search articles:     from the issue of September 22, 2005         Ross to debut film by UNL professor The Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film will present the Lincoln premiere of Almost Normal, at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, Sept. 23.     Teo The film is produced and edited by Sharon Teo, UNL assistant professor, and runs through Sept. 29 at the Ross. The premiere screening begins at 7 p.m. and is followed by a reception at the Van Brunt Visitors Center. For more information on the premier, call 472-1619 or send email to jhagemeier1@unl.edu. Almost Normal takes a very unconventional story and delivers it in a very conventional manner. Brad Jenkins (J. Andrew Keitch) is gay, just turned 40 and is single. Reminiscing, Brad confides to his best friend since high school, Julie (Joan Lauckner) that he wishes he could just be normal. Maybe then he could have scored with the hottest jock at his school, Roland Davis (Tim Hammer). Suddenly taken back in time, Brad wakes up and finds he has returned to high school in a world where being straight is considered deviant behavior. Meeting Roland Davis this time, the two become the hottest couple at school. However, when Brad and Julie cross paths, they fall in love and suddenly, normal becomes almost normal. Filmed entirely in Nebraska, actors and crew were pooled from UNL and the local community. Cast members include UNL Theatre and Film faculty/staff members Stan Brown, Brad Buffum and Virginia Smith; UNL Theatre students/alumni Joan Lauckner, Tim Hammer, Nils Haaland, Joel Egger, Adam Jefferis, Katherine Nora LeRoy, Erinn Holmes, Timothy Horner, Robie Hayek, Kira Schlitt and Aaron DuPree. Crew members include UNL Theatre and Film students/alumni Michael Leonard, Misti Bradford, Renee Albrecht, Nils Haaland, Cally Hendricks and Walter McManigal. Almost Normal won the Phred Love Best Filmmaker Award at the 2005 Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival, won Best of Fest at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Film Series of the 25th Annual Breckenridge Festival of Film, and won Best Ensemble Cast of the 25th Annual Breckenridge Festival of Film. Contact the Ross for show times at 472-9100 or www.theross.org. GO TO: ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 22 ARTS HEADLINES FOR SEPTEMBER 22 Ross to debut film by UNL professor American Life in Poetry Einstein: A Stage Portrait Faculty Dance Club to open new season Sept. 24 732211S34998X