Minnie's Dream Sequence for Disney/Barneys New York "Electric Holiday"

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Inside Look at Minnie's Dream Sequence for Disney/Barneys New York "Electric Holiday" which will be unveiled on November 14.



In August, we announced “Electric Holiday,” a project with Barneys New York. The one-time holiday promotion includes a moving art video that was designed to be a playful interpretation of the fashion world where Minnie Mouse briefly imagines what it would be like if she and her friends were a part of that high fashion world. The images shown during the brief dream sequence in the moving art video are highly stylized interpretations of these artistic characters. In the end, the video concludes with Minnie returning back to her classic self happily wearing a Lanvin designer dress.

We know many of our fans were intrigued with this news, and we wanted to give the behind-the-scenes story firsthand and provide insight into how we developed the creative concepts. I sat down with Luis Fernandez, senior vice president of global creative at Disney Consumer Products, to give us the scoop.



Nidia: Luis, we know that fans all over the world have an emotional connection to Disney characters. What can you tell Disney fans about how these stylized looks for “Electric Holiday” came to be?

Luis: “Electric Holiday” is a fun and colorful campaign that gave our character artists the creative liberty to do something artistic and completely unique. The elongated poses of Disney characters, including Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Goofy and Cruella de Vil, are dramatically stylized. They’re creative interpretations from a fashion lens, and only appear for a few seconds in this video. Their true form remains as classic as ever in every aspect of the company. A project like “Electric Holiday” is the kind of creative challenge which forces one to stretch the imagination while proceeding with caution. We know we have to be respectful of who these characters are and what they mean to us and to millions of people.

N: There is a scene in the moving art video when Minnie Mouse is transported into a fantasy world where literally anything is possible. Can you elaborate on that?

L: As we see Minnie gazing at a Paris travel poster, a dream sequence takes us into her mind – a fantasy world where she imagines herself as a fashion model on a Paris runway show, and we see her getting styled by the best in the fashion industry. Although Minnie is in her classic form for most of the piece, she does go through a dream portal at one point where she takes on this stylized fashion model form for just a few seconds. In the end, we see her happily back to her classic form still wearing her designer dress, designed by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin.

One of our more difficult challenges was bringing the two separate worlds of Disney and couture fashion together in a believable manner. Our solution was to have the characters pass through a magical portal as they step out onto the runway.

N: Sounds like a labor of love – a lot of passion, imagination and creative integrity went into the development process. What else is in store that fans can look forward to?

L: “Electric Holiday” will also feature a range of exclusive, limited-edition Disney holiday gifts that is just as magical as the creative itself and includes Vinylmation figures designed by Paul Smith and Diane von Furstenberg, Mickey Mouse ears designed by Rag & Bone and L'Wren Scott, and smaller items such as holiday ornaments, edible sweets, and much more. We also created original and exclusive artwork that will be featured on special Barneys shopping bags available with all in-store and Barneys.com purchases during the holiday season.

Stay tuned as we release more details on Barneys/Disney “Electric Holiday,” which will be unveiled on November 14.



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New Site for Monsters University - Official School Website!

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New Site for Monsters University - Official School Website!



New, Innovative Site for Monsters University - Disney/Pixar launched an official school website that features interesting back stories and details about Monsters University, the “leading global institution of higher education,” that will be featured in the Disney/Pixar prequel to Monsters, Inc. Monsters University, the film, opens June 21, 2013

Read More: http://monstersuniversity.com/edu/




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Harrods Opens New Disney Pop-Up Boutique

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Harrods Opens New Disney Pop-Up Boutique - From a Princess Parlour to costuming areas featuring almost every Disney princess outfit to a special Disney/Pixar section for Cars and Toy Story fans, the 7,000 sq. ft. pop-up shop opened on the fourth floor of Harrods in London.

Harrods is delighted to announce an exciting collaboration with Disney as the luxury store puts plans in place to showcase a glamorous take on Disney’s fairytale Princesses this Christmas.

Celebrations will get underway in November when the store will unveil an extravagant set of window displays showcasing dresses created by world-leading designers, including Oscar de la Renta, Versace and Elie Saab—each with a unique interpretation of the original Disney Princess dresses.

Inspired by the individual stories of the Disney Princesses, Harrods will pay tribute to each of them—Ariel, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Snow White and Tiana—with a host of exciting in-store events and promotions.

A one-off 7,000 square foot dedicated Disney area, located on the Fourth Floor, will house a Disney Princess pop-up boutique and a broad range of Disney products, including bespoke and limited-edition items, which will be available to purchase throughout the festive period. Cinderella will receive a particular spotlight as part of Disney’s celebration of the global high-definition launch of the animated classic masterpiece Cinderella Diamond Edition on Blu-ray this autumn.




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Halloween Haunts Disney Parks Guests Around the Globe

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Halloween is an exciting time of year for thousands of guests at our domestic theme parks, and you can read all about the events at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts on the Disney Parks Blog. Halloween is also an annual tradition that is celebrated in unique ways at our international destinations.

Thanks to our Imagineers and creative teams, it has become a holiday season that showcases our innovation, our legendary commitment to storytelling and our ability to enhance the Disney Parks experience.



DISNEYLAND PARIS
At Disneyland Paris, the resort weaves Halloween storylines into every aspect of the guest experience and continuously invents new characters and back stories. This year, the ghosts who "live" on Main Street, U.S.A. come out to transform the land in a way that guests have never seen before.

Attractions include an interactive show where Mickey and friends dress up as vampires, ghosts, skeletons and bats, and Terrorific Night, when Walt Disney Studios park is transformed with frightening decorations and monstrous creatures that become increasingly haunting as the evening progresses.



HONG KONG DISNEYLAND
Hong Kong traditionally celebrates Yue Lan (Festival of the Hungry Ghost) for two to three days between July and August. During this Hong Kong equivalent to Halloween, residents burn images of fruit and money in an attempt to appease unhappy spirits. Since 2007, Hong Kong Disneyland has brought similar stories to the resort that resonate strongly with guests, particularly young adults.

This year, a vampire coven and a werewolf tribe are battling and recruiting new members. Guests participate through a smartphone app and augmented reality technology. The Choose Your Dark Side Challenge app allows guests to join the vampires or werewolves in a struggle for power, battle against Facebook friends, hunt for hidden forces of evil around the city and unlock special dark powers inside the park. Guests can also purchase an augmented reality t-shirt and look into a “Haunted Halloween Magic Mirror,” to undergo a scary transformation.



TOKYO DISNEY RESORT
Tokyo Disney Resort first introduced the concept of Halloween to Japanese guests during a one-day event in 1998. Since then, the Halloween season has grown to a nearly two-month celebration that includes events at Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea and each Disney-branded hotel on property. The resort incorporates its own local spirit into every aspect of its celebrations, from Halloween-themed local food and beverage offerings to including the Japanese word “obake,” or ghost, in its Halloween parade theme song that is performed in English.

Happy Halloween!



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5 Fall Dessert Recipes From Disney Parks

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Dessert Recipes From Disney Parks



Pumpkin Beignets
Club 33, Disneyland Park
Makes 24 beignets
Pumpkin Beignets
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105º)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup hot water
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
Maple Glaze
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar
For pumpkin beignets:
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Combine flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, hot water, egg, shortening, and salt in a large bowl; stir in yeast mixture. Mix dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest in bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, 30 minutes.
Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Pat to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side.
Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.


Pumpkin Mousse Trifle with Cranberries and Apricot-Orange Sauce
Serves 6 to 8
Streusel
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Apricot-Orange Sauce
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup orange juice
Pumpkin Mousse
1 egg yolk or 1/4 cup pasteurized egg yolks
3/4 cup canned pumpkin pie filling
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Store-bought spice cake mix, prepared per package directions and cooled
1/2 cup Ocean Spray Craisins
For streusel:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a sheet pan with foil; set aside.
Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir until mixture is crumbly.
Pour onto prepared sheet pan; bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Set aside to cool; crumble into small pieces.
For orange sauce:
Combine apricot jam and orange juice in a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth.
For pumpkin mousse:
Whisk egg yolk into pumpkin pie filling. Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave or using a double boiler. Whisk melted white chocolate into pumpkin mixture.
Whip heavy cream to medium peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture.
To serve:
Cut spice cake into cubes. Place a dollop of mousse at the bottom of a serving dish. Top with cranberries and a drizzle of sauce.
Place a few cubes of cake over mousse. Top with another layer of mousse, cranberries and sauce, then top with streusel.


Jack Skellington Sugar Cookies
Makes 18 cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing
2 egg whites
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Black food coloring paste
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three parts. Once dough comes together, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter or an overturned cup, cut dough into circles about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before icing.
For icing:
Place egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer; whisk until frothy. Add confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, until thick but still spreadable.
Place 1/3 of icing in a separate bowl. Add black food coloring paste to reserved icing and stir until color is uniform.
Decorate cooled cookies by covering with white icing and letting it dry (placing cookies in the refrigerator will speed up this process).
Place black icing in a pastry bag or a plastic resealable bag and cut off a tiny bit of the corner to create a very small hole. Use black icing to draw eyes, nostrils and stitched mouth on each cookie.


Disney's Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World Shares a Lesson in Tonga Toast
<VIDEO>  http://youtu.be/MKp0gk_gMHY


Apple Crisp  <VIDEO>  http://youtu.be/BNwlqfePWFs
Serves 6
Apple Filling
1 1/2 pounds crisp apples, such as Fuji or Braeburn
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Crumble Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup shredded coconut
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Manchego Cheese Ice Cream
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups half-and-half
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 pound Manchego cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
For apple filling:
Peel apples and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat; add sugar, and stir about 2 minutes or until sugar melts.
Add diced apples, and cook about 3 minutes or until apples just begin to soften. Combine lemon juice, Calvados, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until cornstarch is dissolved.
Add lemon juice mixture to the pan, and cook about 4 minutes, stirring, until juices thicken. Serve warm.
For crumble topping:
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, oats, pecans, and coconut in a large bowl; stir until well combined. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Slowly add melted butter to the bowl, stirring to incorporate.
Pour mixture onto an un-greased cookie sheet, breaking up large clumps with your fingers. Bake 10 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly; break up any remaining big pieces to achieve a crumbly consistency.
For Manchego cheese ice cream:
Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy; set aside.
Combine cream, half-and-half, and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Slowly ladle 1 cup hot cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan, and cook about 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Pour mixture into a large bowl.
Add cheese cubes and stir. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Once cooled, pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard cheese and vanilla bean. Refrigerate custard until cold, then freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
To serve:
Spoon apple filling into serving dish and sprinkle with crumble topping.
Serve with a scoop of Manchego cheese ice cream on the side.

For more Wonderful Disney Recipes visit: http://www.cookingwithmickeyblog.com/




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ABC renews The Middle, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Castle

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ABC ANNOUNCES EARLY PICK-UPS FOR NEXT SEASON

“Castle,” “Cougar Town,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Middle,” “Modern Family”

And “Private Practice” Receive Early Pick-ups for the 2011-12 Season

ABC announced early pick-ups for the 2011-12 season of “Castle,” “Cougar Town,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Middle,” “Modern Family” and “Private Practice.”

A solid mix of promising new series and proven returning hits helped the network achieve a strong start to the 2010-11 TV season. Season to date among Adults 18-49, ABC delivers 4 of the Top 10 highest-rated TV shows, the most for any network, including the Top 2 scripted programs. In fact among young adults, the network claims TV’s No. 1 comedy (“Modern Family”), the No. 1 drama (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and the No. 1 unscripted series (“Dancing with the Stars”). In Total Viewers, the network airs 2 of the Top 4 programs, including America’s No. 1 most-watched TV show overall with “Dancing with the Stars.” Led by Emmy-winning “Modern Family,” ABC’s 2-hour Wednesday night comedy block continues to resonate with viewers in its second year, surging by 15% in Total Viewers and by 14% in the key Adult 18-49 sales demographic from the same point last season.

“CASTLE”

When viewers first met Richard Castle -- a famous mystery novelist and divorced father raising his teenage daughter, while being kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother -- he was creatively blocked. But when the NYPD questioned him in connection with a series of murders staged to imitate crime scenes from his books, Castle found inspiration in NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, a bright and aggressive homicide detective with a fascination for odd and offbeat cases stemming from the years-old unsolved murder of her own mother. Though they instantly clashed, sparks of another sort began to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle stepped in to help find the copycat killer. Once that initial case was solved, Castle and Beckett continued to investigate strange homicides in New York, combining Castle’s writer intuition and Beckett’s creative detective work.

The series stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as Detective Kate Beckett, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, with Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers.

“Castle” is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe is creator/executive producer, with Rob Bowman, Laurie Zaks, David Amann and Armyan Bernstein also executive producers.

“COUGAR TOWN”

Courteney Cox stars as Jules Cobb in her Golden Globe®-nominated role as a recently divorced mom in her forties facing the often humorous challenges, pitfalls and rewards of life’s next chapter. Along for the journey are her son – a college freshman -- ex-husband and friends who, together, make up her dysfunctional but supportive and caring extended family… even if they have a funny way of showing it sometimes.

“Cougar Town” stars Courteney Cox as Jules, Christa Miller as Ellie, Busy Philipps as Laurie, Dan Byrd as Travis, Josh Hopkins as Grayson, Ian Gomez as Andy and Brian Van Holt as Bobby and is executive produced by Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”), Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Kevin Biegel (“Scrubs”).

“GREY’S ANATOMY”

“Grey's Anatomy” is the recipient of the 2007 Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series – Drama, and multiple Emmy nominations, including two for Outstanding Drama Series.

The doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital deal with life-or-death consequences on a daily basis – it’s in one another that they find comfort, friendship and, at times, more than friendship. Together they’re discovering that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white. Real life only comes in shades of grey.

“Grey’s Anatomy” stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Eric Dane as Mark Sloan, Chyler Leigh as Lexie Grey, Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Jessica Capshaw as Arizona Robbins, Kim Raver as Teddy Altman, Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery and Sarah Drew as April Kepner.

“Grey’s Anatomy” was created and is executive-produced by Shonda Rhimes. Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Krista Vernoff, Rob Corn, Mark Wilding, Tony Phelan, Joan Rater are executive producers. “Grey’s Anatomy” is an ABC Studios production.

“THE MIDDLE”

Two-time Emmy winner Patricia Heaton stars in this warm and witty single-camera comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations. Middle-aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country in Orson, Indiana, Frankie Heck is a harried wife and working mother of three who uses her wry wit and sense of humor in an attempt to get her family through each day intact. Her work life’s no easier. With her friend and co-worker, Bob, she struggles day to day as the least successful sales woman at the town’s only surviving car dealer. Frankie’s unflappable husband, Mike, is manager at the local quarry and her sardonic partner in the daily grind that is raising their average – yes, most definitely average – family.

Between juggling shifts and picking up fast food dinners eaten in front of the TV, Frankie and Mike raise their kids with love, humor and solid Midwestern practicality. Axl, the oldest, is a teenage jock who eats them out of house and home and walks around the house in his underwear. Then there’s Sue, their extraordinarily ordinary teen daughter, who fails at just about everything she tries with great gusto – although she’s hoping her recent acceptance on the school’s beleaguered no-cut cross country team might just turn things around. And last is Brick, their quirky third-grader, who reads constantly, whispers to himself and has a best friend who’s his backpack. But through all the madness shines a loving family, and together, the Hecks are putting THE MIDDLE on the map.

“The Middle” stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue, Atticus Shaffer as Brick and Chris Kattan as Bob.

“The Middle” was created and is executive produced by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline. The series is from Warner Bros. Television.

“MODERN FAMILY”

ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit comedy “Modern Family” takes a modern and often hilarious look at the complications that come with being a family today. Jay Pritchett, with his much younger wife Gloria and her son Manny, sits as the patriarch of a large blended family that includes his grown daughter Claire, who has three kids of her own with her husband Phil, and a grown son Mitchell, who adopted a Vietnamese baby with his gay life partner Cameron. These three families are unique unto themselves, and together they give us a window into the sometimes warm, sometimes twisted embrace of the modern family.

“Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay, Sofía Vergara as Gloria, Julie Bowen as Claire, Ty Burrell as Phil, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Ariel Winter as Alex, Nolan Gould as Luke and Rico Rodriguez as Manny.

The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with Levitan Lloyd Productions. Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd are executive producers/creators.

“PRIVATE PRACTICE”

From Shonda Rhimes, the Golden Globe-winning creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” comes the story of a team of gifted doctors working together to change the lives of their patients for the better as they look to one another for friendship and love.

The doctors of Oceanside Wellness and Pacific Wellcare work on the most difficult cases, patients whose medical needs often pose moral and ethical dilemmas. Though they may heatedly disagree at work, and though their personal lives may complicate matters, at the end of the day they are the best of friends , always ready to be there for each other.

“Private Practice” stars Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery, Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder, Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett, Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman, KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King, Brian Benben as Dr. Sheldon Wallace and Caterina Scorsone as Dr. Amelia Shepherd, with Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett and Amy Brenneman as Dr. Violet Turner.

“Private Practice” was created by Shonda Rhimes and is executive-produced by Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Mark Tinker, Steve Blackman and Craig Turk. “Private Practice” is an ABC Studios Production.

Fall Preview: CBS' Partners

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Partners stars (l-r):
Brandon Routh, Michael Urie,
David Krumholtz, Sophia Bush

ByDavid Kohan’s estimation, he and Max Mutchnick have been friends for over 35years, and writing partners for more than 20. Such a multi-purpose relationship can have its challenges, but Kohan andMutchnick’s has yielded impressive results; in 1998, drawing on Max’s ownreal-life experiences, the creative duo brought us TV’s first gay leading man inthe landmark sitcom Will & Grace.
Now, much like that long-running hit was the first tocapture the age-old relationship between a gay man and his devoted best galpal,the writers’ new, equally autobiographical comedy Partners corners the market on friendship between two men ofdiffering sexual orientations.
Of course, as Kohan notes, their real-life relationship –and thus the one between their Partnersalter egos Louis (Ugly Betty’sMichael Urie) and Joe (Numb3rs’ DavidKrumholtz) – can be muddied by much more than just that one superficial distinction.  “The fact is, our sensibilities abouteverything are really different.” True to stereotype, Kohan admits, he lovessports, whereas Mutchnick’s tastes run more towards clothes and design.  But their true spark comes more fromdifferences in temperament.  “Max hasnever met a boundary that he didn’t want to smash, and I deal with my resentmentpassive-aggressively.  It makes for aninteresting contrast.  And so the factthat one of us is straight and one is gay is part of our deal, but it’s not theessential factor.”
As the writer explains, he and Mutchnick were motivated toturn the mirror on themselves in recent years, as they have suddenly found themselvesseriously romantically involved with other people.  “For us, it raised a lot of questions aboutwhat makes for a great partnership,” Kohan says.  “Where are the pressures?  What are the best forms ofcommunication?  What are the lies that wetell each other?  What are the truthsthat we tell each other?  And where dothe conflicts arise?”  In parsing all ofthis out in their own real lives, “we realized this seemed like a rich, fertilearea for comedy.”
In all, Partnersdepicts the dynamics of three relationships -- not just between New York architecturaldesign firm partners Louis and Joe, but also those of Louis and his nurseboyfriend Wyatt (Brandon Routh) and of Joe and his now-fiancée Ali (Sophia Bush)– and shows how the multiple couplings both cross-pollenate and complicate.  As meddlesome Louis, “I get to be MaxMutchnick,” enthuses Urie.  The part, hewas pleased to discover, “comes with a lot of inspiration, because these twoguys, in their real-life dynamic together, are so entertaining.”
“It’ll be interesting to mine their relationship further asthe show goes forward, because they put on a show,” Krumholtz agrees.  “Max and David don’t know it -- or maybe theydo -- but their working relationship is very out there for everyone to see, andit’s hilarious.  It’s really just amatter of capturing it on paper, and there’s a lot more there.  I don’t think we’ve scratched the surfacewith them yet.”
Indeed, Kohan says the nicest surprise so far for him hasbeen to witness how Urie and Krumholtz effortlessly come off as bickering oldfriends.  But neither actor is surprisedby the instant chemistry.  “Any greatbromance I’ve ever had is with someone who makes me laugh,” Urie says.  And, Krumholtz adds, “We have the same headfor funny.”
PartnersPremieres Monday, September 248:30 PM Eastern / 7:30 PM CentralCBS

Fall Preview: CBS' Vegas

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Vegas stars (l-r) Dennis Quaid, Michael Chiklis

Thispast spring, after actor Michael Chiklis met with Ralph Lamb, the real-life inspirationfor Chiklis and Dennis Quaid’s new western drama Vegas, “I walked away from lunch, called my wife, and said, ‘Wow!We have stories for years!”
In the mid 2000s, the MGM movie studio had commissioned abig-screen bio based on Lamb, a fourth-generation rancher who served as LasVegas’ Sheriff from 1960 to 1978, the period in which the soon-to-be gamblingand entertainment mecca was rising from empty desert.  The studio turned to author and screenwriterNicholas Pileggi, who had already depicted the period in his 1995 film Casino. But even as the writer’s first outline was delivered, everyone involved realizedthat with Lamb’s wealth of amazing stories, his life would make a great ongoingseries instead.
“It’s kind of what I call the low-hanging fruit of SheriffLamb,” says Greg Walker, who, after Pileggi then turned the idea intotelevision, was brought on board as the showrunner of Vegas.  “Every story Lambtells, you just realize it’s a no-brainer. They’re filled with such rich detail. With such vivid characters, you can’t help but think about how his worldcould come to life on screen.”
Reading Pileggi’s pilot, “I got to page five, and washooked,” Walker remembers.  “As soon asthe DC-6 flew over Lamb’s cattle, I was in. I loved the clash between the modern world and the Old West.”  Quaid, too, cites that first script as whatlured him to play the colorful sheriff in this, his first television series.  Vegaspits Quaid’s Lamb against Chiklis’ Vincent Savino, a Chicago gangster and savvybusinessman with designs on the budding gaming empire.  “It’s a story about how all that powercorrupts on both sides,” says Quaid. “Because the lines in Vegas were hazy back then.  It was a different set of rules.”
“In Vegas, youhave two men who are thrust into the spotlight of being kings,” Walkerexplains.  “One who wants it, in Savino,and one who’s reluctant, in Lamb.”  Withthe face-off between the two men and their allies – including on Lamb’s side,his younger brother Jack (Jason O’Mara) and the town’s Assistant DistrictAttorney Katherine O’Connell (Carrie Ann Moss) – as its underlying construct,“we created a hybrid procedural and character-based drama,” Walker says.  “The show has the adrenaline and satisfactionof solving a mystery, but at the same time, there are multiple characters’stories getting more and more complicated, with greed, envy and desire whirlingaround this world of crime.”
With Vegas’ 1960setting, Lamb and his deputies won’t be enforcing the law using fingerprints orcomputers or cell phones like in that other Vegas-set mystery, CSI. “He is also not a guy who’s going to put a gun in people’s faces week toweek,” Walker says. “He’s going to solve things with his own hands,man-to-man.”  That type of character, theshowrunner says, “is something Dennis is uniquely equipped to play.  There are very few men who have that kind ofstillness, that raw, masculine power.  Wejust don’t build them like that anymore.”
Vegas’ pilot wasshot, coincidentally, in the small town of Las Vegas, NM, where an oldcommercial row, last updated in the early 20^th Century, could begussied up with props and CGI neon to look like the Fremont Street of ‘60s SinCity; the series will build it all from the ground up in Santa Clarita,CA.  Undoubtedly, today’s audience willbe paying close attention to all that period detail, because we’re so intriguedby the town’s formative years.
“We’re all interested in how Vegas became Vegas.  Today it’s a fantasy world where you can getanything you want, and to watch how that was made is very captivating,” Walkernotes.  Like Lamb, the town itself is anatural for a Hollywood treatment, its story comprising two cinematic archetypes,the cowboy and the mobster.  “These aretwo worlds that we’re very familiar with, but we haven’t ever seen themtogether.  When they collide, there’ssomething very electric.”
VegasPremieres Tuesday, September 2510 PM Eastern / 9 CentralCBS

Fall Preview: CBS' Elementary

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Elementary stars Lucy Liu and
Jonny Lee Miller

Whenproducer Carl Beverly first posed the idea to Rob Doherty of transplantingSherlock Holmes to present-day New York, the writer’s response was Elementary.
“I daresay Sherlock is the most popular character inliterary pop culture from the last 100 years,” enthuses Doherty; perhaps that’swhy there have been so many prior filmic depictions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’sprototypical detective.  Doherty says itwas “one of the wonderful little details that Doyle crafted a very long timeago” that became the key to Elementary,his new CBS series adaptation starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.  The 19^th Century Holmes wasfamously addicted to opiates, “and that’s the way I’ve always looked at him, asan addict,” the writer explains – and not just to drugs.  “He’s driven by and very much addicted towhat he does for a living.  He enjoysunfolding the origami of a crime, matching wits with someone who thinks he’ssmart enough to get away with something horrible, and bringing that person tojustice.”
Yes, this new Holmes does have a literal addiction to dealwith, too.  Having just returned fromrehab – a vanishing he explained to his local police contact, Captain TobyGregson (Aidan Quinn), as a holiday in his native London – the hyper-observant detective“was previously used to being so ahead of everyone, and oozed confidence,”Doherty says.  “Now he’s left rattled,concerned that he may not be what he used to. I liked the idea of a person like him feeling a little bit of doubt forthe first time.”
That’s where Lucy Liu’s Dr. Joan Watson comes in.  As a former surgeon haunted by her role inthe death of a patient, Watson has now gone into business as a sober companion,hired by Holmes’ concerned dad to keep him in line.  That means accompanying him everywhere, wherethe new duo finds that “as a doctor, obviously she has many skills in forensicscience,” Miller says.  “So Holmes beginsto realize that she’s not just a companion, but she’s very useful.”
It was Doherty’s innovation both to alter this Watson’soccupation and to make Watson for the first time a female, who, he says, “hasmuch of the empathy Holmes is missing. In that way, she completes him.”  Asthe writer praises, Liu brings her innate strength to Watson, who needs to beable to stand up to this quirky and demanding Holmes. But it’s also theircharacters’ more vulnerable moments that both Miller and Liu say attracted themto Elementary.  Watson, Liu says, “is not going in withher ‘sober companion’ coat on.  I likethat she’s trying to bring a certain sense of humanity and understanding to herclient.”
Miller adds that “one of the things that struck me, reading[Doyle’s] books, is how colorful and funny the characters are.”  Doherty fully intends to weave that same witinto Elementary, which is why he isexcited that Miller’s embodiment of Holmes exhibits “a warmth, intelligence, anda fantastic sense of humor.”
But perhaps the most important quality that both Miller andLiu are bringing to their new show is  appreciation.  In filming Elementary’s pilot, “the first time I heard Jonny say ‘Watson!’ itwas a thrill to be creating that, to be part of history,” Liu reveals.  The British-born Miller feels it, too.  “There’s a reason why the Holmes stories keepbeing retold and redone,” he theorizes. “People play Hamlet a lot, and always want to play Shakespeare.  Good stories and good characters come back.” 
ElementaryPremieres Thursday, September 2710 PM Eastern / 9 PM CentralCBS

Fall Preview: CBS' Made in Jersey

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Made in Jersey stars British import Janet Montgomery

Lastseason, her second working on the Los Angeles writing staff of Franklin & Bash, the cable drama abouttwo wisecracking men, Dana Calvo realized she had something a little softer tosay.
A lifelong fan of female-focused shows like Sex and the City, Calvo says she enjoyedwatching that show’s fabulous foursome frolic around Manhattan, “and yet Ialways felt, ‘Wait, where’s the family?’ So I decided to write a show about a young woman and her life in full –friends, family and work.  I know it’snot really cool to say, but I wanted to write about a family that is warm andloving and wholesome.”
Drawing on memories of Christmases spent with herItalian-American extended family, the Moorestown, NJ native created the comedicdrama Made in Jersey and its heroineMartina Garretti, whose life and career straddle both sides of the HudsonRiver.  A lawyer like Calvo’s own sister,Martina crosses between her homespun life in the Garden State and her new jobas a first-year associate at a prestigious New York law firm.  Right away, just as in Working Girl – one of Calvo’s inspirations – Martina catches theattention of the firm’s founder, Donovan Stark (Kyle MacLachlan) with herunique body of knowledge.
Calvo knew that making Madein Jersey work would depend on finding just the right leading lady toconvey Martina’s combination of street and book smarts.  “I had a dream that we were going to cast aJersey girl right off a turnip truck, and her real story would mirror MartinaGarretti’s,” Calvo remembers with a laugh. Instead, after considering more than 100 candidates, producers consultedwith their casting director in the UK. There, in a video audition, was 26-year-old British actress JanetMontgomery.  As Calvo explains, “I sawthe tape, and knew right away ‘That’s her!’”
New Jersey has been heating up for more than a decade, fromthe time of The Sopranos to today’scurrent spate of reality shows featuring big hair and even bigger drama.  And that’s lucky for an English girl whoneeds to learn how to tawk.  Montgomery says she’d never previously spentany Jerseylicious time with the state’s Real Housewives – but once she startedher research, “those shows are totally addictive.  I watched a lot of them – and then I was toldnot to, because we don’t want our show to be that over-the-top.  Still, I feel they gave me a good idea ofwhat Martina would have grown up around.”
Montgomery worked with a dialect coach, and says that onceshe stepped out of her trailer in Martina’s considerable coif and jangly charmbracelet, she was able to find the character’s voice, which she says “now issecond nature.  I deliberately startedbig, but reined it back in to something that, while it’s obviously aworking-class accent, shows that she’s also an educated lawyer.”  The actress says she loves that Made in Jersey is a unique hybrid of lawprocedural and family drama – and so does CBS, so much so that after viewingthe original pilot, the impressed network requested the addition of a few morescenes with Martina’s mom (Donna Murphy) and the rest of the garrulous Garrettis.
“Family is really important to knowing who Martina is,”Montgomery explains, adding that her own working-class upbringing as thedaughter of a postal worker has given her a particular appreciation for thecharacter.  “I don’t have anyone else inmy family working in this industry.  Andso this character whose lives at work and at home are so different, and who hasa family who are very supportive and yet don’t fully understand her job – it’sbeen so much like my own life, it’s really amazing.”
Made In JerseyPremieres Friday, September 289 PM Eastern / 8 PM CentralCBS

Disney Fantasy Prepares for Inaugural Call to San Juan, Puerto Rico

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At Disney Cruise Line, we are always looking to add new and exciting destinations to create the variety of itineraries our guests love.
Starting on the November 3rd sailing, the Disney Fantasy will, for the first time, visit the historic capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan, during its 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises. With so many places to explore, San Juan boasts history with its iconic “Old San Juan,” a World Heritage Site, and adventure with “El Yunque,” the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Parks Service.
Here are some great Port Adventures for your entire family to enjoy from San Juan:



Castillo San Cristobal, a World Heritage Site – featuring Youth Activity – Families will explore San Cristobal Castle together before kids get a chance to be Little Masons and learn about the materials used to construct old fortifications. The kids are joined by Disney Cruise Line Youth Counselors, giving parents free time to explore nearby sites.



Rainforest Nature Walk and Waterfall Adventure – Follow expert nature interpreter guides on a nature walk through El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest system. Discover its beautiful flora and fauna before relaxing at a majestic waterfall.

Hands-On Criollo Cooking Demonstration – Learn about traditional Puerto Rican foods, including popular dishes like plantains, meats and local spices. You’ll savor the homemade meal you prepare during this hands-on cooking experience!
Whatever you choose to do in San Juan, the city will delight you with its historic charm, hospitality, adventure and delicious cuisine. Make sure to allow time for a stroll through the beautiful streets and taste some of the local dishes – like plantains. My favorite is the “mofongo!”
As always, when the ship’s in port, venture ashore!

Contact: Kristen Hoetzel Here:  https://www.magicaljourneystravel.com/kristen






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5-Star Stocks Poised to Pop: Disney and here are the Number Facts

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With 180,000-plus investors participating, entertainment giant Walt Disney has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Disney and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.


Read More: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2012/10/11/5-star-stocks-poised-to-pop-disney.aspx




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Certified Cheese Pro at Napa Rose in the Disneyland Resort

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Like a sommelier who’s a wine expert, or a cicerone who knows all about beer, there’s a certification for cheese professionals – and Michael Cox from Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is part of an elite group of 121 who recently passed the inaugural American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional exam.

Cheese pros from the U.S. and Canada sat for the first exam, created by the American Cheese Society to encourage high standards of comprehensive cheese knowledge and service for professionals. More than 100 experts spent eight years crafting the rigorous exam based on knowledge and skills needed to be a true expert.



Far beyond cheese tastings, Cox has to learn about raw ingredients, cheese making, nutrition, how to handle and store cheese, how to select a distributor, how to market and communicate about cheese, and regulations and sanitation.

Cox will receive an official pin, embroidered patch, certificate and the right to be called a Certified Cheese Professional. And he can’t rest on his laurels – he’ll be required to recertify every three years.




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Gaston at New Fantasyland he'll be there Nov. 19th for Previews!

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Previews for New Fantasyland are just around the corner. As the date gets closer, we’re happy to be able to share more and more with you about this largest expansion in Magic Kingdom Park history.
Within the Enchanted Forest area of New Fantasyland, the world of “Beauty and the Beast” comes to life. Enchanted Tales with Belle transports you to the Beast’s Castle for a wonderful storytelling experience with Belle and Lumiere, and over in Belle’s Village, you’ll soon be able to meet another memorable character from her story – one with biceps to spare!

That’s right. That man among men, Gaston, will be tromping around the village square. As a specimen, yes, he’s intimidating, but he’s also everyone’s favorite guy, happy to pose for portraits, comment on the fine statue he has donated to the town or just generally talk about, well, himself.
You can ask any Tom, Dick or Stanley, and they’ll tell you Gaston will be in New Fantasyland when it opens for previews November 19.




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New ‘Alice In Wonderland’-Themed Kids’ Water Play Area Opens at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

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Feast your eyes on one of the latest creations by our friends at Walt Disney Imagineering: It’s a new “Alice In Wonderland”-themed kids’ water play area at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa that offers a perfect blend of “tea party” and “pool party.”




This water play area is topped off with an upturned Mad Hatter’s hat that dumps water when it fills up, as well as an oversized teapot that spills water into a series of teacups, showering the guests below. On the ground, kids can have fun playing under sprinklers and water spouts, or sliding down one of the area’s two mini waterslides.




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Fall Preview: CBS' Partners

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Partners stars (l-r):
Brandon Routh, Michael Urie,
David Krumholtz, Sophia Bush

ByDavid Kohan’s estimation, he and Max Mutchnick have been friends for over 35years, and writing partners for more than 20. Such a multi-purpose relationship can have its challenges, but Kohan andMutchnick’s has yielded impressive results; in 1998, drawing on Max’s ownreal-life experiences, the creative duo brought us TV’s first gay leading man inthe landmark sitcom Will & Grace.
Now, much like that long-running hit was the first tocapture the age-old relationship between a gay man and his devoted best galpal,the writers’ new, equally autobiographical comedy Partners corners the market on friendship between two men ofdiffering sexual orientations.
Of course, as Kohan notes, their real-life relationship –and thus the one between their Partnersalter egos Louis (Ugly Betty’sMichael Urie) and Joe (Numb3rs’ DavidKrumholtz) – can be muddied by much more than just that one superficial distinction.  “The fact is, our sensibilities abouteverything are really different.” True to stereotype, Kohan admits, he lovessports, whereas Mutchnick’s tastes run more towards clothes and design.  But their true spark comes more fromdifferences in temperament.  “Max hasnever met a boundary that he didn’t want to smash, and I deal with my resentmentpassive-aggressively.  It makes for aninteresting contrast.  And so the factthat one of us is straight and one is gay is part of our deal, but it’s not theessential factor.”
As the writer explains, he and Mutchnick were motivated toturn the mirror on themselves in recent years, as they have suddenly found themselvesseriously romantically involved with other people.  “For us, it raised a lot of questions aboutwhat makes for a great partnership,” Kohan says.  “Where are the pressures?  What are the best forms ofcommunication?  What are the lies that wetell each other?  What are the truthsthat we tell each other?  And where dothe conflicts arise?”  In parsing all ofthis out in their own real lives, “we realized this seemed like a rich, fertilearea for comedy.”
In all, Partnersdepicts the dynamics of three relationships -- not just between New York architecturaldesign firm partners Louis and Joe, but also those of Louis and his nurseboyfriend Wyatt (Brandon Routh) and of Joe and his now-fiancée Ali (Sophia Bush)– and shows how the multiple couplings both cross-pollenate and complicate.  As meddlesome Louis, “I get to be MaxMutchnick,” enthuses Urie.  The part, hewas pleased to discover, “comes with a lot of inspiration, because these twoguys, in their real-life dynamic together, are so entertaining.”
“It’ll be interesting to mine their relationship further asthe show goes forward, because they put on a show,” Krumholtz agrees.  “Max and David don’t know it -- or maybe theydo -- but their working relationship is very out there for everyone to see, andit’s hilarious.  It’s really just amatter of capturing it on paper, and there’s a lot more there.  I don’t think we’ve scratched the surfacewith them yet.”
Indeed, Kohan says the nicest surprise so far for him hasbeen to witness how Urie and Krumholtz effortlessly come off as bickering oldfriends.  But neither actor is surprisedby the instant chemistry.  “Any greatbromance I’ve ever had is with someone who makes me laugh,” Urie says.  And, Krumholtz adds, “We have the same headfor funny.”
PartnersPremieres Monday, September 248:30 PM Eastern / 7:30 PM CentralCBS

Fall Preview: CBS' Vegas

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Vegas stars (l-r) Dennis Quaid, Michael Chiklis

Thispast spring, after actor Michael Chiklis met with Ralph Lamb, the real-life inspirationfor Chiklis and Dennis Quaid’s new western drama Vegas, “I walked away from lunch, called my wife, and said, ‘Wow!We have stories for years!”
In the mid 2000s, the MGM movie studio had commissioned abig-screen bio based on Lamb, a fourth-generation rancher who served as LasVegas’ Sheriff from 1960 to 1978, the period in which the soon-to-be gamblingand entertainment mecca was rising from empty desert.  The studio turned to author and screenwriterNicholas Pileggi, who had already depicted the period in his 1995 film Casino. But even as the writer’s first outline was delivered, everyone involved realizedthat with Lamb’s wealth of amazing stories, his life would make a great ongoingseries instead.
“It’s kind of what I call the low-hanging fruit of SheriffLamb,” says Greg Walker, who, after Pileggi then turned the idea intotelevision, was brought on board as the showrunner of Vegas.  “Every story Lambtells, you just realize it’s a no-brainer. They’re filled with such rich detail. With such vivid characters, you can’t help but think about how his worldcould come to life on screen.”
Reading Pileggi’s pilot, “I got to page five, and washooked,” Walker remembers.  “As soon asthe DC-6 flew over Lamb’s cattle, I was in. I loved the clash between the modern world and the Old West.”  Quaid, too, cites that first script as whatlured him to play the colorful sheriff in this, his first television series.  Vegaspits Quaid’s Lamb against Chiklis’ Vincent Savino, a Chicago gangster and savvybusinessman with designs on the budding gaming empire.  “It’s a story about how all that powercorrupts on both sides,” says Quaid. “Because the lines in Vegas were hazy back then.  It was a different set of rules.”
“In Vegas, youhave two men who are thrust into the spotlight of being kings,” Walkerexplains.  “One who wants it, in Savino,and one who’s reluctant, in Lamb.”  Withthe face-off between the two men and their allies – including on Lamb’s side,his younger brother Jack (Jason O’Mara) and the town’s Assistant DistrictAttorney Katherine O’Connell (Carrie Ann Moss) – as its underlying construct,“we created a hybrid procedural and character-based drama,” Walker says.  “The show has the adrenaline and satisfactionof solving a mystery, but at the same time, there are multiple characters’stories getting more and more complicated, with greed, envy and desire whirlingaround this world of crime.”
With Vegas’ 1960setting, Lamb and his deputies won’t be enforcing the law using fingerprints orcomputers or cell phones like in that other Vegas-set mystery, CSI. “He is also not a guy who’s going to put a gun in people’s faces week toweek,” Walker says. “He’s going to solve things with his own hands,man-to-man.”  That type of character, theshowrunner says, “is something Dennis is uniquely equipped to play.  There are very few men who have that kind ofstillness, that raw, masculine power.  Wejust don’t build them like that anymore.”
Vegas’ pilot wasshot, coincidentally, in the small town of Las Vegas, NM, where an oldcommercial row, last updated in the early 20^th Century, could begussied up with props and CGI neon to look like the Fremont Street of ‘60s SinCity; the series will build it all from the ground up in Santa Clarita,CA.  Undoubtedly, today’s audience willbe paying close attention to all that period detail, because we’re so intriguedby the town’s formative years.
“We’re all interested in how Vegas became Vegas.  Today it’s a fantasy world where you can getanything you want, and to watch how that was made is very captivating,” Walkernotes.  Like Lamb, the town itself is anatural for a Hollywood treatment, its story comprising two cinematic archetypes,the cowboy and the mobster.  “These aretwo worlds that we’re very familiar with, but we haven’t ever seen themtogether.  When they collide, there’ssomething very electric.”
VegasPremieres Tuesday, September 2510 PM Eastern / 9 CentralCBS

Fall Preview: CBS' Elementary

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Elementary stars Lucy Liu and
Jonny Lee Miller

Whenproducer Carl Beverly first posed the idea to Rob Doherty of transplantingSherlock Holmes to present-day New York, the writer’s response was Elementary.
“I daresay Sherlock is the most popular character inliterary pop culture from the last 100 years,” enthuses Doherty; perhaps that’swhy there have been so many prior filmic depictions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’sprototypical detective.  Doherty says itwas “one of the wonderful little details that Doyle crafted a very long timeago” that became the key to Elementary,his new CBS series adaptation starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.  The 19^th Century Holmes wasfamously addicted to opiates, “and that’s the way I’ve always looked at him, asan addict,” the writer explains – and not just to drugs.  “He’s driven by and very much addicted towhat he does for a living.  He enjoysunfolding the origami of a crime, matching wits with someone who thinks he’ssmart enough to get away with something horrible, and bringing that person tojustice.”
Yes, this new Holmes does have a literal addiction to dealwith, too.  Having just returned fromrehab – a vanishing he explained to his local police contact, Captain TobyGregson (Aidan Quinn), as a holiday in his native London – the hyper-observant detective“was previously used to being so ahead of everyone, and oozed confidence,”Doherty says.  “Now he’s left rattled,concerned that he may not be what he used to. I liked the idea of a person like him feeling a little bit of doubt forthe first time.”
That’s where Lucy Liu’s Dr. Joan Watson comes in.  As a former surgeon haunted by her role inthe death of a patient, Watson has now gone into business as a sober companion,hired by Holmes’ concerned dad to keep him in line.  That means accompanying him everywhere, wherethe new duo finds that “as a doctor, obviously she has many skills in forensicscience,” Miller says.  “So Holmes beginsto realize that she’s not just a companion, but she’s very useful.”
It was Doherty’s innovation both to alter this Watson’soccupation and to make Watson for the first time a female, who, he says, “hasmuch of the empathy Holmes is missing. In that way, she completes him.”  Asthe writer praises, Liu brings her innate strength to Watson, who needs to beable to stand up to this quirky and demanding Holmes. But it’s also theircharacters’ more vulnerable moments that both Miller and Liu say attracted themto Elementary.  Watson, Liu says, “is not going in withher ‘sober companion’ coat on.  I likethat she’s trying to bring a certain sense of humanity and understanding to herclient.”
Miller adds that “one of the things that struck me, reading[Doyle’s] books, is how colorful and funny the characters are.”  Doherty fully intends to weave that same witinto Elementary, which is why he isexcited that Miller’s embodiment of Holmes exhibits “a warmth, intelligence, anda fantastic sense of humor.”
But perhaps the most important quality that both Miller andLiu are bringing to their new show is  appreciation.  In filming Elementary’s pilot, “the first time I heard Jonny say ‘Watson!’ itwas a thrill to be creating that, to be part of history,” Liu reveals.  The British-born Miller feels it, too.  “There’s a reason why the Holmes stories keepbeing retold and redone,” he theorizes. “People play Hamlet a lot, and always want to play Shakespeare.  Good stories and good characters come back.” 
ElementaryPremieres Thursday, September 2710 PM Eastern / 9 PM CentralCBS

Fall Preview: CBS' Made in Jersey

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Made in Jersey stars British import Janet Montgomery

Lastseason, her second working on the Los Angeles writing staff of Franklin & Bash, the cable drama abouttwo wisecracking men, Dana Calvo realized she had something a little softer tosay.
A lifelong fan of female-focused shows like Sex and the City, Calvo says she enjoyedwatching that show’s fabulous foursome frolic around Manhattan, “and yet Ialways felt, ‘Wait, where’s the family?’ So I decided to write a show about a young woman and her life in full –friends, family and work.  I know it’snot really cool to say, but I wanted to write about a family that is warm andloving and wholesome.”
Drawing on memories of Christmases spent with herItalian-American extended family, the Moorestown, NJ native created the comedicdrama Made in Jersey and its heroineMartina Garretti, whose life and career straddle both sides of the HudsonRiver.  A lawyer like Calvo’s own sister,Martina crosses between her homespun life in the Garden State and her new jobas a first-year associate at a prestigious New York law firm.  Right away, just as in Working Girl – one of Calvo’s inspirations – Martina catches theattention of the firm’s founder, Donovan Stark (Kyle MacLachlan) with herunique body of knowledge.
Calvo knew that making Madein Jersey work would depend on finding just the right leading lady toconvey Martina’s combination of street and book smarts.  “I had a dream that we were going to cast aJersey girl right off a turnip truck, and her real story would mirror MartinaGarretti’s,” Calvo remembers with a laugh. Instead, after considering more than 100 candidates, producers consultedwith their casting director in the UK. There, in a video audition, was 26-year-old British actress JanetMontgomery.  As Calvo explains, “I sawthe tape, and knew right away ‘That’s her!’”
New Jersey has been heating up for more than a decade, fromthe time of The Sopranos to today’scurrent spate of reality shows featuring big hair and even bigger drama.  And that’s lucky for an English girl whoneeds to learn how to tawk.  Montgomery says she’d never previously spentany Jerseylicious time with the state’s Real Housewives – but once she startedher research, “those shows are totally addictive.  I watched a lot of them – and then I was toldnot to, because we don’t want our show to be that over-the-top.  Still, I feel they gave me a good idea ofwhat Martina would have grown up around.”
Montgomery worked with a dialect coach, and says that onceshe stepped out of her trailer in Martina’s considerable coif and jangly charmbracelet, she was able to find the character’s voice, which she says “now issecond nature.  I deliberately startedbig, but reined it back in to something that, while it’s obviously aworking-class accent, shows that she’s also an educated lawyer.”  The actress says she loves that Made in Jersey is a unique hybrid of lawprocedural and family drama – and so does CBS, so much so that after viewingthe original pilot, the impressed network requested the addition of a few morescenes with Martina’s mom (Donna Murphy) and the rest of the garrulous Garrettis.
“Family is really important to knowing who Martina is,”Montgomery explains, adding that her own working-class upbringing as thedaughter of a postal worker has given her a particular appreciation for thecharacter.  “I don’t have anyone else inmy family working in this industry.  Andso this character whose lives at work and at home are so different, and who hasa family who are very supportive and yet don’t fully understand her job – it’sbeen so much like my own life, it’s really amazing.”
Made In JerseyPremieres Friday, September 289 PM Eastern / 8 PM CentralCBS