Premieres for new movies are SOP, but rarely if ever does a television series premiere in a movie theatre. But that’s what a new comedy series “Written Off” will be doing Thursday, June 2.
Executive producer Margie Shabazz’ Bluelight Productions is screening the 11-episode, 30-minute series at the Music Box, at 7 p.m . The evening is free and open to all.
Actor Antoine McKay (“Empire’s” Bunkie Campbell) co-created and co-wrote the series with EP Shabazz, and collaborated with Nora Nolan, the show=’s head writer.
“Written Off” stars McKay as one of two out-of-work journalists from the fictional Chicago Truth newspaper. When they learn their beloved Fashion Section is abruptly closing, they have to find new skills to get a new career.
After a brief period of wallowing, they decide to start their own writing business. Their assignments lead them to write speeches and articles for a host of odd and interesting characters as diverse as Chicago itself.
“We felt like this was such an important story to tell,” says McKay, an Evanston resident. “With so many newspapers consolidating and shutting their doors, they’re leaving an enormous amount of talent and potential out there.
“We wanted to capture the story of people who decided that, no matter who chose to write them off, they didn’t have to give up hope in themselves. It’s a comedic portray but I think it’s also a deeply meaningful topic.”
“This city has such a rich cultural tapestry and it was really important to us that we reflected that — not only in the subject matter but also in the way we chose the cast and crew,” comments Shabazz.
“We’ve brought together a team of really talented Chicago artists to tell a story that we feel is pretty universal across America right now.”
