The Burt Reynolds Institute Monthly Newsletter

JULY 2015

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

Dear Friends,

On Friday afternoon, June 5, Burt Reynolds graced a photo shoot in which he proved he was still the “Man” and that nothing and nobody can ever take his place. Standing beside a beautifully restored 1979 Trans Am and surrounded by fans and friends, he appeared timeless as is the appeal of the car he made famous.

Through the courtesy of Dream Giveaways’ Mark Breiner and Patrick Meehan, The Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre will launch a building fund sweepstakes beginning in September. One lucky fan will drive away in this car while wearing a Stetson hat custom made for this event. Both car and hat have been signed by Mr. Reynolds. Many fans have fantasized about being The Bandit and now someone will be able to live out that dream...at least, while cruising down the highway.

On behalf of everyone at the Institute, I want to officially welcome our new Director of Promotions and Building Committee Co-Chair, Gene Kennedy. Gene (pictured to the left with Mr. Reynolds) is a devoted Burt Reynolds fan and has worked tirelessly this past year to guarantee the fulfillment of the dream that is the new Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre. Without his dedicated efforts, the sweepstakes would not be possible. If you are a car buff and attend any of the many weekly car shows in south Florida, look for his trailer stenciled with the Burt Reynolds Institute logo and information on the sweepstakes. Make sure you stop and say “hello.” Ask Gene about the limited edition promotional items he will have available for sale. You are going to love them!

In the next few weeks, we will be releasing details on the sweepstakes and a link to a dedicated website. Please make sure to check our website and Facebook page regularly for details. You don’t want to miss out on this amazing opportunity!

Please read the article soon to be published in Smoke Signals Magazine for a history of the Trans Am and its lasting value as an investment in the future. You’ll find it further along in this newsletter.

Pat Meehan, Burt Reynolds, Mark Breiner and the editor of Pontiac Performance Magazine, Christopher Phillips
(photo: Aaron Wells)

Recently, due to construction issues, our Fundamentals of Acting class went on the road. Two Sunday sessions were held at Rosarian Academy, the weekday home of our FOA instructor, Sherman Roberts. Sherman was kind enough to allow us to use his teaching space at the Academy and Sister Judy, Rosarian’s principal, welcomed us with open arms. We want to thank Sister Judy for the opportunity to experience arts and culture in such a beautiful location. Our students seemed to thrive in the intimate space that brought the audience to their feet in applause and enthusiasm.

On behalf of Mr. Reynolds, our staff, and students, I would like to congratulate Institute Chair Emeritus Suzanne Niedland, who was appointed by Governor Rick Scott, to the Florida Film and Entertainment Advisory Council. The Council serves as an advisory body to the Department of Economic Opportunity and the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment.

Don’t forget... you can pre-order Burt Reynolds’ new memoir, “But Enough About Me,” through Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/But-Enough-About-Burt-Reynolds/dp/0399173544. The book hits bookstores worldwide in November.

Have a wonderful summer and a safe and Happy 4 of July.

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

MASTER ACTING CLASS with Burt Reynolds
By invitation only. Students must complete a required number of Fundamentals of Acting classes and reach a certain level of expertise. For inquiries, please call Donna Carbone at info@burtreynoldsinstitute.org or call 561-743-9955

FUNDAMENTALS of ACTING for ADULTS with Sherman Roberts
Sundays at 1PM Fundamentals of Acting continues to fill the Mirror Ballroom with actors at every level of expertise. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate performer or experienced actor, Fundamentals will allow you to hone your craft in a welcoming and nurturing atmosphere. This is a scene study class in which students are given the opportunity to perform a ten minute scene on stage each week followed by redirect from the instructor, Sherman Roberts. 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 dialogue 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.

IMPROVISATION PLUS with Todd Vittum
Thursdays at 7:30PM Improvisation Plus, taught by master improvisational artist Todd Vittum, offers budding and experienced comedians an opportunity to hone 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. The class meets on Thursday evenings at 7:30PM in the Mirror Ballroom. Cost: $25/week.

SIDE-BY-SIDE (IMPROV) with Todd Vittum
~~Saturdays at 10AM~~ (class on hold until further notice) Todd Vittum teaches the ever popular Side-By-Side, a weekly improvisation class in which adults and children tickle each other’s funny bones by saying and doing the unexpected. This unique offering teaches adults and youngsters to work together on stage and in life. The class meets on Saturday mornings at 10AM in the Mirror Ballroom. Cost: $25/adults, $15/kids.

CREATIVE WRITING for the AUTHOR in ALL of US with Donna Carbone
Tuesdays 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 are offered as a means of moving a story from conception to completion. The class meets on Tuesday evenings at 6:30PM in the Commission Chambers. Cost: $25/week. Limit: 10 students.

SCENE STUDY and CHARACTER ANALYSIS with Todd Vittum
Mondays at 7PM (except for the first Monday of each month) Todd Vittum teaches an advanced class in scene study and character analysis, which includes intermediate and advanced acting techniques. The class will be offered three Monday evenings a month beginning April 20. Please note that there will NOT be a class on the first Monday of each month. There WILL BE classes on the second, third, and fourth Mondays of each month. The off week will give students an opportunity to perfect whatever scene or monologue they are working on for presentation in class. The cost of class is $25/week--checks or cash only. RSVP: 561-743-9955 or email info@burtreynoldsinstitute.org For the moment, the class will be held in the Lake Park Commission Chambers, Lake Park Town Hall, 535 Park Avenue, Lake Park, FL 33403 Students are required to bring their own scenes and should provide three copies--one for the student, one for the scene partner, and one for the instructor. Learning to choose material that is right for you is part of your training. If you have any questions, the instructor will be able to help you decide on the proper material. A 2-3 minute monologue is required for the first class. This class will allow actors to hone their acting skills while providing an opportunity to study scene structure and character development. Scene study is the foundation of all performance and is instrumental if actors are to develop an emotional connection to the character they are portraying. Scene study is also used to teach the vocabulary of acting and how to respond to a director’s instructions. Character analysis helps an actor to understand the role they are playing. To be successful, an actor must replace their personality with that of the character being portrayed. However, it is still necessary for an actor to allow their natural emotional response to a situation to show through at appropriate times. The ability to blend the real and the imagined creates a more stable and dynamic character.

TELEPROMPTER for the ACTING PROFESSIONAL with Patty Serrano (email for dates/times)
Anyone wishing to sign up for this class should contact Donna immediately at briftfinancedirector@comcast.net or call 561-743-9955. Class size is limited. Be prepared to laugh and learn. Improv-a-Prompter is a six (6) week course taught by Patty Serrano. Learn how to be the perfect pitch person/spokesperson using professional techniques and insider secrets. Become a pro at cold reads, walk and talk, working with a partner, making boring products interesting, working the camera, allowing your body to talk for you and maintaining eye contact. Master on set etiquette and learn how to pack a survival bag and why you need one. Students will not only work with prepared scripts, they will have an opportunity to write a 60-second commercial of their own. Sing a jingle! Dance a jig! Find out how to make everything from murder to mayhem to monkey business sound exciting. Look and feel like a pro! Build self confidence so that the unexpected becomes the ordinary. Cost: $150 (payment must be made in full--cash/check/credit card--on first class night).

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

KUDOS TO BURT REYNOLDS INSTITUTE CHAIR EMERITUS SUZANNE NIEDLAND!

Governor Rick Scott appointed Suzanne Niedland to the Florida Film and Entertainment Advisory Council, which serves as an advisory body to the Department of Economic Opportunity and the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment for insight and expertise related to the entertainment industry. Both terms ends August 20, 2018. Niedland, 51, of Jupiter, is the managing director of BusEye Films LLC. She succeeds Frank Patterson.

BANDIT DREAMS COME TRUE
By Christopher R. Phillip (early release: Smoke Signals Magazine)

Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a 1979 Trans Am Special Edition. Bandit Dream Giveaway and the Burt Reynolds Institute of Film & Theatre will make one lucky winner’s dream come true!

If you need proof of the long lasting appeal of Burt Reynolds and his Smokey and The Bandit persona, just consider that 35 years after the man with the mustache secured a place in the history books for the American muscle car, the Trans Am is still bringing in the gold.

In 1978, Pontiac gave Reynolds a Trans Am Special Edition (S/E) as a token of appreciation for helping sales skyrocket. That Y82 “Bandit” sold in December 2014 for $450,000 before buyer’s premium.

The following month, a second Reynolds-owned 1978 Trans Am (not an S/E, interestingly) crossed the block at $90,000.

And that was just the warm up. Three months later, an L80-powered 1977 Trans Am S/E that Reynolds and a friend had recently restored tipped the scales at $170,000.

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to recognize the lasting value of the Trans Am. Nor do you need to be smarter than the average fifth grader to understand that donating $3.00 to a worthwhile charity offering the chance to own a Bandit Trans Am with a link to The Bandit himself might be the luckiest decision of your life.

Smoke Signals was contacted by DG Group, the company that puts together Dream Giveaway promotions, and they gave us the inside story of the Bandit Dream Giveaway. Here’s what we learned:

Just like the big bucks auction house Trans Am S/Es with Burt Reynolds’ tie-ins, the 1979 Trans Am S/E being offered through Dream Giveaway is exactly the kind of car you’d find at Burt’s waterfront casa in Florida. It is a true T-top Y84 car with the WS6 performance package (including, of course, J65 four-wheel disc brakes), power windows and door locks, cruise control, and a custom velour interior. It even rides on Kelsey Tire’s Goodyear Polysteel Radials, with large raised white letters, shod with correct 15x8-inch Snowflake wheels. Loaded? You bet!

Only 50,000 miles have been logged on this beauty since it left the Van Nuys, California, assembly plant back in the day. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean a mint car, but this one shines from a fresh, highly documented restoration. “It’s one of the nicest, if not the nicest 1979 Trans Am S/E cars that Burt has ever sat in,” says Gene Kennedy, Promotions Director of Burt Reynolds Institute of Film and Theatre in Jupiter, Florida.

In fact, Reynolds went out of his way to make a dream come true for the new owner of this 1979 Trans Am S/E by autographing the 6.6 Litre-badged Shaker scoop - which has since been clear coated guaranteeing it will last forever - and the glove box door.

Just so all Smokey and The Bandit fans know how much he appreciates their support of Burt Reynolds Institute of Film and Television, Burt also autographed a brand- new Stetson cowboy hat, which was custom made for the man himself.

Additionally, Reynolds’ signature is splashed across the log book that chronicles this Bandit’s full history since it came off the assembly line, including the original sales-order form, window sticker, both broadcast sheets, and all service and restoration work. Score!

OH, HELLO!

Guess who dropped by the Burt Reynolds Institute recently? Here's a recap:

Actor Randy Gonzalez

Stuntmen Jared DePasquale and Christopher E. Hadley

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.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 7PM, Irwin Solomon, Dave Tomasello and Frank Derrick (piano, bass & drums) will captivate you with their unique presentation of jazz classics from the Great American Songbook! Broadway singer/actress Avery Sommers will perform hits from some of her favorite Broadway shows. Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace $10 for Adults/$5 for Children. Call 866-449-2489 for tickets. Tickets also available at the door. Proceeds go to Kretzer Piano Music Foundation--a 501(c)(3) to benefit music education & local children’s charities.

Amy Hoerler and Alan Myles Heyman recently wrapped the film, Lucas, written/directed by Tommy Demos, story by Ralf Gonzalez. Also co-starring in the film are Todd Bruno and Demitri Vadoulius. Currently in post-production. Film-festival bound upon completion.

Ann Fishman's Marriage Material will be available on Video On Demand in August. The film stars and features many Burt Reynolds Institute actors. You can also find the film on i-Tunes https://t.co/GCo6wGT9Tc and Amazon https://t.co/BG6lS9t8Jt

Cindy Morrison's audio presentation, Object of Desire, was streamed on England's Radio Wildfire, hosted by Dave and Vaughn Reeves with assistant Ali McK. This radio play features Tim Large as 'Martin Brooks' and is based on the trials of an emotional attachment to his secretary who prefers a relationship of a more sedentary nature.

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!