Active Voice Productions To Screen LOCKDOWN 2022 In Support of Arizona Theatre Matters

In support of Arizona Theatre Matters (ATM), Active Voice Productions will present its award-winning feature-length experimental comedy, "Lockdown 2020", with Bonnie Hunt and Tovah Feldshuh, and starring Kate Orsini.

In keeping with ATM's goal of keeping theatre arts live in the age of the internet and AVP's goal of supporting and modeling the persistent creation of art in a world saturated in commercial entertainment, they offer a pay-what-you-like fundraising screening of this remarkable zero-budget production.

Experience for oneself how this tiny project attracted top talent and won dozens of laurels on the indie festival circuit including Best Screenplay, Best Zero or Micro-budget film and several Best LGBTQIA+ Film awards.

The online screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film's director, producer, co-writer, Dylan Brody.

A Hilarious Look at Pandemic Life:

The 2020 Lockdown forces Lindsay Grunman (Orsini), a successful television creator to work from home while tracking and enduring her dysfunctional family from afar. Captured in the familiar direct-to camera medium close up of video-conferencing, the film moves from the hilarious to the poignant in a complex narrative familial history and strained dynamic.

Her eccentric family, appear to her in turns - her father Paul (Alan Brody), neurotic brother Daniel (Dylan Brody), and his flamboyant agent (Bonnie Hunt who also serves as a producing partner), and in a final scene that brings profound satisfaction and soft ambivalence, a powerful performance by Tovah Feldshuh as Lindsay's mother.

Shot Entirely on Zoom:

"Lockdown 2020", filmed entirely on Zoom during the actual lockdown revels in the dichotomous experiences of isolation and the intimacy of face-to-face communication across the continent as viewers witness tightly framed extraordinary performances that span miles and bridge generations. Dylan Brody not only directed and edited the film but also co-produced it with Bonnie Hunt.

Kate Orsini shares writing credit and Brody, who created these characters for his early play Mother, May I (Stanley Drama Award, 2005) and then explored them further in his 2019 book Relatively Painless says, "Her talent as a writer and a performer stuns me. I've never had the experience of seeing someone capture my literary voice not just in her performance but on the page as well. I don't know why she's not a huge star."

About Dylan Brody:

Dylan Brody, the film's creator, is a multi-faceted artist. An internationally acclaimed author and humorist with numerous streaming specials and albums, he has also shared stages with the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, fellow outsider filmmaker Kevin Smith, David Sedaris and Marc Maron.

About Arizona Theatre Matters:

Arizona Theatre Matters is a 501(c)3 nonprofit company that blazes trails of exceptional, universally accessible stories that weave connections and understanding across multidimensional populations. Through vibrant narratives, they stimulate meaningful engagement with artists and audiences, sparking empathy, challenging perspectives, and celebrating the kaleidoscope of human experiences. They are storytellers, bridge builders, and champions of voices, weaving shared space where empathy thrives and humanity shines.