August 13, 2009

Vol. 39 - No. 50

by Carley DrydenBraden Plagge just wants to be on TV.Since age 6, he begged his parents for act-

ing lessons.But Kathy Plagge wouldn’t cave. She, like

most who live in the South Bay, has friendswho dabble in the acting business.

“It didn’t seem like a very positive envi-ronment for a child,” she said. “It didn’t feellike the healthiest thing for him.”

But for his 12th birthday in May, Bradenhad one request — to act.

His reasoning is simple.“I just see people on TV and I kinda just

wanna be like them,” he said.His understanding of showbiz is deeper,

now, thanks in large part to the two sepa-rate weeks he spent at a Manhattan Beachprofessional acting camp.

“It’s actually harder than you think,” hesaid. “Actors on TV have to memorize 50pages for a movie. If you think about it, it’sjust really hard.”

At Hollywood Jumpstart’s summercamp, kids and teens participate in scenestudies, on-camera acting, monologuepreparation, resume creation and improvi-sation, and take modeling and filmmakingclasses. They have their headshots takenand work permits processed, ensuring

they’re fully prepared for casting calls andauditions. At the conclusion of the week,they act in a YouTube film and perform ina showcase for top Hollywood agents.

After a recent teen week showcase, a groupof aspiring ingénues gathers around, laughinggiddily and clamoring for attention as theyeach attempt to describe their ambitions.

“I will do anything with a camera,” SophiaHeflan, 13, says when asked what genre sheprefers. “Not like a theater.”

That week, some of the campers visitedthe set of the new hit teen show, “90210.”

The show’s director told the group toexpect 13-hour days, five days a week,Natalie Barghash, 14, said.

But it’s hard to dissuade a group ofbright-eyed girls.

The girls grab each other’s arms in excite-ment and giggle in unison when asked whatactors they would love to work with.

“Um, Taylor Lautner and Shia LaBeouf,”one says.

“Robert Pattinson,” Heflan says, empha-sizing each syllable of the “Twilight” star’s

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Hanging it up

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Reaching for Glory

14Old Venice Returns

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Sexy SufiSound

35Branded

Future of parking

The school dollar

PHOTO BY PATRICK FALLON

Lexie Freund, 10, receives instruction from Hollywood Jumpstart camp counselor Cory Madsen as he shoots a short film for YouTube. HollywoodJumpstart is a week long summer acting camp that prepares children and teens for futures as professional actors.

STAGETAKING THE

Acting camp turns youngsters into stars

August 13, 2009 EASY READER 25

name as if that of a hallowed saint. While the camp is the first taste of

the business for some campers, othersare Hollywood Jumpstart sophomoreswho have already graced local stages.

Alec Johnson has performed in fivemusical theater shows, including the titlerole in the Belasco Theater Company’smusical “The Wiz” at the Hermosa BeachPlayhouse this summer.

“Acting’s just my thing,” saysJohnson, after his second HollywoodJumpstart showcase. “It’s fun to be adifferent person. And I love singing,it’s my passion.”

While many acting camps boast a pro-gram fit for those, like Johnson, whosepassion is in a theater or sound stage,Hollywood Jumpstart is rare in bringingHollywood agents known for bookingsome of today’s top young talent.

Every week, at least two or threecampers get callbacks and in a recentweek, nearly half of the 20 studentswere called by agents for a screen test,said camp founder Jill De Forest.

One camper won the first part heauditioned for after the camp, she said.

“Many of these kids get represented bythese agents and get paid jobs,” she said.

Talent agent Shawn Brogan, whoowns The Brogan Agency in Venice,said De Forest’s camp is her favoriteplace to find new talent.

“I know they’ll be properly trainedand ready to go on auditions,” Brogansaid. “They’re camera ready whenthey leave [camp].”

While agents can’t expect kids tohave a lot of experience, training isimportant, she said.

“They have to know what to do at anaudition,” she said.

For most auditions, kids are givenpages from the script in advance andmust arrive at the audition prepared toact out the scenes.

“They need to be able to deliver,”Brogan said. “If they’re not ready forcasting, they’re not ready for us.Hollywood Jumpstart gets them ready.”

Pitching a campDe Forest, a Manhattan Beach resi-

dent, was raising three children allinvolved in acting who had a motherwith no knowledge of the business.

“I got headshots for my kids andspent $1,000 on two kids. I found outI couldn’t use them at all because mydaughter had on eyeliner,” she said.“No one knew it wasn’t okay.”

De Forest realized the area needed aone-stop shop for parents to learn thedetailed steps for getting their childreninto professional acting. So the executiverecruiter for the toy and entertainmentindustry constructed a resource list,interviewing headshot photographers,acting class directors and acting coaches.

In 2005 she created a one-day work-shop at her offices at Raleigh Studios inManhattan Beach. She invited talentagents, managers, casting directors andproducers to discuss their role in thebusiness and answer the parents’ ques-tions. A photographer took headshots ofthe kids and De Forest presented one toeach of the agents at the end of the day.

The workshop was a hit, but parentsstill wanted De Forest to take theirkids and get them 100 percent pre-pared for an audition, she said.

“I had told them all the steps but theydidn’t have time pursue it,” she said.

So three years ago, De Forest devel-oped a pilot summer camp program.That week’s success prompted a sec-ond camp the week after. This sum-mer, De Forest has been overbookedfor her seven sessions, so she expand-ed her space and her staff. Most of thecamp counselors are Mira Costa HighSchool graduates home for the sum-mer from prestigious colleges, mostlyin New York City, where theiremphases are drama, photography andimprovisation, De Forest said.

Self-taught video editor Cory Madsenjoined Hollywood Jumpstart for the sec-ond time this summer as a camp coun-selor. The 25-year-old Wisconsin nativeshoots the campers for the YouTube filmthroughout the week and uses his pro-fessional improv experience to help thecampers not only learn to be on stage,but make a scene alive and full, he said.

“What the kids lack in experience theymake up for in drive,” Madsen said.“…The amount they pull from what wegive them in five days is astonishing.”

The camp’s team also includes actorMichael Beahm, the former artisticdirector of the youth drama programfor the city of El Segundo, and WalterPridgen, the on-set acting coach forseveral TV shows including “That’s SoRaven” and “All of Us.” His young stu-dents have starred in the feature films“Role Models,” “Twilight,” and “SwingVote,” and the TV shows, “HannahMontana,” “ER” and “CSI Miami.”

‘Be yourself’De Forest’s own children have fallen

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Molly Dvorkinand Erik Wilbergact out a sceneduring their weekat HollywoodJumpstart’s summer actingcamp. PHOTO BYPATRICKFALLON

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26 EASY READER August 13, 2009

off the acting bandwagon. Her oldestson, Dane, 20, had triggered the fami-ly’s acting bug after he saw a musical asa child and fell in love. He made hisway through musical theater inTorrance, eventually playing the lead in“Oliver.” So De Forest hired an agentand bought Dane acting lessons. Helanded a dancing, acting and speakingrole in the 2000 Disney movie,“Geppetto” starring Drew Carey, JuliaLouis-Dreyfus and Usher. Shortly after,he quit acting and dove into music.Now he’s a musician in a band.

De Forest’s daughter, Lexi, 19, alsotried out the musical theater thing,nabbing a role in Rodgers &Hammerstein’s “Carousel” at theRedondo Performing Arts Center. Sheeventually appeared in a horror film,but realized acting was just for fun,not a passion, and didn’t pursue it.

“Kids get burned out,” De Forestsaid. “There are a lot of auditions andit takes time away from friends.”

That’s why De Forest tailors the campto the kids’ interest because some don’twant to act professionally, she said.

“Some parents do it to help theirkids’ self esteem, poise and confi-dence. And improv helps them get outof awkward situations throughhumor,” De Forest said.

Many of the campers join their highschool’s improv team — which is likea real sport with teams, matches andreferees, she said — and eventually gointo professional improv.

Hollywood Jumpstart is one of theonly camps that teens actually like togo to, she said.

“Most teens feel like they’re too oldor too cool for camp,” she said. “Theteens that come to HollywoodJumpstart love it because they’re with

kids who all like to be involved withacting. They just like to be aroundthose types of kids.”

Sasha Taylor, 12, admitted at first, hethought the camp would be boring.

“But it’s a whole lot of fun. It givesyou a chance to be creative and beyourself,” he said. “No matter what youdo, people accept you for who you are.”

His brother, Max, 10, said aside frommaking new friends, the camp gave himcourage and all around better skills.

Tonya Barghash said while herdaughter, Natalie, had a natural inter-est in acting, she needed something toboost her confidence.

“The camp gave the kids a chance totake risks and try new things,” she said.

Seeing starsDe Forest currently offers tele-

classes for parents on topics such as:when do you need a manager, howto get an agent, what is a scam andhow to avoid them, and should youhome school.

By next summer, she plans to holdHollywood Jumpstart’s first overnightcamp at the Renaissance HollywoodHotel. The week will include visits toUniversal Studios, Pantages and Kodaktheaters and tours of movie stars’ homesto give out-of-state campers the fullHollywood experience, De Forest said.

For some, even this summer wasworth a few-hour flight.

Hannah Neuenschwander flew infrom her small Texas town to participatein the camp. Though she originallycame for the modeling class, she endedup falling in love with acting as well.

Because the camp is based atManhattan Beach’s famed RaleighStudios, the aspiring performers oftenget special treats — like watchingRobert Downey Jr. stroll by.

During the “90210” soundstage visit,the campers talked with the actors and

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Camp counselorsColleenGreenhalgh,Lindsay Kirk and JaredMcCammonengage thecampers inimprov skits andgames as part ofthe HollywoodJumpstartsummer actingcamp.PHOTOS BYPATRICKFALLON

Nicki Luhrs, 12,and BradenPlagge, 12, actout a comedyscene during thesummer actingcamp which theyperformed at anend-of-the-weekshowcase in frontof talent agents.

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August 13, 2009 EASY READER 27

sat behind the director so they couldwatch the scene being filmed.

“You see how much work it is,”Neuenschwander, 17, said.

Though the week-long acting adven-ture comes with a hefty price tag —$600 — many parents signed their kidsup for additional sessions becausetheir campers were so enthralled.

Kathy Plagge said she’s glad the campdoesn’t provide false hope, but insteadgives the kids some perspective.

Plagge tried to warn Braden thatauditioning with 400 kids for a rolemeans there’s a good chance hewon’t get the job.

“He said, ‘Mom, they already talkedabout that,’” she said.

The camp staff prepared the kids forrejection, warning them that audition-ing can be hard on their self-esteemand not to worry if they don’t receivecallbacks, she said.

“I thought it was just going to be act-ing lessons so he can try out for theschool play,” she said. “But [the

campers] get a much better idea ofwhat it’s like. The reality of it is reallygood…I’m even more thrilled that itturned out to be something so positive.”

Since Braden’s showcase, a few agentshave expressed interest. But Plagge tellsher son, “It’s not real until it happens.”

“We’re going to support it as muchas it stays healthy,” she said. “We’renot stage parents. This was his idea.Our interest is always what’s good forhim. If I stopped him from doingsomething he’s expressed a passionfor for six years now, that’s not theright thing either.”

Hollywood Jumpstart has a couplespots available for its last summer sessionAug. 17-21, for kids ages 6-12. For infor-mation call 310-387-5319 or seewww.ho l l ywood jumps ta r t . com .Hollywood Jumpstart will offer year-round acting, modeling and improv class-es beginning in September with talentagent showcases at the end of each eight-week session. ER

that second round loss was it forWozniacki at Carson and the fans got nomore chances to see the blond bomberwho looks like a future number one.

Instead they got to discover her part-ner, Cirstea (pronounced Sir-staya)who in that back-and-forth third setshowed just as much heart and talentand desire as her friend. By the end ofthe week Cirstea was hobbling on asore foot that had her reduced to tearsin her quarterfinal win Friday after-noon over Aggie Radwanska. Butsomehow she won that match and bat-tled right to the end of her closer-than-it-sounds 6-3, 6-2 semifinal loss to theathletic, net-rushing Stosur, a 25-year-old late bloomer looking to make therare transition from doubles championto serious singles contender.

The other notable talent on display, forAmerican fans at least, was CoCoVandeweghe, the 17-year-old SoCal girlwho is the latest in a long line of athlet-ic Vandeweghes, most notably her uncle,UCLA and NBA star Kiki Vandeweghe,and his father, also an NBA star back inthe 1950’s, Dr. Ralph Vandeweghe.

Every year at Carson a few wild cardspots in the main draw are reservedfor American juniors who are thrilledjust to be cannon fodder for the WTAgirls while winning only a game ortwo. But this year one of those wild-cards went to Vandeweghe, whoquickly showed her real potential as aWTA tour player.

First of all she is big at 5-foot-11 —mandatory now for any real success onthe tour — and very athletic. Light onher toes, she is able to move around thecourt gracefully and stop, start andchange direction quickly and smartly.That kind of size and agility is a hard-to-find combination. Beyond that she has abig forehand and a two-handed back-hand that looks much more flexiblethan the typical slap-happy two-handerso common on the tour. Instead she hasa wheel-of-fire backswing that allowsher to drive through the ball flat, brushup for topspin or come under for slicewith equal rhythm, fluidity and dis-guise. And she showed a willingness to

go forward backed up by a raw-but-improving volley and overhead.

All of her weapons were on displayin her first round 6-4, 6-4 win overItalian veteran Tathiana GarbinMonday night in the Stadium. Thecrowd soon picked up on her charismaand cheered her over Garbin, who is adecade older and has every shot in thebook but doesn’t have the talent, sizeor athleticism of Vandeweghe.

She came back to earth in a secondround, straight-sets loss to Pennetta,another veteran a decade older. Butyouth plus talent is an asset on theWTA tour, which has become extreme-ly physically demanding in a way thatChris Evert or Tracy Austin neverdreamed of. Vandeweghe displayed thekind of athleticism, tennis talent andskill development that would justifyskipping college and, with a lot of hardwork, just might make her the nextgreat American player. Certainly thereis no one else on the American horizon.

Champion’s heartAfter her stunning win over

Azarenka, Sharapova talked about howstrange it is at age 22 to find herselftreated like a grizzled veteran trying tofend off the youngsters right behind her.

“Every week these young girls comeout of nowhere and they all hit the ballso hard and so fast,” she said. “I won-der where they all come from.”

Most of them, of course, come fromEastern Europe, part of the Russianrevolution that has transformed thewomen’s side of pro tennis. It didn’tstart with Sharapova — that honorwould have to go to Anna Kournikova,who never won a singles tournamenton the WTA tour but became a celebri-ty anyway. But Sharapova gaveRussian tennis legitimacy when sheshocked the Williams-world of tennisby beating Serena Williams to winWimbledon at age 17 in 2004.

“I wasn’t ready for it,” Sharapovaadmitted Monday night. “My gamewasn’t ready, my mind wasn’tready…but it happened somehow.”

It will happen again, too, somehow.Never underestimate the heart of agreat champion. ER

Tennis!22

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