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Actor Brooke Shields has been elected president of Actors’ Equity Association, the union has announced.

Shields took the lead in a three-way race, beating out stage manager Erin Maureen Koster and actor Wydetta Carter. Actors’ Equity is represents 51,000 actors and stage managers.

Shields succeeds Kate Shindle as president, who announced in April that she would not seek re-election when her nine-year tenure ended May 23. Shindle has said that she will remain active in the labor movement but now intends to focus on resuming her acting career, noting that the unpaid position of president left her with so little time for acting that she had not been able to clock enough professional hours to quality for Equity health insurance.

Shields’ win was confirmed this morning by Equity, which announced the results of its 2024 Officer and Councilor Election. In total, 45 council seats across all three regions and representing four categories were filled, effective immediately. All terms are four years except where noted.

In addition to Shields, the 2024 officers include Rashaan James II, elected Eastern Regional Vice President; Sarah Labarr, elected Central Regional Vice President, without opposition. Jeffrey Landman was elected Western Regional Vice President, without opposition. All officers were elected to four-year terms.

In announcing her run for the presidency in April, Shields said, “I felt it was my responsibility to step up, I want to lead with strength. I want to lead with intelligence, with compassion, with passion. And, of course, a little bit of humor, always…I have been in the trenches with you and you have always had my back. And I’m here to tell you that I have your back.”

Shields comes to the position with no experience in union leadership, but has been a working actor since childhood. She has appeared on Broadway in Grease, Chicago, Cabaret, Wonderful Town and The Addams Family.

In addition to the national elections, the following candidates were elected in regional positions:

In the Eastern Region:

The following candidates were elected to four-year terms as Eastern Regional Principal Councilor:

Jeff Blumenkrantz Jennifer Cody Jacqueline Jarrold Claire Karpen Austin Ku Jeffrey Omura Kellie Overbey Kate Shindle Nancy Slusser Richard Topol

Michele Ragusa was elected to a two-year term as Eastern Regional Principal Councilor.

The following candidates were elected to four-year terms as Eastern Regional Chorus Councilor:

Belinda Allyn Holly Ann Butler Rebecca Kim Jordan Nikka Graff Lanzarone Melissa Hunter McCann T. Shyvonne Stewart

Ryan Rodiño was elected to a two-year term as Eastern Regional Chorus Councilor.

The following candidates were elected to four-year terms as Eastern Regional Stage Manager Councilor:

Anne McPherson Rebecca McBee Peter Royston

The following candidates were elected to four-year terms as Eastern Regional At-Large Councilor:

Tamara Anderson Logan Benedict Leslie Sears

In the Central Region:

The following candidates were elected to four-year terms as Central Regional Principal Councilor:

Rebecca Prescott Colin Sphar Nikki Switzer

The following candidate weas unopposed and deemed elected to a four-year term as Central Regional Stage Manager Councilor:

Katherine Nelson

The following candidate was unopposed and deemed elected to a four-year term as Central Regional At-Large Councilor:

Carolyn Fast

In the Western Region:

The following candidates were elected to four-year terms as Western Regional Principal Councilor:

Ry Armstrong Michael James Bell Kate Burton Barbara Callander Josh Grisetti Kwana A. L. Martinez

The following candidates were elected to two-year terms as Western Regional Principal Councilor:

Brian Herndon Cynthia Marty Gregory North

Juliane Godfrey was unopposed and deemed elected to a four-year term as Western Regional Chorus Councilor.

David S. Cohen was unopposed and deemed elected to a four-year term as Western Regional Stage Manager Councilor.

Michelle Dunn was unopposed and deemed elected to a four-year term as Western Regional At-Large Councilor.

Martha Plimpton is a beloved Emmy-winning actress best known for her work in TV shows like Raising Hope, The Real O’Neals and The Good Wife, but she’s also an activist who found the nonprofit A is For.

A is For, which Martha co-founded with Kellie Overbey, is a small nonprofit organization that was created to de-stigmatize abortion through the arts, and we offer financial support to abortion-providing services.

This weekend, Martha is hosting Broadway Acts for Abortion at 54 Below. A star-studded group of talent including Kelli O’Hara, John Cameron Mitchell, Ann Dowd, Carrie Preston, Michael Emerson, Bonnie Milligan, and more are coming together to raise money and awareness for abortion rights. The event is on Sunday (October 1) at 6:30pm!

Ahead of the event, we caught up with Martha to learn some fun facts about her that most fans probably don’t know. Check them out below!

I co-created...

Exclusive: Hope springs eternal, at least Raising Hope does.

The Emmy-nominated Greg Garcia-created sitcom that ran on Fox from 2010-14 will be back for one night this weekend in a virtual reunion to benefit the A Is For charity.

Hosted by Ashley Nicole Black, the March 13 get-together (link here) will see Garcia joined by cast members Martha Plimpton, Garret Dillahunt, Lucas Neff, Shannon Woodward and Baylie & Rylie Cregut.

There won’t be a script reading, as many reunions have done over the past year. What there will be, I’m told, is some very up-close and personal recollections of the four seasons that Raising Hope ran. Some unfiltered responses to digital submitted audience questions are also on offer too.

The reunion is free, but a $20 donation is necessary if you want to ask questions of the participants. “I’m excited to get into some real behind-the-scenes stuff,” Plimpton told Deadline of the gathering.

Kate Shindle has been re-elected president of Actors’ Equity, the union representing more than 51,000 theatrical actors and stage managers. She was first elected to the post in 2015, having previously served as the union’s eastern regional vice president. She made her Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde, with other notable Broadway roles including Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Vivienne in Legally Blonde and the Mad Hatter in Frank Wildhorn’s Wonderland.

In other elections, Dee Hoty was elected Eastern regional vice president and Kelley Faulkner was elected Cntral regional vice president. Doug Carfrae, running unopposed, was elected Western regional vice president.

The union did not provide vote totals or say who the losing candidates were in any of the races.

The election also included 42 council seats across all three regions, representing principal actors, chorus actors and stage managers, along with a new at-large category.

The candidates elected Eastern Region Principal Councilor:

Victoria Clark

Michele L.

1980: Dallas' Sue Ellen remembered Kristin shot J.R.

1988: Santa Barbra's Julia stopped her wedding to "Mason".

1989: Another World's Sharlene and John married.

1995: One Life to Live's Todd was shot in Ireland."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1938: Radio soap opera Central City premiered on NBC Blue. The Blackett-Sample-Hummert serial told the story of a blue-collar manufacturing hub of 50,000 denizens. Elspeth Eric starred as Emily Olson with Van Heflin as Bob Shellenberger. Heflin was eventually replaced by Myron McCormick.

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy Harper (Pud Flanagan) accidentally overheard Mary's (Anne Sargeant) confession...

Second Stage Theater will soon present the New York Premiere of Tracy Letts' acclaimed play, Mary Page Marlowe, directed by Lila Neugebauer. David Aaron Baker and Nick Dillenburg will complete the cast featuring Blair Brown, Kayli Carter, Audrey Corsa, Marcia DeBonis, Ryan Foust, Tess Frazer, Emma Geer, Grace Gummer, Mia Sinclair Jenness, Brian Kerwin, Tatiana Maslany, Kellie Overbey, Susan Pourfar, Maria Elena Ramirez, Elliot Villar, and Gary Wilmes.

Second StageTheater will soon present the New York Premiere ofTracy Letts' acclaimed play,Mary Page Marlowe, directed byLila Neugebauer.David AaronBaker andNick Dillenburgwill complete the cast featuringBlair Brown,Kayli Carter,Audrey Corsa,Marcia DeBonis,Ryan Foust,Tess Frazer,Emma Geer,Grace Gummer,Mia Sinclair Jenness,Brian Kerwin,Tatiana Maslany,Kellie Overbey,Susan Pourfar,Maria Elena Ramirez,Elliot Villar, andGary Wilmes.

Lincoln Center Theaterunder the direction of Producing Artistic Director,Andre Bishop presentsTammy Blanchard,Patrick Breen,John Benjamin Hickey,Alex Hurt,Kellie Overbey,John Pankow, andStephen Plunkettin Dada Woof Papa Hot, a new play byPeter Parnell, and directed byScott Ellis. Dada Woof Papa Hot began performances Thursday, October 15 and opened last nightat the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater 150 West 65 Street. Check out photos from the big night below...

Lincoln Center Theater under the direction of Producing Artistic Director, Andre Bishop presents Tammy Blanchard, Patrick Breen, John Benjamin Hickey, Alex Hurt, Kellie Overbey, John Pankow, and Stephen Plunkett in Dada Woof Papa Hot, a new play by Peter Parnell, to be directed by Scott Ellis. Dada Woof Papa Hot began performances Thursday, October 15 and opens on Monday, November 9 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater 150 West 65 Street.Check out a first look at the cast in action below...

Lincoln Center Theater under the direction of Producing Artistic Director, Andre Bishop presents Tammy Blanchard, Patrick Breen, John Benjamin Hickey, Alex Hurt, Kellie Overbey, John Pankow, and Stephen Plunkett in Dada Woof Papa Hot, a new play by Peter Parnell, to be directed by Scott Ellis.Dada Woof Papa HOTbeganperformances Thursday, October 15 and opens onMonday, November 9at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater 150 West 65 Street.

Casting has been announced for the 2014 Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Gala 'One Acts for a Cause' set to take place on Sunday, June 22 at 730pm at the East 13th Street Theater 136 East 13th Street.The evening, which will benefit the non-profit NYC food services agency City Harvest, will feature Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo The Fighter, three-time Tony Award nominee Mary Beth Hurt Crimes of the Heart, films The World According to Garp amp The Age of Innocence, Caissie Levy currently starring as Fantine in Les Miserables, Phoebe Strole Spring Awakening, Glee, Jonathan Walker Rocky, The Assembled Parties, Eric Lenox Abrams All The Way, Kellie Overbey The Coast of Utopia Tina Benko Irena's Vow, Top Girls amp Andrew Garman Salome with Al Pacino, Obie Award-winners Russell G. Jones Ruined amp Eisa Davis Sustained Excellence, Passing Strange, and Courtney Thomas Eve Ensler's Emotional Creature, Jon Norman Schneider The Architecture of Being and Quincy Tyler Bernstine Ruined,...

The original New York cast -- Amy Brenneman Judging Amy, NYPD Blue, Private Practice, Beth Dixon, Virginia Kull, Kellie Overbey and Lee Tergesen Monster, Wayne's World, Weird Science - are set for the West Coast premiere of Rapture, Blister, Burn, written by Gina Gionfriddo, in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse, running through September 22, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights of the production below...

The Drama Desk Awards — commonly known as the theater world’s Golden Globes, though nominees are represented across all NYC productions in a season — are the last precursor to the Tony Awards (check EW.com tomorrow morning for a full list of those). And judging by the list below, it’s going to be quite a competitive year, with some pretty heavy-hitters mixed in with longshots, not to mention some major snubs (Alan Cumming, Cyndi Lauper, Fiona Shaw, Chaplin’s Rob McClure to name a few). The winners will be announced at NYC’s Town Hall on May 19. Below is...

Carrie Preston is best known as Arlene Fowler on True Blood and Elsbeth Tascioni on The Good Wife, both wacky characters in their own right. But she's only making a cameo in her latest film, That's What She Said, which she directed. The comedy, now in limited release, is an adaptation of the play Girl Talk by Kellie Overbey (which Preston also directed) and features three very different women: an optimist looking forward to a prospective date (played by Marcia DeBonis), a cynic who no longer believes in love (Anne Heche), and a nymphomaniac who uses sex to feel better about everything (Alia Shawkat). In the case of the last, if a partner isn't readily available, she'll retire to the nearest public restroom or hop on a subway train, which has a vibrator effect on her. Preston chatted with Vulture about orgasms on the subway, women in Hollywood, and modern...

Actress Anne Heche stars in an all-female cast comedy indie film “That’s What She Said.”

The film is about a friendship bond between three women with their personal relationship problems and being single women in New York City.

It is based off a play “Girl Talk” written by Kellie Overbey and directed by “True Blood” actress Carrie Preston.

Latino-Review joined in a telephone conference roundtable discussion with Heche to discuss “That’s What She Said.” The actress discussed the importance of female relationships, friendships and how she got involved with the project.

“That’s What She Said” is a limited release in theaters this weekend.

Question: What attracted you to this project?

Anne Heche: Carrie Preston really said it best, because she talked about this movie really being about friendship. And I think this movie is about friendship in your darkest day in your darkest hour. And learning...

”I like to say that it’s not a bromance, it’s a womance,” says Carrie Preston, director of That’s What She Said, which opens today in New York and Los Angeles.

Preston, (whom you’ll recognize from True Blood and guest appearances on The Good Wife) has been working to bring this raunchy female comedy, starring Anne Heche, Marcia DeBonis, and Ali Shawkat, to the big screen for close to a decade. ” Kellie Overbey gave me this play called Girl Talk. I read it and totally fell in love with the characters,” says Preston. “I told her she...

Anne Heche stars in That’s What She Said, a quirky and honest look at friendship in the face of adversity, that asks one of life’s great questions: why does it always have to be so hard? Directed by Carrie Preston from a screenplay by Kellie Overbey developed from her original play Girl Talk, the film takes a down and dirty comedic look at how friendship can survive chronic sarcasm, bizarre stranger-danger, an unexplained itch and a dangerous dildo. That’s What She Said opens in theaters on October 19th and also features Marcia DeBonis and Alia Shawkat. At the film’s recent press day, Heche talked about her role and the challenges of making an independent film that gives audiences a hilarious and insightful glimpse into the comical realities of modern womanhood. She discussed how the cast worked to create the unique bond between characters, how her real-life...

"It's just so joyous for me not to be playing a mother because so much of my endeavors involve mothering," says Amy Brenneman. "What I really like is that this is not a fertility play. Catherine is not longing for a baby. She is longing for a home. This play has less to do with society and laws and more to do with biology and age."The play in question is Gina Gionfriddo's "Rapture, Blister, Burn," now running at Playwright's Horizon. The topical drama, with lots of comic one-liners, centers on a rock star academic (Brenneman) who is single and childless and her grad school friend Gwen (Kellie Overbey), a stay-at-home wife and mother. Both women believe they've made the wrong choices and engage in a risky experiment in an effort to redefine their lives.Brenneman admits she relates to Catherine, specifically being told "she's too much," or guilty of "thinking too.

New York (AP) — Amy Brenneman plans to return to an off-Broadway stage this spring in the play "Rapture, Blister, Burn."The star of such TV shows as "Private Practice," ''Judging Amy" and "NYPD Blue" will appear in a Playwrights Horizons production of Gina Gionfriddo's comedy opposite Kellie Overbey.Playwrights Horizons announced Monday that the play, directed by Peter DuBois, will begin previews on May 18 with an opening set for June 12. It ends its run June 24.Brenneman is a five-time Emmy Award nominee whose theater credits include "God's Heart" at Lincoln Center and "The Learned Ladies" at Classic Stage Company.In the play, two women covet each other's life. Playwrights Horizons, which commissioned the play, calls it "an unflinching look at gender politics in the wake of 20th century feminist ideals."Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Phase 4 Films has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Carrie Preston’s comedy That’s What She Said, starring Anne Heche, Marcia DeBonis and Alia Shawkat. The film, which was written by Kellie Overbey and had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, follows three friends through a series of misadventures in New York City. It was produced by Preston, Joshua Astrachan, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Mona Panchal. Phase 4 will release the film day-and-date in theaters and on VOD later this year. “That’s What She Said is part of the current wave of female-

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"That's What She Said," a raunchy comedy directed and produced by "True Blood" actress Carrie Preston, has been acquired by Phase 4 Films, the company said Tuesday. Kellie Overbey wrote the script about best friends DeeDee, played by Heche, and Bebe, played by DeBonis, who have a misadventure in New York City. The film premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Also read: Iotg at Sundance 2012: Carrie Preston and Kelly Overbey Chat About Dangerous Dildos in 'That's What She Said' "'That's What She Said' is part of the current wave of female driven raunchy...

Los Angeles, CA (March 13, 2012) – Berry Meyerowitz, President & CEO of Phase 4 Films, announced today that the company has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Carrie Preston’s raunchy femme comedy That’S What She Said. The film, with a screenplay by Kellie Overbey, stars Anne Heche, Marcia DeBonis and Alia Shawkat, and was produced by Preston, Joshua Astrachan, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Mona Panchal. Preston’s film made its world premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Phase 4 will release the film day-and-date in theatres and on VOD later this year. That’S What She Said follows romantically troubled best friends DeeDee (Heche) and Bebe (DeBonis), and an oddball tag-along (Shawkat), on a wild misadventure in New York City. The Sundance Film Festival said Preston’s film “takes us on a touching, emotional, and hilarious ride full of heart. With sharp writing and strong comedic performances all around, That’S...

Carrie Preston is best known as the ditzy-and-frustrated waitress Arlene Fowler on "True Blood" (and lately, as the ditzy-but-brilliant lawyer Elsbeth Tascioni on "The Good Wife"), but this year at Sundance, she'll be known as a film director for "That's What She Said," her sophomore feature effort behind the camera. Based on a play by Kellie Overbey that Preston previously directed a production of in New York, "That's What She Said" stars Anne Heche and Marcia De Bonis as best friends Dee Dee and Bebe, and Alia Shawkat as Clementine, a stranger who then joins them on a series of adventures throughout New York. (Heche actually recommended Shawkat for the role after their stint together in "Cedar Rapids," -- "...which surprised me, because we had no scenes together in that," said Shawkat while doing promotion for the Ed Helms comedy.) "BeBe is getting ready to go on a big date with a guy she really.

Actress Carrie Preston (HBO's "True Blood") makes her directorial debut with "a chick flick that's not for pussies" called "That's What She Said." The film will be part of Sundance's Next program. What's it about? "That's What She Said" is a film about a big date, a bitter best friend and a total stranger who can't stop talking about her hoo-hah." Director Carrie Preston says: "That's What She Said" is a chick flick that’s not for pussies. It is an unflinching answer to the ubiquitous bro-mance, so I guess you could call it a wo-mance. Kellie Overbey wrote it originally as a play and then we adapted it into a screenplay. The women of "That’s What She Said" are not the standard Hollywood issue: preternaturally gorgeous, wedding obsessed, boy crazy, fashion focused, sexed up child-women. They are real women, comically portrayed, who are wrestling with the very...

Anne Heche, Marcia DeBonis and Alia Shawkat star in the sophomore directing effort of True Blood actress Carrie Preston, That’s What She Said. Written by fellow actress Kellie Overbey (That’s Life), the comedy will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival Friday, Jan. 20, at the Prospector Square Theatre at 5:30 pm as part of the Next <=> section. The Hollywood Reporter here exclusively hosts the premiere of the film’s brand new trailer. Photos: Stars at Sundance Heche and DeBonis star as longtime best friends, one trying to move on from a broken relationship and the other just

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Following up their initial competition announcement the folks at the Sundance Film Festival have released the names of thirty additional 2012 selections, in the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next, and New Frontiers sections.

Although these sections tend to focus more on young and up-and-coming filmmakers (particularly the Next sidebar, which was created just a few years ago with that specific mandate), you might find a few names you recognize in the full list of invited films below. Next is where you'll find the new film from "Great World of Sound" director Craig Zobel; it's called "Compliance" and it's described as the (based-on-a-)true story of what happens "when a prank caller convinces a fast food restaurant manager to interrogate an innocent young employee." Lynn Shelton, director of "Humpday," will premiere "Your Sister's Sister" starring Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and "Humpday"s Mark Duplass. Duplass also wrote his wife Katie Aselton...

Yesterday Sundance released their films up for competition for the 2012 festival. But that was only one half of the festival slate. Now Sundance has released the second half of films that will be released as part of the festivities. Films in competition are just as interesting as those not in competition and with titles The Raid and Wuthering Heights are all on the list, it will be a fun watch this year.

Check out the list for the Out of Competition film that can be seen at the Sundance Film Festival 2012 below.

Spotlight

Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) — After moving back to southern Italy with her mother and older sister, 13-year-old Marta struggles to find her place, restlessly testing the boundaries of an unfamiliar city and the catechism of the Catholic church.Cast: Yle Vianello, Salvatore Cantalupo, Anita Caprioli, Renato Carpentiere.

Declaration Of War / Belgium (Director: Valérie Donzelli,...

Yesterday The Sundance Film Festival released their list of In-Competition films, today they have released their line-up of Non-Competition films. I've had a blast every year that I've attended The Sundance Film Festival, it's always a surprise! You never know what movie you are going to see until you see it. If you ever get a chance to go I highly recommend that you do. Each film on the list has a little description next to it. The festival will take place January 19th to the 29th.

Check out the list of movies below and let us know of any that you are interested in watching or hearing about so that we can get it covered for you. Some of the films might look familiar to you such as The Raid, Grabbers and Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, and Wuthering Heights. The Raid is at the top of...

Yesterday the Sundance Film Festival announced the core lineup of films [1] that will be spotlit in the Competition slates at the 2012 festival. Now we've got a lineup of films that will play out of competition in the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=> and New Frontier schedules. There are a few films in here with which you might be nominally familiar, like The Raid, Grabbers and Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, not to mention Andrea Arnold's new version of Wuthering Heights. But many are new announcements. While the competition lineups are always a good place to look for some of the films that will be the most talked-about in the year following each Sundance fest, these schedules are where some of the more unique and provocative films live. There are still some big premieres to be announced next week, but if I was making a big Sundance wishlist,...

Getty Images The marquee of the Egyptian Theater announces the Sundance Film Festival

Yesterday, the Sundance Institute announced its in-competition narrative and documentary films for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Today, they announced their out-of-competition film in the Spotlight, Midnight, Next and New Frontier sections. The full list is below:

Spotlight

Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.

Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) — After...

Following yesterday's announcement of the titles lined up for the four programs of the Competition, the Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the lineups of its out-of-competition sections: Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=> and New Frontier. This time, I'm going to go ahead and copy-n-paste the release nearly in full because, well, these are, potentially at least, the more interesting batches.

We'll cut in just as Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, is saying, “In many ways, the extremes of the Festival’s program are most readily apparent in our out-of-competition sections, which showcase the wildest comedies, the most terrifying horror films and uncompromised visions from singular voices springing up from around the country and the world. We hope audiences experiment with their film selections to an equal degree as these filmmakers have experimented with their storytelling.”

Spotlight

Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world,...

Following yesterday’s announcement of competition titles, Sundance Film Festival 2012 have announced the line-up for a few more sections today. In their Spotlight section we have a few of my favorite Tiff titles, including Wuthering Heights (pictured above), Your Sister’s Sister, as well as audience-winners The Raid and Where Do We Go Now? We also get the insane-looking Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie in the midnight section. Check out the list below.

Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute announced today the films selected to screen in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival out-of-competition sections Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=> and New Frontier. The Festival takes place from January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.

Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, “In many ways, the extremes of the...

A cinematic hybrid that's hard to take seriously and not entertaining or profound enough to make up for its stilted delivery, "The Social Disease" is a black-and-white puzzler about young moderns struggling with morality, hypocrisy and the sexual urge.

The 1996 low-budget independent screened recently in the American Cinematheque's ongoing "Alternative Screen" series.

Writer, director and co-producer Julian Whatley explores the wavering convictions of four people who seem unlikely in real life to form a unit.

David (Spencer Garrett) and cousin Hunter (Yul Vazquez) work together and talk about the former's upcoming marriage.

These two could not be more divergent in their attitudes to the opposite sex. Hunter is a believer in not limiting himself to one or even a few partners.

In the natural world, he explains, male animals are promiscuous. But, fearful of contamination, he's now after only virgins.

David is religious and believes in waiting until marriage to consummate his love for Michelle (Kellie Overbey), a smiling nice girl who doesn't seem to mind.

But we're tipped off in the opening scene set in a spooky, abandoned house that she has nasty dreams and a raw sensitivity toward sex resulting from a bad experience.

Enter Linda Mary Ellen Lyon), Michelle's roommate with an agenda. After Michelle has a mental breakdown, Linda starts spending time with David, and Hunter advises him that she's looking to replace Michelle.

David is even more conflicted when Linda lies about Michelle's past.

Along with some overly long dialogue scenes that address problems directly but hardly help sort things out, the plot thrusts Michelle at Hunter for a fling that has "fatal mistake" written all over it.

Indeed, the murder of Hunter follows soon after, and unhinged Michelle is pegged for the crime.

The ending, alas, is foreseeable almost from the start, while several nasty revelations near the conclusion are too convenient to be the devastatingly ironic developments intended.

Whatley, meanwhile, evokes soap operas, Bette Davis melodramas and film noir, but it doesn't coalesce into a compelling cinematic experience.

Set in San Francisco and filmed on a Burbank soundstage, "The Social Disease" at times revels in its artificiality.

But beyond the anachronistic look, Whatley's approach is basically theatrical as the actors are left to sink or swim with the material.

THE SOCIAL DISEASE

Giant Rock Pictures

Writer-director Julian Whatley

Producers C. Devin Whatley, Julian Whatley

Executive producer Therese Kehoe

Production designer Milana Kosovac

Editor Piero Mura

Cinematographers Stuart Cropley, Rory Knepp

Black and white/stereo

Cast:

Michelle Kellie Overbey

David Spencer Garrett

Linda Mary Ellen Lyon

Hunter Yul Vazquez

Running time -- 100 minutes

No MPAA rating...