LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Flushed! The Story of Three Desperate Women Fed Up with Life |
Written and directed by Victor Vail (who also appears as one of the three leading ladies)Flushed! is a delightfully very-low-budget film that packs a punch, a funny and poignant story, with an ending you won't soon forget. Patrick Folliard, in The Washington Blade, wrote: "As the delusional Lorraine, Vail anchors the cast. Richard Klein plays the hard-boiled Audrey, and Will Hayden is the pathetic Nicole. All pull off textured, comedic, poignant portrayals." FLUSHED! premiered at DAVE and BUSTER'S, in Rockville, MD, this past February 29, as an AIDS fundraiser. The premiere showing raised $2000, which Vail proudly donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Victor Vail was a performer in New Yorkhaving appeared on Broadway in "Jesus Christ Superstar," Off-Broadway in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown. He has appeared on television (Dean Martin Show, Jonathan Winters Show, Kate Smith Special), and has appeared in concert as an opening act for Barbara Cook , David Frye and Danny Thomas (where he substituted for Vic Damonestruck with a flu bugon their opening night in Cleveland, Ohio). Vail's career was cut short, while he was in the process of recording what should have been his first album of original songs (music and lyrics by Vail). Crossing a street in New York City, Vail has hit by a cab. Thrown into the air, Vail landed on the pavementelbow firstpunching in his vocal chords, ironically with his own fist, sustaining permanent vocal damage and putting an end to his upward-moving career as a singer. With an "Oh-well-that's-life" attitude, Vail has moved on, now promoting his movie FLUSHED! FLUSHED! is the story of Lorraine, Audrey and Nicolethree strangerswho meet by chance at a world-famous restaurant on a night that would change their lives forever. As the plot unfolds, we learn about their 'wanting.' As Vail says: "Everyone 'wants'some know how to 'get', some only become more desperate in their 'trying.' " These three women face reality head-on, and make some interesting choices..." The three female leads are played by menVictor Vail, Richard Klein and Will Hayden. Unlike what one might suspect, these three men play their parts "real"it's obvious to all who see this movie that these men care for the characters they portray. "It's not a story about three transvestites," says Vail. "It's a story about three women. It just happens that the female leads are played by male actors. I'd considered having women play these parts, but the story lost some of the humorit became 'dark' without being the comedy..." FLUSHED! was filmed in 13 nights (spread out over two months) in the home Vail shares with his "other half" Richard Klein (also in the film), using a SONY digital home video camera, and edited on their home computer, using Adobe Premiere. What started out as just a fun "break" from community theatre for this cast of nonprofessional performers has become an AIDS fundraiser. $5 of every video, being sold at $14.99, will be donated to AIDS treatment and research organizations. For the past seven years, Victor Vail has sung at World AIDS Day functions, performing songs he's written. He says: "Singing for World AIDS Day helps me feel I'm contributing something... I'm not a medical officerso I can't do medical reviews on new AIDS drugs. I'm not a multimillionaire, so I can't contribute that way, either. Instead, I wind up singing. Now, I've got FLUSHED! to help raise money for AIDS research. We do what we can." We do what we can. FLUSHED! is available on video. For details on ordering, go to www.flushed.org or write to Champagne & Roses Productions, P.O. Box 476, Rockville, MD 20848. $5 of every video sold is donated to an AIDS organization. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 11, Aug. 11, 2000. |