Staged Reading For Award-Winning ‘Wonder Drug’ Script Award-Winning Director And Actors To Participate

 

Released on: May 24, 2010, 4:20 am
Author: CAITLIN MCCARTHY
Industry: Entertainment

A live staged reading of select scenes from “Wonder Drug,” by award-winning screenwriter Caitlin McCarthy, is set for Tuesday, August 17, 2010, at the Manhattan Theatre Club, 311 West 43rd Street, 8th Floor (between 8th and 9th Avenue), New York, NY. Attendance is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5 p.m. The reading and Q&A period will be 5:30-6:30 p.m., followed by light snacks and beverages.

“Wonder Drug” is a scientific drama about DES (diethylstilbestrol), the world’s first drug disaster. DES is a toxic and carcinogenic synthetic estrogen. It was prescribed to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages and problem pregnancies for decades: from 1938 until 1971 (and in a small number of cases for several years thereafter) in the United States; and until the mid-1980s in parts of Latin America, Europe, Australia, and the Third World.

McCarthy says, “The currently proven effects of DES exposure include a rare vaginal cancer in DES Daughters; greater risk for breast cancer in DES Mothers; possible risk for testicular cancer in DES Sons; abnormal reproductive organs; infertility; high-risk pregnancies; and an increased risk for breast cancer in DES Daughters after age 40. There are a number of other suspected effects, including auto-immune disorders, but many of these effects are still awaiting further research. To this day, not one drug company has ever apologized or accepted responsibility for the DES tragedy. Nevertheless, they have paid millions in out-of-court settlements and verdicts to DES Daughters and Sons who suffered injuries from their exposure.”

Set in Boston, “Wonder Drug” interweaves the lives of a pharmaceutical executive, a feminist doctor and a thirty-something newlywed across different decades. The feature film is currently in development with acclaimed independent director Tom Gilroy (“Spring Forward”) and executive producer Mark Romeo ("Blue Gold: The Story of American Jeans”).

McCarthy has been honored at international film festivals and labs. “Wonder Drug” has won awards, or received nominations, in more than 20 international film festival screenplay competitions and labs, including the prestigious Hamptons Screenwriters Lab as an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation script.

Directing the reading is Tom Gilroy, a New York-based director/writer/producer and actor. Among his writing/directing/producing credits are two award-winning films: “Spring Forward,” (IFC/MGM) starring Liev Schreiber, Ned Beatty and Campbell Scott;
and the short, “Touch Base” (IFC/BRAVO). He is co-founder of the Machine Full theatre company and has appeared in more than 30 films.

The reading will star celebrated married couple David Alan Basche and Alysia Reiner. Basche’s recent roles include “Sex and the City 2,” “United 93” and “The Starter Wife” series; and Reiner’s include “Sideways,” “The Vicious Kind” and “Speed Grieving.”

More information can be found at: www.wonderdrugthemovie.com and www.facebook.com/wonderdrugthemovie.

Additional details on the event, the screenplay and the key personalities follow.


THE SCREENPLAY
“Wonder Drug” is inspired by the true story of DES, a synthetic estrogen seen as a medical miracle to help women with pregnancy issues and a cash cow for pharmaceutical companies upon its creation in 1938. However, the screenplay addresses the issue that by 1971, it had become apparent that there were consequences for taking badly tested, yet FDA approved, drugs like DES, its continued use driven by the pressures of the pharmaceutical industry. The screenplay’s relevance to the present day world is that the public needs to be aware that similar things are happening with drugs today. Additionally, millions of women who have suffered, are suffering and will suffer the effects of DES’s 40 years in the marketplace remain unaware of the source of their suffering and/or their future vulnerabilities. Set in Boston, Massachusetts, “Wonder Drug” interweaves the lives of a Big Pharma executive, feminist doctor, and thirtysomething newlywed across different decades.

CAITLIN McCARTHY, SCREENWRITER
Caitlin McCarthy received her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College, which is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best graduate programs in the country. An award-winning screenwriter at international film festivals and labs, McCarthy has two projects in development: “Wonder Drug,” with acclaimed independent director Tom Gilroy (“Spring Forward”) and executive producer Mark Romeo (“Blue Gold: American Jeans”); and “Resistance,” with director Si Wall (the upcoming “Drinking Chocolate” and “Marbella Nights”). In addition to screenwriting, McCarthy serves as an English teacher at an inner-city public high school. Prior to education, McCarthy worked in public relations, where she fostered relationships with the press and crafted messages for companies that were delivered worldwide.

TOM GILROY, DIRECTOR
Tom Gilroy is a writer/director/producer/actor from New York and has appeared in more than 30 films, having worked with such directors as Ken Loach, Sidney Lumet, Jean-Luc Godard, Jim McKay, Christopher Munch, Paul Auster and multi-media artist Robert Longo. He has written, directed and produced two award winning films – the critically-acclaimed feature “Spring Forward” (IFC/MGM) starring Liev Schreiber, Ned Beatty, and Campbell Scott, and the short “Touch Base” (IFC/BRAVO). With his theatre company Machine Full (co-founded with Lili Taylor and Michael Imperioli), Tom produced over a dozen critically acclaimed productions, most recently “Hamlet,” starring Richard Harris, Jared Harris, and Lili Taylor, and his plays -- most notably “The Invisible Hand” and “Halcyon Days” – have been produced in several US cities and around the world. Tom directed Rosie Perez, Robert Sean Leonard, Natasha Lyonne and Mary Louise Parker in the play “Nine Ten” for the 24 Hour play project, and recently completed his short “Mr. Sycamore.” His features “Location” (starring Aidan Quinn), “Bad Muslim” (at This Is That) and “Tomorrow Never Knows,” as well as his TV pilot “Civilized,” are all in development. Tom just completed 18 months as director and head writer on “Wake Up, World,” a satire of morning TV created by Lizz Winstead, co-creator of “The Daily Show” and AirAmerica. He also teaches directing and screenwriting at Columbia University and is a regular columnist for The Huffington Post.

DAVID ALAN BASCHE, ACTOR
David Alan Basche’s film credits include: “Sex and the City 2,” “The Adjustment Bureau,” “United 93,” “War of The Worlds,” “The Wedding Weekend,” “Full Frontal,” “Carry Me Home,” “I’ll Believe You.” His TV credits include: “The Starter Wife” (series lead), “Lipstick Jungle” (series lead), “Three Sisters” (series lead), “Oh Grow Up” (series lead), “Mr. Ed” (pilot series lead), “Frasier” (recurring), “Miss Match” (recurring), “Rescue Me” (recurring), “30 Rock,” “White Collar,” “Royal Pains,” “CSI:Miami,” all the “Law & Order” shows, “Ed,” “The Division,” “Player$,” “As The World Turns.” His theatre work includes: “Wasps In Bed,” “Visiting Mr. Green,” “Snakebit,” “Singing Lessons,” “Dating Games,” “Love In The Age of Narcissism,” “Macbeth.” Regional includes: Hartford Stage, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Rhode Island Playwright’s Theatre, Iowa Shakespeare, Hartford Theatre Works, the Yale School of Drama Cabaret, the Boston Majestic, White River Theatre Festival. More info at: www.DavidAlanBasche.com.

ALYSIA REINER, ACTRESS
Alysia Reiner is an award-winning stage, screen, and television actress. She starred as Tina Modotti in the world premiere of “Modotti,” Off-Broadway in 2010. Recent films include “The Vicious Kind” (Sundance 2009, Exec. Producer Neil LaBute), “Arranged,” “Schooled,” “One Last Thing” and “Sideways” (as Christine, Jack’s fiancée – SAG award winner for Outstanding Performance - Ensemble Cast). He TV credits include a recurring role a Cindy on “The Starter Wife,” “30 Rock,” “White Collar,” “The Sopranos,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Law & Order: CI,” “Love Monkey,” “The Jury,” “The Drew Cary Show,” “The Practice,” “Family Law,” “Jack & Jill,” series lead in the pilot “Englishman in NY,” and Amy Harris (of “Sex & The City”) new web series “Puppy Love.” Recent theatre includes Hillary (“The Public”), the Obie winning “An Oak Tree,” “Jayson with a Y” (The New Group), “Anais Nin: One of her Lives,” “Wasps in Bed,” “Pentecost” (Drama Desk Nomination), “Tender” (NY Premiere), and most recently Rosalind in “As You Like It.” After the loss of her father to cancer, Reiner chose to honor his mantra of “make a difference, have fun” by creating the short film, “Speed Grieving” (http://www.speedgrieving.org), which is currently making the festival circuit and ultimately will be used as a grief counseling tool.

CONTACT: CAITLIN MCCARTHY
caitlinmccarthy@gmail.com

 

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