*Message From The Chair
*Classes & Seminars
*Headlines, Stories, & Events
*In The Spotlight

Dear Friends,

If you didn’t come to the Cabaret on August 26 at the Lake Park Mirror Ballroom, you missed a great evening of entertainment. Under the direction of the beautiful and talented Avery Sommers, eight amazing performers–singers and actors–filled the historic room with the sweet sounds of music and monologues from some very recognizable Broadway shows.

With Phil Hinton on piano, Maja Nile, Lynn Chvotkin, Karen Worley, Kenny McKechnie, Alan Myles Heyman, Karen Chimato and myself, under Avery Sommers’ watchful eye entertained a packed house for 90 minutes. Stage Manager Richard DeRosa was kept hopping as he dimmed and raised the lights and moved sets between acts.

Peter Marzilli and James Hook did an amazing job transforming the stage from ordinary to extraordinary with a presidium of lights suspended from the ceiling.

Managing Director Donna Carbone set the mood with tables covered in red and black, anchored by large wine goblets filled with beautiful red roses and pearls...the creations of Jessica McKenny–Donna’s daughter. Men’s Warehouse in Legacy Place kindly loaned us two tuxedo clad mannequins for the evening and also provided goodie bags for the audience to take home with them. All the elements combined together served to transport guests to the Folies Bergère without the inconvenience of being frisked by TSA agents.

I am truly delighted to have had an opportunity to perform with these amazing people, all of whom understand that it takes a great deal of commitment and cooperation to turn a dream into a reality.

The end of summer is upon us! Soon days will get shorter and nights will grow longer and the Burt Reynolds Institute will add new classes to its curriculum. Among those being finalized are a dialect/accent course taught by Pete Marzilli and an intermediate acting and scene study class with Todd Vittum. Also on the schedule is our six-week Improv-a-Prompter course taught by Patty Serrano. These classes join our always popular Fundamentals of Acting on Sunday afternoons at 1PM, Improv on Thursday evenings at 7:30PM, and Creative Writing on Thursdays at 6:30PM. If you’ve ever thought about acting, if you like to make people laugh, if there is a story you want to tell--join us. The Burt Reynolds Institute family will welcome you with open arms!

Have a fun and safe Labor Day!

-Douglas Rill
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Burt Reynolds Institute for Film & Theatre

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MASTER ACTING CLASS with BURT REYNOLDS
By invitation only and based on completed application, which can be found on our website. For inquiries, please email info@burtreynoldsinstitute.org or call (561) 743-9955

FUNDAMENTALS of ACTING for ADULTS
Sundays at 1PM
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate performer, or experienced actor, FoA will allow you to hone your craft in a welcoming and nurturing atmosphere. FoA is a scene study class in which students are expected to perform a ten-minute scene on stage each week. Roberts--who is a member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA--has appeared in a variety of roles on stage, in film, and on network television. He teaches student how to choose the right material, how to interpret dialog so that the spoken word is true to what the author has written, character development, and body language. The class meets every Sunday at 1PM. The cost is $25/week. Call (561) 743-9955 to RSVP

IMPROV
Thursdays at 7:30PM
Todd Vittum brings his expertise to the classroom, teaching his students to "think fast" and increase their self-confidence. For beginning and intermediate students. Call (561) 743-9955 to RSVP

SIDE by SIDE SUMMER SESSIONS (IMPROV)
Saturdays at 10AM
Side by Side Summer Sessions is a weekly Improv class open to adults and youngsters. Taught by master improvisational artist Todd Vittum, budding and experienced comedians ranging in age will have an opportunity to improve their impromptu speaking and acting skills. Vittum has been teaching Improv for many years and is himself an experienced performer. He has designed innovative scenarios that make the imagination come alive. Under his excellent tutelage, laughter and learning go hand in hand. Adults pay $25/week and kids pay $15/week. Call (561) 743-9955 to RSVP

CREATIVE WRITING for the AUTHOR in ALL of US
Thursdays at 6:30PM
Creative Writing for the Author in All of Us is a weekly offering for everyone with a story to tell. Whether you are writing a novel, short narrative, screenplay, stage play, or poem, if words are your oxygen, this is the class for you. Under the instruction of author/journalist Donna Carbone, the class utilizes a supportive "think tank" structure. Each week writers present their work, which is read and shared with the class. Critiques--both positive and negative--are offered as a means of moving a story from conception to completion. The class meets Thursday evenings at 6:30PM in the Lake Park Commission Chambers. Cost: $25/week. Call (561) 743-9955 to RSVP

TELEPROMPTER: A TOOL for the BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL
Call (561) 743-9955 for date/time/info
Two hour, one-on-one course. Our teleprompter proficiency course provides an opportunity to learn and grow comfortable with one of the most helpful tools used by business professionals. For the corporate executive, knowing how to use a teleprompter can enhance presentation skills and speed the climb up the ladder of success. Even those who have already successfully faced an audience will gain greater confidence from mastering this skill. Taught by Patty Serrano--owner of Little Panther Prompting--who has more than twenty years experience in film and television. Call (561) 743-9955 for date/time/info

Please note: prior registration and RSVP are required for all classes, seminars, and workshops--as some have limited enrollment. Class times/locations subject to change. For information and registration, please contact Donna Carbone at (561) 743-9955 or email info@burtreynoldsinstitute.org to RSVP now.

Burt Reynolds Institute classes and seminars are held at Lake Park Town Hall (Mirror Ballroom), 535 Park Avenue, Lake Park, FL 33403. Please note, this is not the mailing address. The mailing address is: PO Box 264, Jupiter, FL 33458

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BURT REYNOLDS INSTITUTE ACTORS NEEDED FOR STAGED READINGS

Creative Writing for the Author in All of Us students have been enjoying the talents of the Burt Reynolds Institute actors during the twice-a-month staged readings. Scripts under development are presented in staged reading format so that writers can hear how their words will sound when delivered on film. This allows for questions and feedback from the actors which benefit the writers during the editing process. Both actors and writers have been enjoying their time together and have gained a new respect for the effort it takes to bring a script from conception to completion. Actors wishing to participate in these readings should contact Donna at info@burtreynoldsinstitute.org or by calling (561) 743-9955.

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Fundamentals of Acting student Mitch Price was cast as one of the parents in Things My Mother Taught Me, being performed at the Barn Theatre in Stuart September 26 through October 12. The first week’s show nights are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For weeks two and three, it will be Thursday through Sunday. Visit www.barn-theatre.com for more info.

Adela Del Rio has been cast in Pigs Do Fly Productions upcoming show Fifty + It's An Attitude directed by Beverly Blanchette and Marj O'Neill-Butler. Show opens at the Empire Stage, Ft. Lauderdale, September 11-21, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8PM, Sunday at 5PM.

Beverly Blanchette booked the role of 'Mrs. Highlander' in After Midnight, which will be shot in Delray Beach by Brave Man Productions and directed by Damian Fitzsimmons.

Pete Marzilli's screenplay, Lapse, made the semi-finals of the LA-based screenwriting contest, Scriptapalooza (his script made the top 100 scripts out of 3100!). Kudos to Pete, also, for recently booking a role on the untitled KZK series being shot in the Keys.

Jane Rumbaua plays the role of 'Johnny's Doctor' in the upcoming reboot of The Fantastic Four, produced by 20th Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment. The film was shot in Louisiana and it is scheduled to be released June 19, 2015.

Taylor Blackwell can be seen in the upcoming film, Dolphin Tale 2 (as 'Susie') and in the webseries Tweet--The Series (as 'Fallon Ward'). Watch the first episode of Tweet (which launches September 1) by visiting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tzrULdEJBY

Are you a current or former student of the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film & Theatre or the Burt Reynolds Institute for Theatre Training? If so, we would love to hear from you! Simply write a one to two paragraph blurb and drop us an email at BRIFTmultimedia@gmail.com before the 25th of each month (subject line: "In The Spotlight") and let us know what projects you are working on or have completed. PLEASE, NO EXTRA WORK!

SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE THE 25TH OF EACH MONTH--no exceptions. We look forward to hearing about--and celebrating--your success!

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Douglas Rill ... Chairman of the Board of Directors
Todd Vittum ... Executive Director
Donna Carbone ... Managing Director/Writer
Amy Schulz ... Editor/Multimedia Coordinator

For more information about classes, events, etc, visit our website at https://www.burtreynoldsinstitute.org.

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The Burt Reynolds Institute for Film & Theatre is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to educating and involving the community and artists in all aspects of film, television, theater, live performances, film festivals, and exhibitions, as well as preserving Mr. Reynolds' memorabilia and the history of the film industry.

Burt Reynolds Institute for Film & Theatre
PO Box 264
Jupiter, FL 33458
(561) 743-9955 | info@burtreynoldsinstitute.org