Ovation

“Ovation” is a film about what takes place backstage in the critical week before a theater finds itself economically forced to close. Not only the production – which we never see, only getting glimpses of the actors going on-stage and coming off after curtain calls – but the entire theater complex is under threat of destruction in a secret high-end real estate deal, unknown to the members of the theater company or the play’s producer (Cathy Arden). Caught in this theatrical / financial double-dealing crisis – is Maggie Chase, (Tanna Frederick) a highly talented and respected theater star who is caught between her “art” and her more commercial ambitions and a famous romantic male Television Star – Stewart Henry (James Denton) who has left behind dreams of art and creativity to successfully pursue TV fame and fortune. Sub-plots abound, involving the actors, agents, producers, directors and even the make-up people, each of who have separate and often conflicting agendas with one another. All of this takes place backstage and in various parts of the theater complex, but we never see any of these people anywhere outside of their natural habitat, which is The Theater. Nor do we ever see the play that they are in, because… Backstage is where the real drama happens!