Win UK tickets! Extra! Extra! Read All About It...

When people ask me what my blog is all about, I like to say "I'm the man in the stands.  Except I'm not a man...and I'm not in the stands."  heh. 

Today, however, I actually was in the stands, at Veterans Park, as an extra in the movie being filmed here in Lexington called Hitting The Cycle. 

Grandpa is 3rd from Lefty-Left

Baseball is in my blood -- my grandfather was a pitcher, after all -- so I was happy as a Reds fan with an ice cold Hudepohl when Associate Producer Jennifer Miller asked me to come out today and see what all the hubbub was about.  It turned out to be a gorgeously mild day and I didn't have to be there until noon, so I figured it would be a great way to spend a Monday afternoon, and boy am I glad I did.

Tom Phillips plays mayoral candidate Walter Mayer in Hitting the Cycle, written by Lexington native Richey Nash, who plays the lead role as well. Nash is son of UK legend, Cotton Nash.

I've been an extra on several other movies, the first being ...and, They're Off! - which was George Clooney's first film (and sadly, it never made it to the screen), at which time I had the pleasure of meeting George, who is absolutely one of the funniest guys in the world and also a pretty nice fellow.  My Mother and I had our photo taken with him, and he autographed it, joking, "Now, you'll want to hang onto that...it'll be worth something someday when I'm rich and famous."  Although he was kidding, Mom and I knew he probably would go far, because he was just that much fun and handsome.  I still have the photo, but the autograph wore off long ago (damned Polaroids :)

Addison "Lefty" Thomas 

So yeah, I've been in a few movies, only as an extra, added Sylvester and Seabiscuit to my credits over the years...and now I am proud that I can also say I was an extra in a new indie film called Hitting The Cycle. 

Today, I sat in the bleachers and cheered, stood on the periphery and talked, as directed, to a nice ladybug named Annie who just graduated from Henry Clay and is headed to Stanford, ate a yummy lunch and hobnobbed with the likes of familiar local faces like Ellie Clark and Tom Phillips, who were a sight for sore eyes, even though Pride and Prejudice closed just a short month ago at the Arboretum, where, you may recall, they played the lead roles of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.  I also saw them both at Actors Guild of Lexington's Tommy: The Encore just last Sunday...but Tom is one of my best friends, and Ellie is quickly becoming one of my favorite people as well, so I was immediately in good spirits once I saw their smiles.  Not surprisingly, they were both ready to go, displaying their professionalism by knowing what they were doing and bringing energy to their roles, even though the same scenes were shot repeatedly, just like in any other movie.  I don't know how they do it, but they do it well!

Ellie Clark& Tom Phillips in Pride & Prejudice rehearsal

Tomorrow night, the filming will be at Applebee's Park, and they are in need of plenty of extras so perhaps you, like me, will want to be a part of the excitement ... PLUS, you may win tickets to UK ballgames.  Join the cast and crew at Applebee's Park, where you will need to arrive by 6pm to be given two tickets to a random drawing.  

They need a crowd of fans in the stands, so I hope you will consider finding out more about this once in a lifetime opportunity and be a movie extra in this baseball movie on the silver screen AND maybe win tickets to UK basketball and UK football games! Prize drawings at midnight will include pairs of tickets courtesy of Wildcat legend Cotton Nash.

Mom, George and me on the set of "...and, They're Off!"

As Hitting the Cycle opens, the lead character (portrayed by screenwriter and Lexington native Richey Nash) plays on the Lexington Legends roster.  Hitting the Cycle needs YOUR help to put the actors in the lineup. 

Extras who show up at Applebee's Park Tuesday, August 24th at 6pm will receive 2 tickets for the drawing; those who arrive by 9pm will be able to enter 1 ticket.  You must be present at the end of the scene filming (no later than midnight) to be eligible to win the UK tickets.   

For more information about the film, visit www.HTCmovie.com

Hitting the Cycle filming at Veterans Park

 See you at the ballpark!