Have a Seat at THE TABLE

 Marc Zicree and Ray

Last night I went to a screening of a new documentary called The Table at The Ricardo Montalban Theater in Hollywood (it was sponsored by the entertainment group  Nosotros.) Filmmaker Ana Berredo, follows a group of producers, writers, director, actors; and actually anyone who dreams of making it in Hollywood (and I write that in a good way.) I heard of the screening when Zicree was on the nightly radio program; Coast to Coast AM with George Noory. I consider Hollwood as part of my territory, so I went (although parking in Hollywood is such a confusing pain in the ass these days... I found a $54 ticket on my windshield upon my return! ) But back to the movie...

The Table meets every Thursday at a local L.A. eatery, it's a support group for those who just don't want to wait anymore for there big break to come. At the head of The Table is veteran television writer Marc Scott Zicree (along with his wife of 33 years Elaine), his numerous credits include such show such as; Beauty & the Beast, Babylon 5 and Sliders (he is also the author of definitive book on the TV show The Twilight Zone; The Twilight Zone Companion.) This documentary is a look into a year with various lovable members as they try and get their projects and their foot in the door of exclusive industry door. The documentary as well as the actual " Table" itself is very inspirational with it's "we're all in this together attitude." Often they roll up their own selves and pool they're resources and make a project themselves; it's a real brotherhood of man with them. I bet if Orson Welles were still alive, he's probably be sitting at The Table!

As they say in the film, The Table (going 17 years strong) is open to anyone; it doesn't cost anything, you don't have to know anyone, and most important is there is no pecking order... and once you visit "The Table", much like The Actor's Studio, you're considered a member for life. I really enjoyed this film and I hope that if you get a chance to see it you make an effort (I'm sure it'll hit the festival circuit soon.) In the audience questioner they asked what about this film did you enjoy best? And I must say it was the effervescent spirit of Marc Zicree, who even though he's a veteran of  industry, he still has projects that he's yet to accomplish (he's just written a truly inspired spec script for the hit television show, MAD MEN that features Rod Serling as a guest character!)  As for me, with a half a dozen un-produced screenplays under my belt... I hope to pull up a chair at "The Table" real soon... maybe the ghost of Orson Welles will be there too?