Media Credit: submitted
Danielle Wolverton,left, as Becky, is reluctantly embraced by Morris, center, played by Bobby Bowden, while Kyle, right, played by Dave Andersen, looks on during a theater scene in the new sitcom "Rommies." The show will begin to air in February on DTV.
Utah is now the home to the first sitcom entirely written, produced and filmed within state lines.
The aptly titled sitcom "Roomies" will feature four students as starring cast members led by Director Bobby Bowden, a junior communication major from Layton.
The local sitcom follows four college students through the ups and downs of college life and campus living. However, the way the story is told makes this sitcom one that will intrigue audience members.
"The sitcom is first shot from a guy's point of view, and the second half is shot from a female's point of view," Bowden said.
The different points of view will allow people to experience how the opposite sex views the same situation.
"I originally pitched the idea to Stan Everett, chairman of D-TV, and he liked the idea and gave us a 12-episode first season on D-TV," Bowden said. "If it's a good enough product he said he will submit it to the Emmy's."
Bowden has directed and produced several films prior to "Roomies." He has been to the Cannes Film Festival in France for an original short film. Bowden became the first filmmaker in the state of Utah to have a film accepted into this world-renowned festival. Bowden's film was presented on the same day Director Steven Spielberg presented the recent "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
Danielle Wolverton, a sophomore art major from St. George, plays Becky, a snobby teen who makes a living as a model.
"The part was written for me based on a similar character I previously played in an earlier film project," Wolverton said. "The production has been really fun. We have a good group of people."
Producer Sheldon Demke also plays Mick in the sitcom. Demke describes his character as an average, straight-laced normal guy.
"My character gets put into situations where he has to act irrationally or not myself," Demke said. "Im also co-writing the third and fourth episode right now."
He said they want to incorporate shots of notable St. George areas.
"That way when people watch the show they feel connected and recognize the area," Demke said.
The pilot episode of "Roomies" is tentatively scheduled to hit the air on CEC in the beginning of February.
Nick Mihalopoulos
Issue date: 1/14/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
