SCENE 5: When Will invites Walker Lambert to stay overnight, Rae and Marie confront how to appear in the closet while still giving their teenage son the chance to have a “normal” life. With Melissa O’Brien (Rae) and Valarie Perez-Schere (Marie).

Melissa O’Brien and Valarie Perez-Schere in a still from a test shoot of SPARE ROOMS, Scene 5.

We did test shoots for several scenes this weekend with Noah, Valarie, and Melissa — according to Melissa, “I am happy to report that Valarie Perez-Schere is an excellent snuggler.”

Indiewire has just announced its “Sundance Wishlist,” and Ping Pong Summer, which features Maddie Howard (Cass), is one of its 30 picks!

Maddie Howard (second from left) in Indiewire’s Sundance Wishlist pick, “Ping Pong Summer”

Set in 1985 (sound familiar?), Ping Pong Summer, according to lead actress Susan Sarandon, is “The Karate Kid with ping-pong.” We’re super happy for Maddie, and hope to hear good news from Park City!

Skizz Cyzyk is a filmmaker, writer, musician, artist, and film festival careerist, who has held positions at MicroCineFest, Maryland Film Festival, Slamdance, Atlanta Film Festival, Kansas City Film Fest, and many others. His director credits include HIT & STAY, FREAKS IN LOVE, LITTLE CASTLES, plus music videos for Beach House and Young Fresh Fellows.  He serves on the Board of Directors for Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and performs music with Go Pills, The Jennifers, Garage Sale, Half Japanese and Mink Stole & Her Wonderful Band.

Valarie Perez-Schere, Noah Chiet, and Melissa O’Brien … and a whole lotta’ Pez.

Of course the first rehearsal for Spare Rooms would involve breakfast, cross-dressers, and Pez dispensers. A great start!

Congratulations to Spare Rooms producer Joe Tropea and our AC Skizz Cyzyk — they won the Audience Award at this year’s Minneapolis Underground Film Festival for their feature-length documentary, Hit & Stay!

 I couldn’t help but be moved by the resiliency documented in this Al Jazeera article on chartered buses for Illinois and Missouri same-sex couples looking to marry … in Iowa.

“Even if the couple from Granite City, Ill., an eastern suburb of St. Louis, went to a state that gave marriage licenses to same-sex couples, it would be little more than scrap paper in Illinois or Missouri.

“Every time a state would pass (same-sex marriage), our friends would go, ‘OK, you can go to Canada. Go over here. Go there. They have it,” Davis said. “We said, ‘You don’t understand. We still have to come back here.’”

Excited to announce we’ve found our cast for SPARE ROOMS! Find out more about Noah, Mitch, Valarie, Melissa, and Maddie …