles, Jason Lee and Selma Blair and others. Brolin recently finished filming The Hunting Party with Richard Gere, Sci-Fi feature film Lost City Raiders, David O'Russell film Nailed, and independent feature Bitter/Sweet. His work in The Reagan's earned him an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for most Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini-Series or Movie, bringing his overall nominations to 10, thus far. Brolin is currently in post-production for the drama, American Standards.

 

 

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