Lee Wilkof is crowd funding a new project that would see the Broadway favorite writing and directing a short film based on his own life.
According to the Kickstarter campaign, the coming-of-age story, entitled Teenage Waistband, follows chubby Jewish teenager Kipper Winberg growing up in 1967 Ohio, whose only true friend is his grandparents' Black maid. The project will follow Kippy over a single evening as his awareness of the social issues surrounding him expands via his growing interest in talk radio. Casting, to be announced, is planned to include several theatrical favorites.
Wilkof hopes the project will highlight the racial disparities of 1960s America while also inspiring older generations to listen to younger voices. He also hopes the short film will be the first step on a path to turning the story into a feature-length film.
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Wilkof's long stage career includes creating the role of Seymour in the original Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, and Santa suit-wearing Sam Byk in the original Assassins, among many other roles. In 2016, Wilkof wrote and directed the film No Pay, Nudity, starring Gabriel Byrne, Frances Conroy, and Nathan Lane.
Rewards for participating in the project's Kickstarter campaign include receiving a special thanks in the film's credits, a digital copy of the finished film, a digital photo album, social media shoutouts, consultations with Wilkof, and more.
More details are available at Kickstarter.com.