There's a hilarious comedy play "Meet and Greet" showing in Los Angeles that I
was invited to see by my good friend Brendan Robinson (Lucas from "Pretty Little
Liars") who plays the casting assistant along with four amazing actresses who
play actresses competing for the same TV Show role. As a fellow actress, I
appreciate the way a script is written and how the lines are delivered as it is
this combination that determines its' success with an audience. I quickly looked
up who wrote the script and found out it was a guy named Stan Zimmerman with a
laundry list of credits that included one successful sitcom after another. I was
lucky enough to first meet this genius screenwriter, director, and producer of
such hit sitcoms such as "Golden Girls" and "Gilmore Girls" after the show and
then later found myself greeting him at my parents' entertainment law offices to
sit down for a personal interview about his success story. Some people do not
find their calling that early in life, but Stan was obviously an early bloomer
as he was already creating complete television programming in his room by age
ten and trying to compete with the major networks. These obvious signs of an
entrepreneurial spirit from a youngster shows he was well on his way to
succeeding in show business. His passion was not just a hobby like building a
train set in his room for fun. Just the opposite, he was creating a soundstage
within the confines of his boyhood bedroom for his future screenwriting debut in
the real world as a young adult fresh from NYU eager to enter the entertainment
world now as an educated professional. And, the millions of viewers who this
visionary has breathed life into characters they identify with, chuckle, even
double over from side splitting laughter at the humor he hums into their lines.
including myself, can claim Stan is the man with the gift of gab and guffaw that
anyone with a sense of humor can find relatable and relaxing after a hard day.
"Even
when tough things happen, try to find the humor in the situation" - Stan
Zimmerman
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Brendan Robinson (Lucas from Pretty Little Liars) (L) standing outside Theatre-Asylum-Elephant Space located at 6322 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90038 with Tatiana Mclane (R) where Brendan is starring in "Meet and Greet" (a new comedy play) written by Stan Zimmerman and Christian McLaughlin and directed by Stan Zimmerman. Go see Brendan along with his 4 leading ladies Daniele Gaither (MADTV), Teresa Ganzel (Tonight Show),Carolyn Hennesy (General Hospital) and Viki Lewis (News Radio)! It will leave you in a fit of giggles!
Photo Credit: Venice Wong
Photo Credit: Venice Wong
1.
Describe your personal clothing style. Does it differ from when you are working
in your creative mode vs. your daily life?
I don’t
know why, but I really like wearing other people’s clothing. Especially vintage.
I like mixing and matching vintage with current trends. I will always be wearing
some kind of vintage piece. When I was working on "Rita Rocks", for the live
audience shows, I would dress up. I was known for my vintage ties and cardigans.
I have a walk in closet and people are always like, you have so many shoes. I
can’t bring myself to get rid of my clothes because I hope that I can someday
bring them back if it becomes in trend again. Right now, I’m more into the
classic style. I also really like vintage patterns but not so much the comical
ones even though I’m a comedy writer.
2. It
seems like your success story as an entertainment entrepreneur began at a very
early age when you began creating your own TV Network in your bedroom at age
ten. How do you think that experience prepared you for working in the
entertainment industry today?
I was
nuts. I was unpopular and wouldn’t play sports, so I would stay in my bedroom
making this TV network. Even though it was all in my head. I would draw my own
ads. I would see what the other networks were running so I would make a block of
shows, such as sitcoms, to compete with them. I wasn’t that good in English
class, but I knew I wanted to be a writer for TV and I knew I wanted a writing
partner.
3. Are
there any other talents that you have that have turned out to be an asset to
seeing your creative vision come to life?
I’m a big
drawer. I do set design since it’s in my head already. I always pick out the
nicest fabric, such as for my house. Yet, it somehow always turns out to be the
most expensive. I added a two room addition to my house. They said it would take
seven months, but it took seven years. I envisioned it being done and beautiful
and it happened. Just like the play, I envisioned great actors in the parts and
it happened.
4. If you
were only allowed to watch one Television channel for the rest of your life what
would it be and why?
I know
this is so cliché but, "Bravo". I actually did a reality show for them. It was
to make a sitcom from script to screen. I liked being on camera. It was fun. I
was also producing "Gilmore Girls" during this time. I had a crazy schedule that
somehow everyone tolerated. Somehow, I did feel energized because I was just
getting to do what I love.
5. I
noticed that a lot of your projects that you have worked on have been geared
towards a demographic of older women. Was this intentional on your part or were
you hired to specifically write for these types of shows?
I was
just hired to write for them. There are so few shows that are geared towards
more mature women. It's not as difficult to come up with dialogue for
them since they’re more in touch with their feelings, as men just shrug their
shoulders as an expression of emotion.
6. Do you
think you have a clear sense of humor to the point that someone can tell you
wrote a specific joke or line?
People
have come to the show and say, “Oh, I can so hear you in your work!” I think I
like to write witty, smart lines that come out of a character. I don't think of
myself as a joke writer.
 |
The amazingly funny comedic screenwriter of your favorite sitcoms,
Stan Zimmerman (L) sharing some of his career's funniest moments with
Queenie4ever celebrity blogger Tatiana Mclane (R) during his interview
which took place at Tatiana's parents' music and entertainment law firm
(Mclane and Wong) located in the NoHo Arts District North Hollywood,
California.
Photo Credit: Venice Wong
7. It
says on your website that you DJ. As a big fan of music, I find that really
cool. What is your DJ name and what is your playlist like?
Z Man, DJ
Z, I haven’t quite found the perfect name. I just started doing it for people’s
birthday parties. I did do a club once called the Falcon. I love old school funk
and R&B. Where there was a Hollywood party in the basement of the Max Factor
Museum. It has the props from the Silence of the Lambs in it. I DJ’d the party
from inside the freight elevator that the guests had to take to get to the
party. It had a disco ball in it. I wore a costume of a tight muscle t-shirt and
a hat. No one recognized me.
8. What
was the casting for "Meet & Greet" like?
We had
table reads as my version of auditions at my round coffee table at
home.
9. How
did the sets differ from the first show until now?
At the
Fringe Festival, we had a very small set. Because we were only given 15 minutes
between plays we could only quickly set up a couch, cheap table for the casting
assistant and hang three movie posters. But the next time we did it, we had a
real set that did not include an Ikea table.
10. What
is the cast of "Meet & Greet" like?
Doing
this play, we have become like a little family, with no infighting. It’s such a
great tight ensemble. Everyone has their shining moment. They really enjoy being
up there. Maybe a Tony award would change that. I hope not, but a nice ensemble
award would be nice. We don’t see each other during the week but on the weekend.
We’ll be like oh my God, how was your week? I love hearing their
stories.
11.If you
were going to add another female character to the cast of "Meet and Greet", who
is auditioning for the part of Andrea, what type of actress would this character
be typecast as?
A drag
queen, transsexual, or YouTube star. Someone came to the show who was a
telenovela star. They said they would like to do an all Latin cast in Miami. It
might also be fun to have the whole cast be drag queens.
12. Was
"Meet and Greet" written with plans to try to pitch it as a sitcom in the
future?
No. I
never wanted to write a play only sitcoms. When I direct, I like doing
preexisting works so that the lines are the same. I was told by Larry Hirschhorn
to write about my life, but I wrote about something in my life. I think it’s
horrible what we put actresses through. They are waiting in a room with their
competition and are expected to go in and land the part.
 |
A
last glimpse of Queenie4ever celebrity blogger Tatiana Mclane (L) with
one of Hollywood's most successful screenwriter/producer/director Stan
Zimmerman(R) hanging out on the vintage red velvet settee in her
parents' music and entertainment law firm (Mclane and Wong) located in
the NoHo Arts District North Hollywood, California.
Photo Credit: Venice Wong
13. What
do you want the audience to take away from watching "Meet &
Greet"?
I just
want them to have a good time for an hour and twenty minutes. I think it’s an
interesting subject to explore, people wanting fame and if you do get a taste of
fame would you be willing to give it up? When people are laughing I think they
take away more of a lesson. I pick the playlist before the show. It’s all songs
about fame and fortune.
14. What
is your advice to someone who aspires to be in the entertainment
industry?
What I
tell my acting students is that there is success on the back wall. If you want
to get to success you need to push the obstacles away, so you can get to the
wall. Sometimes we’re our own obstacle, and sometimes your obstacle is someone
that you have allowed to get in your way. You need to say no I have somewhere to
be and push them out of the way. If you really want it, visual a clear path. You
have a unique perspective on the world. Everything you listen to and experience
shapes who are. Even when tough things happen, try to find the humor in the
situation.
15. What is next for Stan Zimmerman?
My
weekday writing partner is, James Berg. We’re currently finishing up a pilot for
Jessie McCartney for ABC Family. It’s called, "Piece of Work". It's a cross
between the movies, "Devil Wears Prada" and "The Proposal". My Weekend writing
partner is Christian McLaughlin, who co-wrote "Meet & Greet" with me. We got
the rights to do a musical using 40 TV show themes such as, "I Love Lucy" and
"True Blood" with my weekend partner. Christian wrote meet and greet with me. I
am also working on my dream of directing a movie. It will be called "The
Homecoming Queen is Going Down". The storyline is that they have a revote for
homecoming queen 20 years later. The cheerleader won the 1st time,
but she has gained weight. Yet, she doesn’t want to lose. It’s in the mode of
"Bridesmaid".
I highly
recommend that you round up a bunch of friends and go experience this super
hilarious play with an all star cast guaranteed to have you laughing in your
seats, then go have coffee and have a gab fest about all the lines that make you
giggle with glee!!!
AS OF NOW, ONLY 11 MORE SHOWS OF "MEET AND GREET" !!!!
CLICK THE LINK FOR TICKETS: www.theatreasylum-la.com
To Learn More About Stan Zimmerman: www.zimmermanstan.com
Princess Kisses! xoxo
Tatiana Mclane Queenie4ever
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