>> GOOD EVENING, WELCOME TO "CONNECTING POINT," I'M JIM
MADIGAN.
SINCE THEIR DEBUT IN THE '70S CLASSIC "ANIMAL HOUSE," KAREN
ALLEN HAS BEEN A STAR OF THE STAGE AND SCREEN BUILDING HER
CAREER.
NOW THE VETERAN ACTOR IS TAKING ON A NEW ROLE, HER FEATURE FILM
DIRECT TORILY DEBUT.
SHE WILL BE USING A LOT OF LOCAL TALENT IN FRONT OF AND BEHIND
THE CAMERA.
TONY DUNNE AND VIDEOGRAPHER VERY DAVE FRASER VISITED HER IN HER
BERKSHIRES HOME TO HEAR ABOUT THIS LATEST PROJECT.
>> YOU KNOW, I WAS FASCINATED BY A NUMBER OF THINGS IN MY LIFE
THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN PURSUING.
ONE OF THEM WAS DESIGN, AND I WENT TO NEW YORK CITY TO WORK IN
THE DESIGN WORLD AND TO STUDY DESIGN.
BUT A FRIEND OF MINE INVITED ME TO SEE THIS THEATRE COMPANY.
IT REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE.
I KIND OF WENT IN ONE PERSON, CAME OUT A DIFFERENT PERSON
SLIGHTLY, IN TERMS OF MY PERSPECTIVE ON MY LIFE KIND OF
SHIFTED.
THEN I MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY TO REALLY PURCHASE PURSUE A LIFE IN
THE THEATRE.
AS IT TURNED OUT, I JUST SORT OF HAPPENED UPON AN AUDITION FOR A
FILM.
>> THEY CAST ME IN THE ROLE OF KATIE IN "ANIMAL HOUSE," AND IT
SORT OF OPENED THE DOOR TO NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT TO A LOT OF THE
YOUNG ACTORS IN THE FILM, MOST OF WHOM LIKE ME HAD NEVER DONE A
FILM BEFORE.
IT BECAME VERY POSSIBLE TO WORK IN THE FILM WORLD.
I TENDED TO CONSTANTLY GO BACK AND FORT BETWEEN DOING A FILM
AND WORKING IN THE THEATRE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT CHUNK OF
TIME.
AND THAT'S SHIFTED A LITTLE.
WHEN MY SON WAS BORN IN 1990, I BEGAN TO THINK, YOU KNOW, MAYBE
I DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE FULL TIME IN NEW YORK CITY.
I WANTED HIM TO BE -- HAVE MORE OF AN EXPERIENCE OF THE COUNTRY.
I HAD COME UP TO THE BERKSHIRES TO WORK AT THE BERKSHIRE THEATRE
FESTIVAL ONE SUMMER.
I WORKED AT WILLIAMSTOWN SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW.
I HAD NEVER GONE MASSACHUSETTS BEFORE AND I VERY MUCH FELL IN
LOVE WITH THIS AREA.
>> THE BERKSHIRES, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARILY
BEAUTIFUL PLACE, IT'S RIPE WITH POSSIBILITY.
IT'S VERY OPEN.
YOU CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT INSPIRES YOU OR SOMETHING THAT
YOU WANT TO OFFER THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S THEN THE POSSIBILITY OF REALLY BRINGING IT INTO
BEING.
SO I BEGAN TO TEACH AT BARRED COLLEGE, AND THEN GA TON DIRECT
THERE.
AND THAT SORT OF EXPANDED INTO MY DIRECTING AT THE BERKSHIRE
THEATRE FAST VALUE, AND THAT EXPANDED INTO MY DIRECTING IN
NEW YORK CITY.
BUT I CONTINUED TO DIRECT AT THE BERKSHIRE THEATRE FESTIVAL, AND
HAVE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT THEATRE
AND HAVE HAD, YOU KNOW, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WORKING
THERE.
GOING BACK TO PROBABLY MY LATE TEENS, EARLY 20s, I HAVE BEEN
A HUGE FAN OF CARSON MCCULL LER'S.
I CAME UPON THIS STORY, "A TREE, A ROCK, A CLOUDS."
IT'S A SHORT FILM.
PEOPLE HAVE RISEN TO THE OCCASION FORTUNATELY.
WE HAVE RICK SANDS, AN EXTRAORDINARY CINEMATOGRAPHER, A
LOCAL -- HE LIVES HERE.
AND THEN I SPOKE WITH DIANE PERLMAN AND SHE SAID, I'LL HELP
YOU DO IT, TOO.
ONE OF MY FRIENDS IS AN AMAZING PRODUCTION DESIGNER, SHE'S GOING
WORK WITH US.
WE WILL DO A LOT OF THE REST OF THE CASTING LOCALLY.
AND IT'S COMING TOGETHER.
WE'RE GOING SHOOT IT IN MAY AND JUNE.
THERE WILL BE I THINK A LOT OF PLACES WE CAN TAKE IT IN TERMS
OF EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, TO COLLEGES AND HIGH SCHOOLS AND
EVEN, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND STUFF, BECAUSE IT'S THAT
KIND OF STORY THAT I THINK WOULD JUST CONNECT, WITH EVENING YOUNG
CHILDREN.
>> MY BRAND MOTHER USED TO ALWAYS SAY TO ME WHEN I WAS
LITTLE, YOU MUST ASPIRE TO WHAT YOU ADMIRE.
AND IT REALLY STAYED WITH ME IN A VERY PROFOUND WAY.
TO BE AN ACTOR AND DIRECTOR, IT'S SUCH A PRIVILEGE.
TO ME, IT'S NOT WORK, IT REALLY IS KIND OF A CALLING.