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An Official Internet Publication of SHADOWGRAM -
The Official "Dark Shadows" Published Newsletters

Posted through the ShadowGram YahooGroup address: http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/ShadowGram/

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Number 221. August 2, 2010

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Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,

ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following breaking news in this Online News Update "bulletin."

--- REPORT on the July 16-18
DS FESTIVAL SHADOWS IN THE SUN DS CAST REUNION / FAN CONVENTION

*** REPORTING: SHADOWS IN THE SUN: 2010 DARK SHADOWS CONVENTION
Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
Burbank (Los Angeles/Hollywood), CA
July 16-18

NOTE: Photos and more details will be in SG #119, the next published ShadowGram Newsletter.

The convention drew over 1,000 DS fans of all ages from across the country, Canada, and England, plus 14 actors and production personnel from the original daytime series.

Appearing in person: Jonathan Frid, David Selby, Lara Parker, John Karlen, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Jerry Lacy, Marie Wallace, Kathleen Cody, James Storm, Lisa Richards, Roger Davis, Chris Pennock, Robert Cobert, and Sy Tomashoff.

Festivities began Friday afternoon, July 16, with a special matinee screening of the 1970 feature film "House Of DS" (HODS) at the historic Vista Theatre in the nearby Los Feliz area.

In a brief ceremony before the screening, Jonathan Frid (HODS star) placed his handprint in a slab of wet cement in the Vista`s outside forecourt. Then the standing-room-only audience of 400+ entered the theatre for the movie.

The Vista (opened in 1923) was the location for 3 previous DS celebrations: the 40th anniversaries of HODS (2000) and "Night of DS" (2001), and the DS 40th Anniversary Halloween Party (2006). On those occasions, a number of Jonathan's DS colleagues also had put their hand/foot prints and signatures in cement across the theatre's open forecourt.

Friday at 6pm, Fest activities began at the Marriott Convention Center. The Marketplace area offered countless DS (and other) items including photos, books, MPI's merchandise, the Big Finish audiodramas, the new figures, ShadowGram issues, DS magnets, keychains, jewelry, collectibles, and much more. Most of the DS guests were at their own tables during the weekend to meet the fans. Two tables held Jonathan's personal items for silent auction bids: newspaper interviews, program books, performance posters, and more. Fans with the winning bids had a special opportunity Sun. evening to have the items autographed, greet, and take a picture with Jonathan.

Friday's onstage highlights were a trio of DS Recollections with, respectively, Kathryn and Marie; Kathleen and Jerry; and Lara and John. Each pair reviewed vintage DS clips and answered audience questions, followed by autographs.

Saturday, July 17, featured onstage appearances by scenic designer Sy and music composer Robert, who also autographed the brand-new CD release of his 1991 DS primetime TV series soundtrack music. John, Kathryn, and biographer R. J. Jamison presented a moving video tribute to the late Grayson Hall's career and reminisced about her days on DS. David spoke about the start of his television career on DS. He also discussed the show's historical context, connecting to the social and political changes taking place in the late 1960s and early `70s, as featured in his new book, "My Shadowed Past".

Jonathan then came onstage to offer a selection of 10 favorite clips from DS, as voted by fans online via his official website. He examined and observed the characters and each scene's relevance to the development of Barnabas' persona.

Jonathan was joined onstage with his acting colleagues for one of the most powerful cast reunions in the 27-year history of the DS Festivals. The stars answered fan questions, reminisced, and talked about their careers and projects. Soon after, the traditional for-fun Fan Costume/Presentation Gala saw 20+ participants step onstage to share their creative interpretations of DS characters, costumes, and more.

All work done by the Fest staff is volunteer and fans are invited by Volunteer Coordinator Nina Johnson to volunteer their time during the weekend to help in various ways. Later Saturday evening about 2 dozen staff members and volunteers joined Lara, John, Kathryn, Kathleen, and Marie for a special private "thank-you" party.

Sunday brought special live performances: Chris read from his new comic book, then Jim played guitar and entertained everybody with his country western-themed songs. Next David and Lisa presented a dramatic scene from "Summer and Smoke." Jonathan then returned to the stage and gave a strong reading of a scene from Shakespeare's "Richard III." The final event was the closing banquet dinner, enjoyed by approximately 500 fans. Participating onstage were Kathleen, Roger, and Lisa.

As a Fest staff member myself, I thank everyone who was involved: Our DS guests and their companions, my fellow staff members, the volunteers, and you, the fans of all ages, who joined us for a few hours-a day-2 days-the entire weekend. Special thanks to Lance and the Vista staff as well as the welcoming, attentive, and cooperative hotel personnel with whom I worked before, during, and after the Fest.

*** SG NOTE: As of this time, we have not yet set specific plans for the next Fest. I will premiere-announce details as we confirm them in these SG Updates to the SG Yahoogroup. I also will expand on the brief Updates in upcoming published SG newsletters.

Marcy Robin

ShadowGram1@yahoo.com

www.ShadowGram.com

Scott Ian Barry's book on Lyndhurst and other Castles of New York will be available in August.

Preview:  http://scottianbarry.com/Castles/Castles.html

FRIDAY

The Shadow Zone

I wouldn't have missed the sole Collinsport Players skit of the weekend (the reprise of "Golden Shadows" was canceled due to employment obligations, sigh).  It was a DS/Twilight Zone crossover penned by our ProfStokes, who made a superb Vicki Winters struggling to think happy thoughts.  I'd heard they were doing it without microphones so I was thrilled to learn that ProfStokes can really project!  Enjoyed the sprinkling of Lost In Space references too.

It also starred Kyle Baric as David-channeling-Billy-Mumy, Jonathan Harrison as Roger, our VictoriaWinters-- can I say that I LOVED her Carolyn?!, and Jeff Black with another astonishing Rod Serling impersonation.

The Fest videographer posted it in two parts:  Part 1 and Part 2

Kathryn Leigh Scott and Marie Wallace

KLS and Marie were asked to speak about their latest projects.  Marie talked briefly about her theater groups and KLS began talking and talking... a few highlights were that her "The Star and the Stalker" will be a feature documentary, her DS Companion has been remastered as a 3-CD package, her husband Jeff will take part in a UCLA study program for his movement disorder (God bless him, though I found myself wishing I was in the bar with him).  We saw a clip of Maggie and Joe at the Blue Whale while he was under the powers of a certain blonde, and KLS shared that she did some of her best work while on that particular set, and she said Joel Crothers was like an older brother to her.  We also learned that HAA was a close friend of her husband's in college, and that his nickname was "Bud"!!  Next, we saw a clip of Megan biting Sky Rumson, and she commented that it was fun to work with Don Briscoe as well as Joel.  A fan set her straight about the actor in the clip, and she responded, "Who is Geoff Scott?!"  lol  Then came the KLS story about the fake fingernails, yawn, followed by Marie saying she wished she still had her fangs, and she offered an amusing word of advice:  "Don't use permanent glue."  Then, a clip with Josette and the apparition of herself in those fangs, and KLS said that the Widows Hill set was 3 sq. ft. ("so easy to fall off the thing").  During the course of any Fest, a fan will invariably ask during a Q&A about the specifics of a scene, so we got that out of the way early with a fan asking about ep 250, prompting KLS to ask if he was sure it wasn't 251.  (It became painfully obvious that the fan didn't get the joke.)  Anyway, she explained that she didn't have a TV during most of her run on the show, so what she watched was the completed eps that aired in the studio while she was there.

A fan asked about the inspiration for Crazy Jenny.  Marie:  "My life."  The next clip was Peter and Eve.  Question:  Did any of you have a crush on Frid?  Answer:  Absolutely.  KLS:  He was "such a huggy bunny."  Marie mentioned living with him at the Governor's mansion while performing in "Lion in Winter."  The usual question from KLS about how many have never been to a Fest before prompted about 50% of the audience to raise hands.  She told us that they originally intended to use a dummy instead of doing her Josette scene with the SFX and makeup and fan.  She also went into her Joan Bennett story on the set of HoDS, but ended it a bit differently ("Aren't you Joan Bennett?"  "I was.").

Marie said she'd never played a crazy person before, but she said she didn't play it crazy and it just came out that way. Clip:  Rachel attacked in the tower room by Jenny, and KLS commented that she thought they hadn't shared a scene, which begged the question did a standin play Jenny?  (We didn't see her face.)  Fan Michael Culhane did a few darn good Nicholas impressions into the mike ("Do not go near Julia Hoffman again," "Eve, do my bidding," "You must convince Adam you love him," etc.) and asked if he can call HAA "Bud" now.  KLS said that HAA took on the role of acting coach and gave out tips.  She added that being around the wonderful actors on DS made you "just rise to the game."

Kathy Cody and Jerry Lacy

I described Kathy's talk already in another thread, but I'll add that she said she was upset she had to miss the 2005 Fest because of gall bladder surgery.  Also, we saw clips with Grayson as they discussed the secret of Melanie's mother.  And Jerry Lacy said he just recently finished something called "Super Shark"; gosh, I hope I heard that wrong.  I think the first JL clip was Reverend Trask's dream sent by Barnabas to get him to the Old House to meet his fate.  Both actors mentioned knowing Clarice Blackburn before DS.  Jerry said he didn't remember specifics from his scenes, and for help he occasionally turned to Charles Ellis in the audience.  Then a clip of the possessed children attempting to summon a ghost that turned out to be Kate Jackson (who started on DS at the same time Kathy did).  Next, a clip with Jerry opposite faux Carolyn.  Jerry said he hadn't seen Robert Rodan (who was not at the Fest this year) in a while, but after seeing Adam smack him in that scene, added, "I owe him one."  About Rev. Trask, Jerry said, "He was only doing what he thought was right."  Next, a clip of Gregory locked in the West Wing who is told to look in the desk.  Jerry:  "Written out once again."

And that's all I can tell you about Friday's events in the auditorium because I left at the end of their talk.  But by this point, I was already suspecting that the turnout was small.  The ballroom felt crowded, but that may be because the chairs were arranged so that it was difficult passing other fans in the outside aisles.  I heard that 1000 tickets were sold in advance, but how does that explain that I didn't register until the final day for mail-in registrations and received a receipt numbered 413?  I also heard that there were 2000 fans including the walk-ins, but I'm guessing that it was more like the low 1000s and that's my final answer.