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| One of the photos I took of Dawn Wells in Wichita, Kan. |
"Gilligan's Island Reality Series"
Application. Fun to look at By Sharon Rowen Arkansas City Traveler
#3 Mary Ann hopefuls from Kansas #4 Stephanie Scott from Arkansas City, Kansas #5 and 6 A group of castaway hopefuls #5 and 6 A group of castaway hopefuls #9 and #15 Dawn Wells talking to a candidate #9 and #15 Dawn Wells talking to a candidate #17 Professor, Ginger, and Gilligan hopefuls #24 Llpyd Schwartz talking to the crowd #28 Gilliagn and Mary Ann hopefuls #34 more hopefuls #35 Mary Ann hopeful
People from all over Kansas gathered at Town East Mall in Wichita Saturday to take the first step at becoming a castaway on the TBS reality series, ³The Real Gilligan¹s Island.²
It was the first of five open casting calls scheduled around the country. On hand to greet the hopefuls was Dawn Wells who played Winfield farm girl Mary Ann Summers and Lloyd Schwartz, son of show creator Sherwood Schwartz. Wells said that ³Gilligan¹s Island² is run in 30 languages around the world. ³Everywhere I go someone knows me as Mary Ann,² Wells said. ³I think the shows popularity grows, new generations are coming up, and what¹s so wonderful about this show is it shows seven people trying to get off the island together.²
Wells points out this is a reality show and that the chosen has to figure
out how to get off the island. . ³I think some of the approach has been
unrealistic. It¹s not about playing Mary Ann you have to be Mary Ann you
have to be a skipper that knows how to run a boat, you have to be a movie
star, how would you do that, I guess you would have to be pretty I suppose,²
laughs Wells. ³The Howells are spoiled a little bit so rather than saying
she is and likeable and fun and cute, I could cook and I know how to fish
and sew,² said Wells.
Among the hopefuls was Ark City native Stephanie Scott. Scott, a descendant
of Ark City¹s founding family the Somers, is hoping to be cast as Mary Ann.
³I think it sounds like a lot of fun and I¹m having fun,² said Scott. ³I
want to be Mary Ann because she could do things like cook and she was really
quite. But she could hold her own when she had to.²
Winfield resident Rachel O¹ Bryan was also among the castaway candidates.
Unlike Scott, O¹ Brian hopes to spend time on the island as Ginger Grant,
the movie star.
³I want to be Ginger because she got what she wanted,² said O¹ Bryan.
³I think this would be an opportunity to discover who I am, meet people and
take advantage of an opportunity of a lifetime.²
Casi Jo Graves of Oxford made the trip to Wichita as well. ³ I would like to
play Mary Ann because I can relate to being a farm girl,² said Graves.
Tim Weide of Douglas was one of the few trying for the brainy roll of
Professor Roy Hinkley Jr. ³ I like to build, reorganize things and I have
handy-man skills,² said Weide. ³I can get the others off the island.² Weide
already has two bachelor¹s degrees and is working on a master¹s and lectures
at WSU.
Angie Mooneyham represented Conway Springs. Mooneyham, another Mary Ann
hopeful, echoed the comments of other Mary Ann hopefuls. ³She could cook and
do things.²
KSN¹s morning news anchor Sierra Scott was also in the crowd hoping to be
selected for the part of Eunice Wentworth Howell the wife of millionaire
Thurston Howell III. ³It¹s amazing the people these things bring out,²
commented Scott.
TBS signed the reality series for two years according to Schwartz. ³There
will be a sequel to this one,² he said. ³I think the series will be a hit, I
hope it doesn¹t set a trend for other sitcom reality series though.² ³This
was right for Gilligan.²
Casting calls are also set for Boston, Tampa and Los Angeles. For more
information on the series log onto http://www.gilligansisle.com or
www.turnerinfo.com
Story 2
By Sharon Rowen
Dawn Wells, who portrayed Mary Ann Summers from Winfield on Gilligan¹s
Island, has been keeping busy since finally getting off the island.
Currently she is working to promote the ³The Real Gilligan¹s Island.² A TBS
reality show set to air this fall. ³What¹s so wonderful about this show is
it shows seven people trying to get off the island together,² said Wells.
TBS is holding casting calls around the country and Wells traveled to
Wichita last Saturday to meet some of the castaway hopefuls.
³Were looking for people who fit the mold of the characters,² said Wells.
³Not just look like them, most want to be Mary Ann because she was sweet.²
Wells points out this is a reality show and that the chosen has to figure
out how to get off the island. ³I think some of the approach has been
unrealistic. It¹s not about playing Mary Ann you have to be Mary Ann you
have to be a ³Skipper that knows how to run a boat, you have to be a movie
star, how would you do that, I guess you would have to be pretty I suppose,²
laughs Wells. So rather than saying she is and likeable and fun and cute, I
could cook and I know how to fish and sew,² said Wells.
Wells commented on her first visit to Winfield. ³It was a great event for
me. At the football game they had the S.S. Minnow tip over and out came the
castaways, they baked the largest coconut cream pie, it was just a great
time,² said Wells.In addition to promoting the reality series Wells is the founder of a Film Actors Boot Camp. Located at Teton Wells Ranch in Teton Valley Territory, Driggs Idaho and 35 miles away from Jackson Hole Wyoming, the boot camp gives inspiring actors a place to learn the ins and outs of being a professional actor. The Film Actor¹s Boot Camp (FABC) is a not-for-profit educational organization designed to help the already trained actor make the transition from amateur to professional in film and television. ³It¹s a chance to help the community and create jobs,² said Wells. ³Were also teaching the kids a craft like running a camera or a boom.² In 2002, FABC added classes for filmmakers and crewmembers. Recently, it has adapted its rigorous training regimen for performing songwriters. All of these programs are offered to local students as scholarships to help educate the future leaders of the community in the arts. The Goal of FABC is to raise money from federal, local and private funding as well as events such as SpudFest in order to establish the not-for-profit Spud Film and Music Institute. Spud fest is scheduled for August 3August 7. ³It¹s going to be fun for the whole family,² said Wells. Spud fest helps raise scholarship money and funding for the FABC while giving new and established artist a chance to showcase their work. ³This year we have the Bacon Brothers performing and a ³Raiders of the Lost Ark² adaptation, that is where three boys age 12 started doing a frame by frame of the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, they played all the parts, they did all the work themselves and finished at age 18 so you see them getting older as the film goes on,² explained Wells.
In addition to the Bacon Brothers, Danny Glover, and Adam West are scheduled to be on hand also.
For more information on Spudfest log onto www.spudfest.org.
For more information on FABC log onto dawn-wells.com.
For more information on the reality series log onto http://www.gilligansisle.com or www.turnerinfo.com.
