SIR HARRY LAUDER TONIGHT!
A famed Hollywood actor produces and stars in an Off-Broadway musical about his idle – the acclaimed, world renowned but long forgotten musical hall entertainer, Sir Harry Lauder. A biographical musical extravaganza. All music public domain. Multiple contest wins and placements.
Speaking to a symposium of theatre students and Broadway professionals, he outlines his reasons, as a man of the theatre, for mounting this production: • Lauder was the most famous entertainer in the world in his day, • He was the highest paid entertainer in show business, • He was the first international super star, • He became a star of stage, screen and radio, • He survived tragic personal life experiences.
Dunlap also discusses the financial risks of producing and starring in his own show. He is confident, but concerned, about how the play will be received. But Dunlap is determined; the Harry Lauder story deserves to be told.
Moving on to the Opening Night, Dunlap interacts with his director, crew, fellow actors, dresser, make-up lady and his husband, Brian Standish.
Awaiting his bagpipe entrance off stage, Dunlap transforms from his affable, low key persona into the dynamic, energetic and charismatic performer that was Sir Harry Lauder.
The play, “Sir Harry Lauder Tonight” is then performed and filmed in front of a live audience. The show contains all the Harry Lauder signature tunes and displays his phenomenal onstage personality.
The performance of the play is the highlight of the film.
Following the Opening Night curtain, Dunlap retreats to his Greenwich Village apartment to await the theatrical reviews.
There, in the early morning hours, they find the reviews online. The show is a success!
Not surprisingly, they celebrate singing a Harry Lauder song.
Screenplays
Jim specializes in screenplays based on historical true events (including musicals), bio/pics and/or disasters. In alphabetical order:
“BOJANGLES, EUBIE AND BERT!” Three Black musical legends of the past – Bert Williams, Eubie Blake and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson – relive their show business success in spite of racism and theatrical bigotry.
ScriptLinks
Post Your Script Here!One, Second Summer (Young Adult/Romance/Sci-Fi/Dramedy)
Second Summer on Cape Cod is usually a quiet time, until a spaceship of wacky extraterrestrials come to visit, and two fearless tween-agers, determined to meet them, find out why.
Bewitching Hitler: The Coven that Beat the Nazis and Saved the Wolrd! (Historical Fiction/Dramedy/Romance - based on actual events.)
A plucky UK/New Forest Witch Coven conjures an ancient magic spell to prevent Hitler from winning World War II.
Illicit
In a daring escape from their high-stakes corporate lives and familial responsibilities, two married executives find themselves entangled in a passionate affair at an upscale hotel.
Beyond Forever
Reeling from a devastating personal tragedy, a man abandons his successful career, family, and friends to embark on a one-way journey to Mars through an avant-garde space exploration initiative.
BOOM!Town (Parody of Crime/Mob Story/Dramedy)
After a bloody car bombing, a blown-off human foot lands on the roof of a retired, cash-poor mob cleaner who schemes to extort the Mafia Don that ordered the hit, unaware his wacky plan may help the FBI catch the cut-throat gangster.
My Name is Wallace (Romantic Comedy/Differently-Abled/Dramedy)
A lonely, autistic man misunderstands a computer ad, connects to a fantasy-sex site, and falls in love.
MAD DADDY! (Historical Fiction/BIO/Dramedy)
A wildly talented, schizophrenic 1950s rock deejay—at the height of his radio success—contemplates suicide, then faces intervention by a series of ghosts from his past.
Happy New Year, Mr. Kates! (Hoilday/Dramedy/Magical Realism)
A contemporary holiday tale about a grumpy old man who resides in the memory unit of nursing home, and is presented with a gripping bargain by a mystical stranger: the chance to swap his inconsequential life for that of a lost child’s, one snowy New Year's Eve.
The Confession (Elevated Horror/Drama/Thriller)
A shy eight-year-old Catholic girl commits a petty crime to have a
Radioland! (Coming of Age/Psychological/Comedy/Drama/Memoir
A naïve 12-year-old boy, falls in love with a fantasy, learns the truth about his fatally flawed hero -- a 1960s Top 40 radio deejay -- and discovers the bittersweet
