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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) Brianna Underhill (click to enlarge) Mikey Moore   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 2 teens from Village Theatre program go from theater to films By Theresa Goffredo Herald Writer The Seattle International Film Festival is kind of a big deal. This year, the festival will present 268 features and 124 shorts from 62 countries. If you believe the hype, SIFF is the largest film festival in the United States. So it's kind of a big deal that two Snohomish County teenagers, Brianna Underhill and Mikey Moore, are making their first film appearances in two of the films being screened during SIFF. Both are products of Village Theatre's Kidstage program. And though on some level the success of these students is a big deal for the reputation of Kidstage, Kati Nickerson doesn't want people to get the wrong idea. The role of Kidstage is to produce quality human beings. It's not an acting agency. "It's not the Kidstage mission to create stars but to utilize the unique attributes of a theater education. To build life skills that are valuable in every walk of life," said Nickerson, Village Theatre's director of youth education. So when Nickerson sees the films, she said she won't be proud, but inspired. "These kids have a unique voice and the only way to develop that is when you experience the arts," Nickerson said. There are still openings in Kidstage summer camps. Go to www.villagetheatre.org for more information. These two young actors have been participating in Kidstage for most of their lives. Brianna, 14, of Stanwood is a current Kidstage student. She performs in flashback scenes portraying the lead character as a child in the film "The Spy and the Sparrow," starring David Rasche. Brianna, a student at Port Susan Middle School, has been in Kidstage since she was 8. Mikey, 17, of Snohomish was offered a role in "World's Greatest Dad," starring Robin Williams. The movie is set for release in late August in Los Angeles. Mikey also began with Village Theatre at 8 when he was cast in "The Little Mermaid." Both students would agree that Kidstage has done more than prepare them for an acting career. "You learn how to interact in an environment where your work is necessary and you are a part of the entire machine," Mikey said. "It teaches you respect and teamwork." Mikey, who goes to a private school in Woodinville, has been cast in many Village shows; among his roles is that of Billy Jr. in the Village's Mainstage production of "On Golden Pond" with the award-winning Clayton Corzatte and his wife, Susan. When Mikey auditioned in front of director Bobcat Goldthwait for the film role, he said the air conditioning went on by mistake about halfway through his piece. "And they can't film with the air conditioner running so they run down to turn it off and I'm sitting there for 10 minutes shooting the breeze with Bobcat," Mikey recalled. When he started to go through his piece a second time, the air conditioner came on again. At that point Goldthwait said the audition was over but told Mikey: "I know you can act." "I remember him saying that as I left the room laughing," said Mikey. "I don't know if I got the part because of acting or because of the air conditioning." Nickerson said Mikey has the talent to write, produce and create, to become one of the "Ben Afflecks of the world who can fire on all those levels." Brianna said she was shy when she first came to Kidstage and turned down the role of Alice in "Alice in Wonderland." She's changed since then. "Performing really prepares you. It helps your self-confidence and public speaking, a skill not many people have anymore," Brianna said. Brianna said she hasn't seen "The Spy and the Sparrow" yet and doesn't know how much of her flashback scenes actually made it into the film. "Even if I get just a little glimpse of myself it will be really cool because I can say 'Hey, there's me up there,'" Brianna said. Brianna, who will also sing to open the Aquasox game on July 15 in Everett, said she will always do community theater but most likely won't pursue acting as a career. Rather, she wants to give back to the community as a veterinarian or a doctor. Nickerson probably wouldn't be surprised to hear that. "It's very real, that particular human dream to be somebody, but we don't feed into that star hunger that seems to be out there," Nickerson said. "These are directable, quality human beings who are smart and open and vulnerable and risk-takers, and theater provides those opportunities to develop those skills." Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424, goffredo@heraldnet.com. "The Spy and the Sparrow" Director Garrett Bennett merges spy thriller with domestic drama. After an assignment in East Berlin goes awry, secret agent Thomas Sparrow splits. Twenty-six years later, the retired agent returns to the Pacific Northwest, burdened with guilt and claiming he doesn't remember what happened that day. Friend and ex-spook Robert "Bob" Byrne recommends that he reconnect with his now-divorced artist daughter, Josephine. 9 p.m. Wednesday, SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer St., McCaw Hall; 11 a.m. Saturday, Egyptian Theatre, 801 E. Pine St., Seattle. "World's Greatest Dad" This black comedy from director Bobcat Goldthwait stars a restrained Robin Williams as Lance, a divorced, sad-sack high school poetry teacher and failed novelist who suffers the indignities of living with his thoroughly vile, porn-obsessed teenage son, Kyle. After a horrifying and embarrassing freak accident, Lance finds that his life takes a bizarre turn -- for the better. Screened June 6 and 7. 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