Bob Geiss and Cynthia Church, residents of Sun City, are actors with the Theatre Company of Sun City. Recently, they received an opportunity to play minor roles in a short feature film, The Vision, set in the Delavan, Wisconsin, area. The film is produced by The Creative Wisconsin Filmmakers, a group trying to encourage more filmmaking in southern Wisconsin.
Geiss was introduced to the producer, Mark Roling, through a friend. Roling has worked with Hollywood stars, including Clint Eastwood, on films like The Bridges of Madison County. Roling was interested in casting Geiss in the movie.
Geiss said, “He wanted to come and see me in the Hello Dolly production. I was being cast as Father O’Brien in The Vision. When he saw Cynthia in the role of Dolly, he asked to talk to her.”
Church agreed.
“The producer said that they had a spot in the production for me in the role of the mother-in-law. I said yes but was concerned about the timing since I had a knee replacement at the end of July,” she said.
The producer sent Church the script to review. At the end of August, the rehearsal was held online through Zoom, and the filming took place in mid-September.
Church and Geiss headed north to the filming in the town of Delevan, but not together. Their roles were filmed on different days. Church’s filming took place at the Penwern Estate.
Church said, “Penwern Estate is 120 years old and is on a 10-acre site, with 600 feet of lakefront and a view of Delavan Lake. It is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s early architectural designs. There are some elements of the Prairie style in the estate. It even had a Safe Room.”
Geiss’s filming took place in Christ Episcopal Church in Delavan.
“The film features the character Sam Brighton. Sam’s wife Julia is killed by a hit-and-run driver that sends him to drinking. He goes to Wisconsin to escape. Cynthia plays Julia’s mother,” Geiss said.
The filming took place in various locations in Delavan city and township. Geiss said, “The town was excited about the project and welcomed the production.”
In the film, Sam goes to the church that Julia’s family belongs to. Sam and Julia chose to have a civil ceremony, disappointing the family. Sam wonders if Julia would have been spared if they had married in church.
In the role of Father O’Brien, Geiss responds, “Your vows to each other are the most important thing in the eyes of God, not the location. Grief is expected and necessary, but learn to lean on your friends and family, and sooner rather than later, your heart will be filled with joyous memories you have of Julia, and then, you will have the strength to move on. God works in mysterious ways like that.”
Geiss said, “I identified with Sam a little. I lost my wife recently, and we did get married in a civil ceremony. My ending line was, Sam, sometimes your worst enemy can be yourself.”
Church said, “It was fun and exciting. It was just like you see in the movies. Hearing the clapperboard and then ‘Sound, Rolling, Action’ was exciting. I run around a corner, hug Sam, and say, ‘Look who’s here,’ and walk down a steep hill. Sam, in character, grabs my hand to help me. I was concerned since I was unsure how strong I would be on my knee.”
Geiss’s major and profession were in psychology. He said, “I played in one of the Barbershop Quartets in The Music Man and was in the glee club in high school.”
Church minored in theatre. “I’ve been in about 14 of Sun City’s shows. But this was an experience that I didn’t anticipate. It was delightful. My family is very excited. This wasn’t even on my bucket list.”
The premiere will be at Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan in late October or early November. Geiss said, “We are hoping to attend if it doesn’t conflict with rehearsal for Fiddler.” Both are in the Sun City production of Fiddler on the Roof. Come and see Sun City’s movie stars in Fiddler on the Roof. Show Dates: November 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. Ticket info: 847-515-8545 or 847-515-1583.
