AFTER THE STORM

Peabody Award-winning Director Hilla Medalia Focuses Her Lens on Youth Theater that Heals in Post-Katrina New Orleans
Creative Team includes Oscar- and Tony Award-winners James Lecesne, Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, Broadway Veteran Gerry McIntyre

Trailer Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJQNFzUwZAo

Los Angeles, CA – Hilla Medalia, Peabody Award-winning director of To Die In Jerusalem, will premiere her latest documentary, AFTER THE STORM, at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 21. The feature-length film chronicles the journey of a group of teens in post-Katrina New Orleans as they rehearse for and perform in a production of the award-winning musical “Once On This Island”, under the guidance and direction of several Broadway veterans.

Shot mostly in and around New Orleans’ storm-damaged Treme district, the documentary also follows the young artists as they later travel to New York City for a sold-out off Broadway performance of their show. Interspersed among the scenes of the auditions, rehearsals and challenges to the production are glimpses into the harsh daily lives of the individual teen performers, all of whom have been displaced from their homes and in some instances, from their families.

The genesis of the project was a simple desire on the part of a few theatre professionals to personally respond to the largest natural disaster in U.S. history – to make a difference in the face of tragedy, and to do so using the skills at their disposal. Academy Award®-winning writer James Lecesne (“Trevor”) summoned his friends, Broadway choreographer Gerry McIntyre and New York University musical director Randy Redd, to join his efforts to help heal a shattered community via the arts. “Once On This Island” was selected as the production because its theme of devastation and displacement, as well as that of the singular power of storytelling to heal one’s soul, so closely parallels the experience of the those left in Katrina’s wake.

AFTER THE STORM was executive produced by Lecesne and by John and Ed Priddy, (51 Birch Street) who previously collaborated with Medalia in producing To Die In Jerusalem and 39 Pounds of Love, and was produced by Medalia, Lecesne and the Priddys. Bob Eisenhardt, A.C.E. (Valentino: The Last Emperor; Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing) edited the film. Composer Stephen Flaherty, who together with writer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens, has created multi-award winning productions including “Once On This Island”, “Ragtime” and “Seussical”, composed the original score for AFTER THE STORM.

Sunday, June 21, 4:30 pm
Mann Festival Theater
10887 Lindbrook Drive, Los Angeles

Thursday, June 25, 7:00 pm
Regent Theater
1045 Broxton Avenue, Los Angeles

Full press kit available at http://rmhmedia.net/ATS_PressKit.pdf

For more information, please visit the website at www.afterthestormfoundation.org

Contact: Rita Hollingsworth/RMH Media
(323) 934-9248 or rita@rmhmedia.net