“Hit the MARC” by Chen Drachman
Hit the MARC wrapped in 2013. The cast and crew were made up entirely of AMDA alumni and students, who all volunteered for what we look back as a display of raw talent, first project out of school. But two years of work on the show brought a lot of followers and we still get positive reaction until today. We chose to leave the episodes online to show other young artists that even with no budget at all, there’s a lot you can do if you really want to crate something.
The MARC (The Musical Arts Robertson Conservatory) is a performing arts school in NYC, where drama, scheming, gossip, some very bitter teachers and some very competitive divas are part of the norm. A division between social circles, different faces and approaches, struggles with different dreams and identities, and in the middle of it all, the unending battle to survive from week to week and always grow. It’s an ensemble show in which the cast get to show a variety of talents in different disciplines and materials. It’s a comedy, but it also deals with deep issues that would bother people who live in the kind of environment an art school creates.
Media | Cast and Crew
Want to get a quick summery of what the show is about and what has been happening? Check out Kerrin Drexler’s recaps on her blog!
1. Check out an interview with Chen about life in the city, and “Hit the MARC” on “Holon Bat-Yam Times”, a newspaper in
Israel, on April 2012. For a JPEG version in Hebrew click here. For the English translation click here.
2. Check out an article about webshows on “The Split Screen”, one of the biggest TV content websites in Israel, on December
2011. For summery in English click here. For a JPEG version click here.
3. Check out an article about webshows on “Walla”, one of the biggest portals in Israel, on December 2011. The article has a
big section about “Hit the Marc”. For summery in English click here. For a JPEG version click here.
4. Check out this Q & A with Chen at the AMDA blog on August 2011. Or here for a JPEG version.
The cast (in Alphabetical order):
Regulars:
Kelly Coalson (Abbie Treveor) – Abbie is a 20 years old girl from Salt Lake City, Utah. Growing up as a gay girl surrounded by Mormons wasn’t easy. She ran away from her sexuality for a while, but at this point she’s very sure of whom she is, and she hasno problem with that except for the occasional nudge from the parents. She is coming from an average – low economic background and in order to afford school she took 2 years after she graduated high school to work in a couple of jobs, sometimes more. She loves the business, it’s her dream to be a performer, and she’s very strong with this inner quiet strength.
Chen Drachman (CJ Fitzgerald) – stands for Calypso Jaxith. CJ is the “badass” with the “Whatever. Fuck this shit” attitude. She tells herself and the people around her that she’s only in school because her mom made her go, but she really loves what she’s doing, she just doesn’t let people see that truth very often. She’s actually kind and caring but she feels like she needs this mask as a defense.
Frank Francisco (Miguel Thunder) – Born and raised on the Upper West Side and has lived and breathed Broadway shows since he was breast feeding. He is completely flamboyant, completely a diva, but no one knows why he’s there. He can’t act or sing or dance, yet he is certain he’s god’s gift to the planet coz that’s what his mom told him from the day he was born. Deep down he knows the truth but this is something he wants so badly, that he wears this mask of pretending and keeps on going with his one man show. People think he’s deluded but he’s actually really strong for not giving up and he’s determined to find a way, and he lets his passion and love to be his strength.
Alejandro Moscoso (Javier Valasquez) – Javier is from Venezuela. He’s completely in the closet though everybody knows he’s gay. He struggles with coming out and part of the reason he came to NYC was to look for the freedom he needed in order to come out. He’s a bit clumsy and shy but he has a really good heart and he’s very smart, and he’s fighting with his sometimes low self esteem and struggles with the language barrier.
Constanza Palavecino (Pillar Alvaro) – grew up in queens. Had to work hard her entire life in order to allow herself having what she wants. She still works in two different jobs while at school but no one knows that. The way she was brought up made her rough, competitive, a survivor, who feels like she always needs to fight to get what she wants. She dreams about this as a career, in order to get out of her former life and become a star and always be able to have what she wants. She’s not stopping for anyone, she’s good and she knows it, and if there’s someone who seems like a worthy threat, she will eat him alive, though deep down she’s quite kind.
Housso Semon (Terry Vail) – Terry is very talented, she’s very aware of that, things come easily for her which get her into the habit of not working hard enough at times. She wants to succeed and wants to be good but she sometimes thinks she’s already there and that she doesn’t really need to learn anymore. She goes to auditions even though she’s not supposed to, she always stand her scene partners up, and have a certain “Why am I here” attitude in class. But she never misses the classes themselves because deep down she knows she still have much to learn and she’s really intrigued by what the teachers have to deliver.
Re – occurring:
Jackson Eather (Davie Jones)
Philippa Lynas (Chloe Bower) – very competitive, thinks she deserves everything. This is why they agree about things a lot but they’re in two different ends of the rainbow because they want the same thing. Chloe never wanted to do anything else and just like with Pillar, the bitchiness is coming from a place of fear from losing what she wants most so she feels like she always needs to fight and prove herself.
Deborah Meister (Berta Wulfgang)
Natalia Saltiel (Jimena)
Special Guests:
Billy Johnstone (The dance teacher) – He has seen it all. He isn’t surprised by anything anymore, he means business and he lets you know that, but deep down he loves what he is doing tremendously and he’s looking for a way to inspire.
Elaine Petricoff (Musical Theater Teacher)
Dan Daily (Acting Teacher)
Noa Lulu Zahavi (Collette the secratary)
Crew (in Alphabetical order):
Chen Drachman – Creator, writer, producer, co-director, cinematographer, editor.
Juan Jose Arroyo Pacheco – Co-director.
Camille Theobald – Co-director, cinematographer.
Shiran Farbman – Head of PR.
Noy Drachman – Head of PR.