A Song for Honest Abe

SYNOPSIS

Folk singer Shazee Kornpepper has had success as a recording artist and performer. But she longs for a deeper, more substantial way to make her artistic contribution. She begins to notice a pattern in her life. Is it merely coincidence that she was raised near Lincoln, Nebraska (or at least nearby), and her favorite toy as a child was Lincoln Logs? And what about the fact that her grandfather's first car was a Lincoln? Certainly, the forces that guide nature are at work telling her something. She concludes that it must be because she is uniquely capable of interpreting Lincoln's words for today's masses. And what better way to do this than in folk music? Host Bill Simmons follows Shazee through her recording sessions as she presents Lincoln in a well...unique way. It may be a mock documentary, but stranger things have topped the pop charts. And as the Kurt Vonnegut quote that ends the film declares, "All persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental."

(Festival Version)

STARRING

Hope Levy as Shazee Kornpepper

As a well-established actress and musician, Hope is constantly on the go. In addition to serving as the voice of Chet Zipper on the Nickelodeon series, As Told by Ginger, she is an ongoing presence on stage and screen. She can currently be found singing the song "Welcome to Duloc" in the Dreamworks film Shrek and its accompanying soundtrack. This year she has put her musical talents to work in a starring role in Showboat at the Hollywood Bowl, as well as her one-person show Hope Levy's Multiplex: A Cinematic Cabaret, which included original music for and interpretations of famous monologues from ten classic films. The latter played at the Tiffany Theatre in Hollywood to widespread industry acclaim and has spawned the release of an album of music from the show.

Larry McCormick as Bill Simmons

In a city of movie stars like Los Angeles, few people achieve the distinction of local icon. Larry McCormick is one such person. As the television anchor for news on KTLA, Larry has been nominated for several Emmy Awards, and has been the recipient of several Golden Mike Awards. In June, 1994, Larry won the prestigious Governor's Award, the highest honor presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Larry's theater background has also gone to good use as he has appeared in over 80 film and television productions, often playing a broadcaster. These have included, Naked Gun 2 1/2, Throw Momma From the Train, and Fly Away Home.

Kathy Christopherson as Andrea Johnson

If you've been to a major film festival in the last couple of years, you've probably become very familiar with the talents of Kathy Christopherson. She's had recent starring roles in Robert Peters' Mutual Love Life (Slamdance winner and now playing on HBO), Rick Nahmias' A Fate Foretold (with Grace Zabriskie), and The Animal director Luke Greenfield's The Right Hook. As her reputation in independent film grows, she remains in demand for large budget film and television productions, with starring credits including Executive Target, Last Exit To Earth, and Guyver 2: Dark Hero; and recent guest appearances on Titus and C.S.I.