SOCIAL MEDIA BACKERS
The following individuals went out of their way to support Love and Communication on social media. Below are their names and one thing that I appreciate about them (besides that fact that they are supporting the film).
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Shelly Pottorf: She toured the country with a Tiny House she designed/architected. It's a cool house and I want to live in it someday. At the Princeton stop she parked at Community Park.
Shannon Bryant: As I understand it, she's the one who actually physically built the Tiny House referenced above. Has a nephew who's an actor and is unflaggingly supportive. She's the kind of person always thinking about how to help others.
Lauren Byrne: One of Jimmy's first teachers and one of our all time favorites. Incredibly patient (and I mean with us, not just Jimmy). Helped out on the filming when we had scenes with therapists working with students with autism.
Noelie Hillebrecht: My amazing sister who finagled me to use her school to shoot at for two days and then put up a chunk of my crew in her house.
Tom Devaney: My composer! You hear his music in the trailer (except the slightly more poppy song that comes on at 1:20). I feel like his music makes this movie come to life and am profoundly grateful to have connected with him on this.
Susan Stuck: Former co-worker, the only true foodie I know (sorry pretender foodies) and I believe the only person on earth who has hosted my whole family besides those in my immediate family.
Marc and Lisa Huguenin: Their son was Jimmy's classmate when they were both tiny. They have always been our model autism parents: profoundly selfless, deep love of their child but also supporters to the community. Unfortunately Marc is a Giants fan. Typically I'm supposed to say "but I don't hold that against him." But that would be lying because of course I do.
Joe Gironda: Jimmy's gym and after school teacher who spends a LOT of his free time supporting our fundraising efforts. We're so grateful for Joe and the support Jimmy gets at Douglass.
David Lee White: Fellow NJ Playwright. We used to commiserate about being underproduced playwrights together but he's on a major run and might betray me by making a fortune in musical theatre. (I'll be happy. Grudgingly).
Nick Anselmo: Directed the lovely musical Alien8 by David Lee White at Drexel. Knows everyone in Philly, incredibly smart/friendly.
Abigail Rose: One of our favorite Princeton Little League friends. And I say that proudly and unironically. Politically conscious, culturally engaged, doctor.
Matthew Mills: Was the student of our next door neighbor, and helped that neighbor a great deal towards the end of his life.
Jennifer Gordon: Old friend from Philly who is now in our backyard running the upper school at Stuart (highly regarded school in Princeton). Came to my trailer party so this is a support double down!
Hendrick Davis: Neighbor we don't know well but always has a smile for Jimmy when we walk by. Often plays guitar on his stoop in nice weather which I love so much.
Rich Walters: Co-chairs a golf tournament with me to raise money for kids with autism, EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN'T HAVE A KID WITH AUTISM.
Terri Jordan Lantz: Distant family, but family! Terri, I'm hoping you can explain how we're related someday...
Michael Christy: My first cousin from California. Such an incredibly nice guy that it's hard to imagine he was a Golden Gloves boxer back in the day.
Chris and Julia Smith: Hosted me in their lovely home in Sacramento this summer when I was there for a play opening. Truly the hosts with the most, their Friendship Force organization promotes hosting/visiting to promote community building around the world.
Annette Fine: Family friend who hosts amazing parties and ran with all the cool rock stars back in the day.
Kevin Granahan: My cousin and co-producer. Has been supporting this concept since the outset. So grateful for his 7 days on the set.
Vanessa Shealy: We were in a writing group together briefly ages ago but I now mainly know how cool she is through social media. One of these people who does everything: playwright, filmmaker, comic book writer. Also speaks autism.
Justine Plouzennec: Did sound on the film. At an after-party she did a spectacular rap in French. No idea what she was saying but we were all mesmerized.
Sarah Hamilton: High school friend who lives in Germany and is still a huge and vocal Philadelphia Eagles fan. Also consistently posts legitimately inspirational posts with cool photography.
Jeff Gittleman: Hooked me up with a Hollywood friend who became an Executive Producer on the film. Loves aardvarks.
Claudia Fitzgerald: Knew her just well enough in high school to know she was unflaggingly warm/positive, always smiling. Frequently posts about very good causes but not in a judgmental way.
Marylou Difilippo: Was DYNAMITE and memorable several plays my father directed at Villanova University many moons ago. Fiercely (and rightfully) proud to make her living as a working actor in NYC.
Kristina Corvin: Neighbor in Princeton who is always trying to change the world (locally), and has the most amazing wildflowers in her front sidewalk every summer.
Mary Lynch Barbera: Autism advocate and BCBA, was referred to her by an aunt when Jimmy was first diagnosed. We never met but she gave us great advice at that time. She's invited me to be on her (very well regarded) autism podcast.
Jennifer Vandenburgh: Profoundly cool high school classmate I haven't seen in forever but remember well (we had 50 kids per class so everyone knew everyone). Posts cool stuff, including ambitious-looking food items. If I ever decide to can something, I think I'm hitting her up for advice.
Yichao: Playwright, sketch comedian and video game creator. I think he's like, a pretty big deal with the video game thing. Incredibly nice person despite being demonstrably successful. Met at a playwrights conference in Omaha, NE, weirdly a highlight of my playwrighting career.
Kiefer Sison: A director from the Phillipines who found and directed my play Egyptian Song. The pictures were amazing and I very much hope to meet him someday. Ideally when he's directing one of my plays.
Sarah Torian: Another neighbor and one of those do-gooders who is so cool that you can't even resent them for how fundamentally decent they are. Our families walked together to the local library to watch the 2016 election results together. I'm not superstitious but I don't think we'll repeat that next year.
Jen Roos: I don't know this person! Highly regarded friend of Mary's from Princeton, designer, went to South Africa. Somehow knows Jeff Pucillo, an actor who I know from NYC and gave me film production advice about this movie. SMALL WORLD.
Roseann Henry: Fine editor, former boss and all around lovely person. Hooked me up with a lead for a healthcare job 17 years ago even though I knew nothing about healthcare and that's still my job.
Camille Sultana Currim: I don't know this person but she has a lovely name and any friend of Roseann Henry is a friend of mine.
Jen Rottenburg: Mary's Princeton alum friend who does everything in the sports world and is currently creating a new fan controlled football league. How cool is that?
Sue Winkler: Incredible sweetheart of a person who consistently supports the arts (including bringing people to see my plays). And helps to put on an annual rubber duck race.
Ronnie Koenig Alberts: Fellow parent at Jimmy's school who has been killing it raising money. Also a playwright (!) and regular contributor to the NY Times.
Jenny Featherston: One of the coolest people ever. Middle school teacher in Trenton NJ who loves her kids so much she had an online fundraiser to make sure kids could go to a field trip and dance that had fees.
Jean Durbin: We frequently tell the story that one time when Mary was watching Jimmy during Phillip's little league game, Jean and Mary were talking and Jimmy started running off. Usually that's the end of a conversation, but Jean just went ahead and followed Mary to keep the conversation going while she was watching Jimmy. Special person.
Christy Hillebrecht: My amazing, fun, funny and profoundly caring niece. Overly nice, but must have tricks up sleeve because she's currently killing it in the beauty industry.
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