The Tollbooth - A Film By Debra Kirschner

THE TOLLBOOTH A Film By Debra Kirschner
Cast
MARLA SOKOLOFF, “SARABETH”

Sokoloff is best known for her witty portrayal of sassy receptionist Lucy Hatcher on ABC’s THE PRACTICE.  She was most recently seen on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES as Claire, the misunderstood nanny.  This spring, she will star in the new WB series MODERN MEN with George Wendt, Jane Seymour and Josh Braaten.  Her recent indie films include HOME OF PHOBIA – an edgy satire with John Goodman, Sam Huntington, Heather Matarazzo and Rachel Dratch as well as the indie ensemble comedy DELUXE COMBO PLATTER. Later this year, she will appear in Vinyl with Thora Birch, Shane West and Anna Faris.  She has been featured in the films WHATEVER IT TAKES, DUDE WHERE’S MY CAR, and SUGAR AND SPICE. Television appearances include guest roles on FRIENDS, FULL HOUSE, PARTY OF FIVE and a starring role in the Lifetime movie A DATE WITH DARKNESS.  She won a Jewish Image Award for Best Female Character of 2005 for her portrayal of Sarabeth in THE TOLLBOOTH.


TOVAH FELDSHUH, “RUTHIE”

Feldshuh astonished critics with her portrayal of Golda Meir in GOLDA’S BALCONY earning the Lucile Lortel Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress as well as a Tony nomination. Her recent films include KISSING JESSICA STEIN, HAPPY ACCIDENTS, DEATH BY COMMITTEE, A WALK ON THE MOON and NOON BLUE APPLES.   Upcoming films include MOUNT OF OLIVES with F. Murray Abraham and JUST MY LUCK with Lindsay Lohan.  For her previous work on the New York stage, from YENTL to SARAVA to LEND ME A TENOR, Tovah Feldshuh has received three additional Tony Nominations, four Drama Desk Awards, four Outer Critics Circle Awards, The Obie, and the Theatre World Award.  In 2004, she was nominated for an Emmy for her recurring television role on LAW & ORDER.  She won Best Supporting Actress at Method Fest for her portrayal of Ruthie in THE TOLLBOOTH.


RONALD GUTTMAN, “ISAAC” & PRODUCER

Guttman can currently be seen in MUNICH and will next be seen in MRS. HARRIS with Annette Benning and Ben Kingsley.  He recently played Danny’s Father in THE BELIEVER (Sundance, Grand Jury Prize).  He has supporting roles in more than thirty films - including THE GURU with Heather Graham and Marisa Tomei, THE GIRL, THE BEAST, THE LUCKY ONES and THE PILLOW BOOK.  He has recurring television roles on LAW & ORDER, THIRD WATCH, ALL MY CHILDREN and AS THE WORLD TURNS and guest spots on many shows including WEST WING, LOST and SEX AND THE CITY.


IDINA MENZEL, “RAQUEL”

Menzel recently starred as Maureen Johnson in the film version of RENT - a role she created as part of the original Broadway cast, for which she earned her first Tony nomination.  In 2004, Menzel won the Tony Award for her portrayal of Elphaba in the Stephen Schwartz musical WICKED.  She will next be seen in the film ASK THE DUST with Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek.


LIZ STAUBER, “BECKY”

Stauber was recently seen in the M. Night Shaymalan film THE VILLAGE with Juaquin Phoenix.  In fall of 2006, she will appear in the film SHUT UP AND SING with Molly Shannon.  She played the girlfriend of Russ (Billy Crudup) in ALMOST FAMOUS and has supporting roles in WHITE OLEANDER, THREE KINGS, TEACHING MRS. TINGLE and CAN’T HARDLY WAIT.  As a child, she led the cast in the Imax hit T-REX: BACK TO THE CRETACEOUS.


ROB MCELHENNEY, “SIMON”

McElhenney is writer, director, producer and star of the F/X television series IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA.  He played Chris Hammond in 13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING and has had supporting roles in CAMPFIRE STORIES, WONDER BOYS, THE DEVIL’S OWN and the award-winning indie film LATTER DAYS.


JAYCE BARTOK, “HOWIE”

Bartok made his mark playing Pony in SUBURBIA in 1996. He has appeared in numerous indie films including, THE STATION AGENT, RED DOORS, HOME SWEET HOBOKEN, ROPEWALK and SWING KIDS and numerous studio films including SPIDER-MAN and THE FISHER KING.  He has also had recurring roles on OZ and LAW AND ORDER.  He is in pre-production for the film CAKE EATERS, which he wrote and will be starring in, which will be directed by Mary Stuart Masterson.


RACHEL BLACK, “NAOMI”

Black will next star in the thriller QUID PRO QUO with Vera Faminga, Anna Chlumsky and Nick Stahl and has a supporting role in the next Spike Lee film.


VANESSA FERLITO, “GINA”

Ferlito plays Aiden Burn on the hit show CSI New York.  She has appeared in the films ON-LINE, 25TH HOUR, UNDEFEATED, MAN OF THE HOUSE and SPIDER-MAN 2 and has had recurring television roles on THE SOPRANOS and 24.


DEBORAH OSTROWSKY, “STACEY”

Ostrowsky played several voices on the VH1 show ILL-USTRATED.  She is a Stand-up comedian, a singer and a member of improvisation group THE GROUNDLINGS.


WILLIAM WISE, “BILL”

Wise is best known for playing Willis in the critically acclaimed picture IN THE BEDROOM and Wade in the film 13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING.  His other films include RED BETSY, BLUE STEEL and COMFORTABLY NUMB.


ALEXANDER KOPIT, EDITOR, PRODUCER & POST SUPERVISOR

Before starting on THE TOLLBOOTH, Mr. Kopit edited the feature GOD HAS A RAP SHEET, (directed by Kamal Ahmed, creator of The Jerky Boys), which won Best Picture at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival and premiered theatrically at the Pioneer Theater, NY.  He recently worked as an assistant editor on Jarhead for legendary film editor Walter Murch.  Kopit is an Executive Producer and the Post Production Supervisor of the documentary feature THE MISEDUCATION OF BRETT PORTARO.  He edited and produced acclaimed shorts such as LAST CALL (Best Narrative Short, USA Film Festival, Audience Award, Paris Short Film Festival) and THE CHEEKS (Hamptons International Film Festival, Full Frame International Film Festival). A graduate of Dartmouth College and son of prominent playwright and screenwriter Arthur Kopit, Alexander has collaborated on screenplays with The Barry Sonnenfeld Corporation, Warner Bros. Pictures and Miramax Films.


DAVID SHIRE, COMPOSER

Academy Award Winner David Shire created the music for some of the most classic films of all time; including NORMA RAE (for which he won the Oscar), THE PROMISE (Oscar Nomination), Frances Ford Coppola’s THE CONVERSATION, ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN, 2010, MAX DUGAN RETURNS, TAKING OF PELHAM 1,2,3, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, which he created with the Bee Gees (Golden Globe Nomination), SHORT CIRCUIT (BMI award), VICE VERSA, RETURN TO OZ, ONE NIGHT STAND, DRIVE HE SAID, and more than one hundred additional films and television movies.  His TV movie scores have earned him four Emmy nominations.  He wrote theme songs for acclaimed television series including MCCLOUD and ALICE.  Along with lyricist Richard Maltby Jr., he composed several Broadway and off-Broadway musicals including BABY (Tony Nomination), BIG (Tony Nomination), STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW, CLOSER THAN EVER and the musical SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.  He is a graduate of Yale.  He is married to actress Didi Conn.


STEFAN FORBES, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

THE TOLLBOOTH is Mr. Forbes’ fifth feature film. This Emmy Award-winning Director of Photography also shot the film ANNE B. REAL, starring Carlos Leon of OZ and Ernie Hudson of GHOSTBUSTERS, and was Co-Director of Photography on WEST OF HERE with Mary Stuart Masterson.  Mr. Forbes has shot in Europe, Africa, Australia, Canada and South America for DreamWorks, Universal Records, ESPN, The Discovery Channel, PBS's Frontline, MTV, the History Channel of Canada, the BBC, and others.  Mr. Forbes’ documentary ONE MORE DEAD FISH showed in film festivals worldwide and will soon be released for international broadcast. Mr. Forbes has also shot and co-directed many music videos for bands such as Godsmack and Natural, and was a Competition Finalist in MTV's Flying Indie competition.  He has taught cinematography at the Boston Film and Video Foundation. He is a graduate of Brown University.


ADRIENNE STERN, CASTING DIRECTOR

Ms. Stern has cast more than thirty films, including 13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING starring Matthew McConaughey, John Turturro, Alan Arkin, Amy Irving and THE TOLLBOOTH’s own Rob McElhenney, DAVID AND LAYLA, ROCK THE PAINT, THE TECHNICAL WRITER, THE BELIEVER, THE FIVE SENSES, WHATEVER, and GIRLSTOWN.  She has also worked extensively in television, including Fox’s THAT 70’S SHOW, Lifetime’s PYRITE, and theater, including Ensemble Studio Theater, Ubu Repertory Theater and The Vineyard Theater.  Ms. Stern has been casting for the Sundance Institute New York Screenplay Reading Series from 1996-2003 and she is a member of New York Women in Film and Television.


LYNNANN KLOTZ, PRODUCTION COUNSEL

Ms. Klotz specializes in entertainment law.  She brings to THE TOLLBOOTH her extensive experience representing filmmakers, producers and distributors in all legal aspects of independent narrative and documentary feature film production and distribution. Current production counsel work includes RENT-A-HUSBAND, an Italian/US co-production starring Maria Grazia Cuccinotti and BLUE TRIANGLE starring Summer Phoenix and Armand Assante.  Recent narrative projects include, LISA PICARD IS FAMOUS, GODASS, MACBETH IN MANHATTAN, HIGH ART and RIVER RED.  Her work includes numerous documentaries, including PLAYER HATING, which she is also producing with filmmaker Maggie Hadleigh-West and PRIVATE DICKS, WAR ZONE and THE SMITH FAMILY for PBS’ documentary series P.O.V. (DGA Award, Emmy Nomination).


SANDRA ANN SEMINSKI, ARTIST

Ms. Seminski graduated from the Mason Gross School of the Arts in May 2000.  She received an Honorable Mention from the Photographer’s Forum Annual College Photography Contest in 2001.  Her paintings have been shown throughout New Jersey.  She currently paints murals for a living and studies graphic design at the Katharine Gibbs School for Visual Communications.
Starring Marla Sokoloff · Tovah Feldshuh · Ronald Guttman · Liz Stauber · Idina Menzel · Rob McElhenney · Jayce Bartok