Steve Alten is the author of the book series “Meg”, which has spawned six sequels (seventh on the way) and a very successful movie franchise as well with Meg 2: The Trench coming to theaters August 4th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Steve about everything upcoming including his next books The Loch: Heaven’s Lake & Meg: Purgatory as well as the Meg Legacy collector’s box set, which will include all seven books in the series.
John Miligore is the man behind the new movie “Ouija Shark 2”! He not only starred in the film but also wrote and directed it. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with John about the movie and his many roles.
Casper Van Dien is known best as Johnny Rico in Starship Troopers. Casper has two new movies coming out, the first is “The Flood”, which is an alligator flick and the second is the first Swissploitation flick, “Mad Heidi”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about both of these movies and what else he has coming up soon!
Brandon Slagle is the director of films like “The Black Dahlia Haunting” and “Battle for Saipan” and the upcoming “Breakout” and “Arena Wars”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brandon about his latest alligator horror film “The Flood” and discussed the challenges with shooting with CGI and the elements.
“The Flood” will be available in Theaters, On Demand and Digital on July 14, 2023.
“The Flood” Synopsis: A horde of giant hungry alligators is unleashed on a group of in-transit prisoners and their guards after a massive hurricane floods Louisiana.
Jay Chandrasekhar is one of the members of the comedy troupe Broken Lizard. He has directed films you may know like Super Troopers, Beerfest, Club Dread and more as well as 150 TV episodes.
Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jay his upcoming stand-up tour, as well as getting the scoop on Super Troopers 3 & WeedFest aka Beerfest 2!
GB Hajim is man behind the 2D animated, sci-fi lesbian, musical Strange Frame (2013), which features an all-star cast from Claudia Black to Cree Summer, Tim Curry to George Takei, Academy Award winner Gary Rizzo for sound, and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd for music. It is among the top 250 sci-fi films ever made as ranked on IMDb.
His latest film tells the story of two women who find strength in each other despite their personal struggles, MERMAIDS’ LAMENT follows two women: Oee (Dayva Summer Escobar) a traumatized woman who has lost her voice and may or may not be a mermaid. Her therapist, Dr. Nell Jamison (Justina Mattos) battles with anxiety herself, attempts to help Oee overcome her delusions and connect with reality. As they bond over their experiences, they learn to be resilient like the ocean and embrace the power of imagination to navigate the chaos of the world.
Media Mikes had a chance to chat with GB about MERMAIDS’ LAMENT, which premieres at the Dances with Films festival at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA on June 25th! You can buy tickets here and be sure to check out our review as well, here.
Jordy Leenaerts, better known by the stage name Timecop1983, is a Dutch electronic musician from Eindhoven, producing music in the synthwave genre. He has released albums like “Faded Touch”, “Night Drive” and his most recent “Multiverse”.
Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Timecop1983 about his upcoming US tour and his new song “Love Game”, which is also the title song for his 2023 tour.
Christopher Griffiths and Gary Smart, directors of “Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story” talks about their new documentary. The guys have also worked together on the following documentaries ” Pennywise: The Story of It” and “You’re So Cool, Brewster! The Story of Fright Night”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with the guys about their love for Robert Englund and his amazing career.
A classically trained actor and director, Robert Englund has become one of the most revolutionary horror icons of our generation. Throughout his career, Englund starred in many well-known movies, but shot to super-stardom with his portrayal of supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger in the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET franchise. This unique and intimate portrait captures the man behind the glove and features interviews with Englund and his wife Nancy, Lin Shaye, Eli Roth, Tony Todd, Heather Langenkamp and more.
HOLLYWOOD DREAMS & NIGHTMARES: THE ROBERT ENGLUND STORY will be available on Screambox and Digital on June 6, 2023.
For Preston Truman Boyd, music runs in the family. His grandfather was an opera singer so when the young man showed some talent in church, people noticed. Eventually he made his way to New York City, appearing in “Sunset Boulevard” with Glenn Close as well as featured roles in the National tours of “Young Frankenstein” and “Jersey Boys.”
He is currently appearing in the National tour of “Les Misérables,” where he plays the “misunderstood” police inspector Javert. I spoke with Mr. Boyd while he was in Washington D.C., performing at the Kennedy Center.
MIKE SMITH: “Les Miserables” is an iconic show, and Javert is a truly iconic role. How do you prepare to tackle a role that so many people are familiar with and may have preconceived ideas on how it should be played?
PRESTON TRUMAN BOYD: I try to bring as much gravita as I can to the role. It IS an iconic role in an iconic show and I know there are fans who have their own ideas in how the want to see it done. It’s the added pressure of people having their favorite Javert. You definitely want to be the pivotal Ying to the Yang of Jean Valjean, which is not only important to the story but important in supporting the theme of the show. The survival of the human spirit. Javert is often referred to as “the bad guy” but I like to think he’s “the misunderstood guy.” At the end of the day, he’s just a guy doing his job. If you’ve fled your parole, I’ve got to come get you. That’s just how it is. (laughs)
MS: Javert the Bounty Hunter!
PTB: Exactly, yes.
MS: You mentioned that some people have a pre-conception of the role. Do you try to model portions of your performance on how others have played the role?
PTB: A lot of us in this business grew up listening to this show. We’d seek it out whenever it came to town. I was always a Philip Quast fan. I’d like to think I sound a little more like him then other Javerts. (NOTE: Philip Quast originated the role of Javert in the original Australian production of “Les Miz,” later playing the role on the West End in London. He also appeared in the hugely popular “Les Miserables: the Dream Cast in Concert). His voice stuck with me. That’s the beauty of our show. So many people have seen the show in so many incarnations and in different companies. The directors have looked at it from another angle. It’s the same story but you can really push certain themes a bit more. Even in the design. Some of Victor Hugo’s paintings are now projected on stage. (NOTE: Hugo wrote the novel “Les Misérables”).
Javert (Preston Truman Boyd) confronts Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell) (photo by Johan Perrson)
MS: What got you into musical theater?
PTB: I grew up in the church singing and once I heard from people that weren’t my parents that I might have a gift I began to seek out other opportunities in the community. I grew up in Fargo/Moorehead (North Dakota). I got involved in school programs and did a lot of speech and debate. A couple predecessors from my hometown ended up moving to the City and had some success so it didn’t seem like an absolute pipe dream. I sought out scholarship programs and what schools to attend. I did a program called The National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. They bring in (10) kids from each discipline every year and I went down to Miami for opera. We spent a week studying voice with Placido Domingo, which was absolutely incredible. After that I had a few people seek me out for different programs like voice and theater and I ended up at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where I did four years and a lot of great roles. The show moves you out to New York where you put on Senior Showcase for all of the casting directors and agents, who come each year to scout new talent. I signed with an agent there and the rest is history!
MS: Roger Maris left Fargo and went to New York. He did well.
PTB: (laughs) Exactly.
MS: Was there a show you saw that kind of triggered the bug?
PTB: Yeah. I think the very first show I saw was a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. I had never seen production value like that. Ever. I was just in awe at how good the show looked. And once I was over that, I realized how much fun it looked like the people were having. One of my teachers added, “and their getting paid.” I realized I could live in New York , which sounded fun. I think it was just me realizing that I could have a good time in a show. That my job would be a really good time. I’ll get to tell stories and, hopefully, at the end of the day change some lives.
MS: What was your first professional gig
PTB: It was at the Muni in St. Louis. When I was in college I got my Equity card and I sang “Beautiful Girl” in “Singing in the Rain.” I did “Peter Pan” there. I did “Oklahoma there. I think I’ve done thirteen different shows at the Muni, mostly when I was in college, but I’ve been back a couple times since then. That’s where I got my start. When I moved to the City I went out on the National Tour of “Young Frankenstein.” A week after that contract was up I signed up for the National Tour of “Jersey Boys.” When that contract ended I went back to New York and did seven shows on Broadway. I haven’t been back on the road in quite some time so it’s been fun to get my tour legs again.
MS: Is there a role you’d like to play? Too bad “Phantom” just closed.
PTB: (laughing) Maybe in four years when it comes back. I’d love to play Sweeney Todd actually. It’s back and it’s on Broadway. Josh Grobin is doing it. Maybe when he’s out of there I can get seen for it. That would be great. I’d also love to play George Seurat in “Sunday in the Park with George.” I guess ultimately, I just want to do a Sondheim show! I’ve never done a Sondheim show and I’m really itching to do one.
“Les Miserables” opens in Kansas City on Tuesday, May 2. For tickets and information about this and futurte shows, please click HERE.
Tim Jacobus is responsible for well over 100 pieces of art. Best known for his cover art work on the R. L. Stine Goosebumps series, Tim is responsible for creating the iconic 62 original series covers, followed by the Goosebumps series 2000, special edition books, calendars and other GBs promotional art.
Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Tim about the legacy of his work creating covers for the Goosebumps series, his favorite covers and how it feels to give tons of kids nightmares from just covers alone!!!
Click below to purchase official signed art by Tim: https://jacobusstudios.com/
Broken Lizard comedy troupe consists, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske. They are behind cult classics like SUPER TROOPERS and BEERFEST.
Media Mikes had a chance to discuss their new film QUASI as well as SUPER TROOPERS 3 & BEERFEST 2.
QUASI premise: Follow a hapless hunchback who yearns for love, but finds himself in the middle of a murderous feud between the Pope and the king of France when each orders the hunchback to kill the other.
Here is our first interview with Broken Lizard dating back to 2010: https://mediamikes.com/2010/05/interview-with-broken-lizard/
Andrew Scott Bell is the composer of the new film “Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey”, which follows Pooh and Piglet, who have now become feral and bloodthirsty murderers, as they terrorise a group of young university women and an adult Christopher Robin when he returns to the Hundred Acre Wood many years later after leaving for college. He also also co-composed the 2019 film “Deathcember”, which is a collection of 24 films that take a look at the dark side of the festive season.
Steve Wolsh is the man behind the new horror movie KILL HER GOATS starring Playboy Playmates and also horror legend, Kane Hodder!
Official Premise: Audra’s graduation gift is her dream house, but it soon becomes a living nightmare when some uninvited guests come to her homecoming party who aren’t very subtle about the fact they don’t approve of the home’s new owner.
KILL HER GOATS is Steve’s second movie after MUCK (2015), which both live inside the same film universe. It was funded by one of the most successful Kickstarters of all time and features 100% practical creature and gore effects…did I mention that it stars Playboy Playmates and horror legend, Kane Hodder!!?? This is a must see for all horror fans for sure!
You can purchased KILL HER GOATS from the official website along with tons of other additional merchandise, including a soundtrack album and even a GoatFace mask from Trick or Treat Studios: https://killhergoats.com/
Craig David Dowsett plays Pooh in the new horror film “Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey”. Media Mikes got to chat with him to discuss what it was like behind the mask and plans for the upcoming sequel due out February 2024!
The days of adventures and merriment have come to an end, as Christopher Robin, now a young man, has left Winnie-The-Pooh and Piglet to fend for themselves. As time passes, feeling angry and abandoned, the two become feral. After getting a taste for blood, Winnie-The-Pooh and Piglet set off to find a new source of food. It’s not long before their bloody rampage begins.
Ro Malaga is Head of Business Development for the Tampa Bay Comic Convention as well as part of the marketing team. We got a chance to chat with him to discuss the plans for this year’s show and the already impressive guest line-up so far!
The Tampa Bay Comic Convention takes place on July 28-30, 2023 at the Tampa Bay Convention Center. The first round of celebrity guest attendees include Giancarlo Esposito, Jim Cummings, Pauly Shore, Steve Downes and Jen Taylor.
Click here for the official website and to purchase tickets now while they are on-sale!
