The Baristas: Now Starring Elvis!

Pittsburgh Penguins: Inside the Igloo - Back CoverIf you’re a hockey fan, you’ve probably heard Pittsburgh Penguins announcer Mike Lange announce “Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building!” after a Pens win.

And you may also have noticed someone dressed as Elvis refusing to leave the building… er, the old Mellon Arena… and becoming a cult celebrity among the Pittsburgh Penguin faithful.

It turns out “Elvis” in this case is actually actor Will McMahon… who also happens to star as Ben on The Baristas!

Here’s video from Elvis’s triumphant return at the 2011 Winter Classic, when the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals:

Look for Elvis… er, Will… as “Ben” when The Baristas launches on January 31st!

5 Tips on Casting for Skill, Sustainability and Sanity

Whether you’re producing a web series, a stage play, a movie or a bootstrapped startup, the most important decision you’ll ever make is this:

“Whom should I surround myself with?”

During production, your cast becomes your family. You’ll love them, you’ll hate them, you’ll argue with them and you’ll be forever in their debt — and, by the time you’re done, they’ll all feel the same way about you.

Since August, I’ve been producing The Baristas for a January 2011 release. And while a handful of actors are crossing over from their 6-year run on Something to Be Desired, the vast majority of the faces I’ve surrounded myself with are brand new. In essence, I’ve known some of these people for less than a week and I’ve already entrusted them with the future of both my creation and your viewing pleasure.

Am I crazy?

No. I just have gut instincts, common sense, and the unsettling ability to divorce myself emotionally from whatever’s in front of me at the time.

Here are 5 tips on how I used those traits to assemble a cast I believe in*.

Continue reading 5 Tips on Casting for Skill, Sustainability and Sanity