Award-winning 'Darren & Abbey' comes to Cutting Hall
Some of the most interesting people we meet in our lives are the ones we never planned to meet. It just happens. Palatine native writer/director, Michael P. Noens explores this in his independent feature film, “Darren & Abbey”.
The film itself has screened at film festivals in several countries and has also earned an Audience Favorite award at the Riverside International Film Festival in California. Produced entirely in Palatine, a northwest suburb of Chicago, “Darren & Abbey” discusses important teen issues while covering the following topics: power, money, family, sex and time. “That was my outline,” Noens says. “I started writing the script with those five basic topics and let the conversation between the two leading characters grow from that.”
Darren is a college student, living with Abbey's older brother, Eric. When Darren discovers he isn't invited back home for the holidays, he finds himself in a slump. Eric forces Darren to come home with him to spend the holidays with his family. When they arrive to the small town of Benton Creek, they swing by Abbey's High School to pick her up from a play rehearsal. Darren and Abbey have their awkward introductions as Eric obnoxiously flirts with an old fling.
Eric ends up bailing on the two of them, asking Abbey to do the honors of showing Darren around the town. “That's where the film truly takes off,” Noens continues. “You take two strangers who know nothing about one another and force them to spend time together, alone. For most of us, that could be a terrifying situation, however, it is in scenarios like this that we unleash our true selves and possibly begin long-lasting relationships.”
“In this film, it's all about the simplicities and the connection between the two characters,” says Fremd High School graduate, Mark Stewart Iverson (who plays Darren in the film). “Darren is a pretty reserved guy. He's in his head, logical, reserved and more of a math person. Everything has a right answer. And it has come to the point where he doesn't know the answer to a lot of things.” The truth about the two leading characters is that they couldn't be more different than one another. According to Glenbard West High School graduate, Annie Rix (who plays Abbey in the film), “Darren and Abbey are two totally different people. Abbey is a spunkster – if that is a word. She's super energetic, loves attention and isn't afraid of anything. She's very risky.” Rix also believes the film encourages its audience to put themselves out there and experience the beauty of meeting someone new.
The Blue Whiskey Cinema series is proud to present this locally-produced, character-driven film at the Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, 150 E. Wood St. in Palatine. The film will be playing on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the door. Call (847) 202-5222 or purchase online at cuttinghall.org. The Blue Whiskey Cinema screens one new independent film every month. For more information and screening dates, visit bluewhiskeycinema.com.