Movie about the Obama’s first date set to film here

President Obama and the First Lady

PRODUCER BOB TEITEL is scheduled to be back in his home town this August on the feature dramady, “Southside with You,” the story of Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama’s first date on a summer afternoon in 1989.

They were both working at the Loop law firm of Sidley & Austin. Michelle, then 25 and a lawyer, was assigned to mentor 27-year old Harvard Law School student Barack, who was at the firm for the summer.

The film follows the couple when they visited the Art Institute, their long walk, catching the new Spike Lee movie “Do the Right Thing” and the site of their first kiss outside of Baskin & Robbins in Hyde Park, an event the city in commemorated a plaque on the store in 2012. 

Tika Sumpter (“Get on Up”) will play the younger Michelle and the casting search is ongoing for an actor to portray Barack.

Director is Richard Tanne, who wrote the screenplay and is also co-producing with Teitel and Sumpter, along with independent producer and programming consultant Tracey Bing.

WANTED: NEW AGENCY PRESIDENT for McgarryBowen. Tim Scott, international president/CEO and president of the Chicago office has vacated his management roles to take a client-side position with as-yet unnamed company.

Gordon Bowen, chairman/CCO will take over the international CEO role that Scott had filled since 2013.

Scott had joined McGarryBowen as marketing director in 2009, two years after the agency opened its Chicago office.

While the agency is recruiting a new leader, the interim general manager will be Laurel Flatt, group managing director.

Prior to McGarryBowen, Scott worked as a global business director at DDB Chicago and also had stints at FCB and JWT.

Scott’s departure is the agency’s second leadership change in less than a month.  In New York, Simon Pearce was named president/CEO succeeding Tom Sewell who moved to an innovation role at the agency, Ad Age reports.

 “PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS,” by playwright Frederick Mensch, will be a staged reading April 20, presented by Three Cat Productions reading series at Berger Park Cultural Center in Rogers Park.

As Mensch describes his play: The one-night stand of a beautiful young twenty-something woman and a 46-year old happily married, successful suburban businessman turns into something more complicated, dangerous and destructive than either of them could have expected.

At 6205 N. Sheridan, 7 p.m.; free and open to all.

DAUFENBACH CAMERA’S t newest rental additions are two Varicam 35 Bi-Native ISOS 4K cameras, offering a Super Sized Sensor, that record log or rec 709, has more than 14 stops of dynamic range and weighs 11 pounds.

HEADS UP: The Lawyers for the Creative Arts hosts its Spring Shindy fundraiser for an organization that looks out for the artist’s legal well-being, Saturday, May 9, with performances by Blood Red Boots and Ayoh. At the Elbo Room, 2871 N. Lincoln, Details forthcoming. 

REEL MICHIGAN: “Kong: Skull Island,” a 3D and IMAX 3D fantasy action film from Legendary Pictures is supposed to take place in Detroit in 1971.  The main action will take place on a fictional island off the coast of Sumatra that’s King Kong’s mysterious and dangerous home.

Tim Hiddleston (“Thor”) stars along with Detroit native J. K. Simmons (“Whiplash”) and Michael Keaton (“Birdman”). Simmons’ fellow Detroiter Jordan Vogt-Roberts will direct.  Cameras roll in 2016 for a March 2017 release.

“Kong: Skull Island” is the first Hollywood major feature this year to announce filming in Michigan.  The state will kiss $50 million in grant incentives goodbye, with the House voting to end the incentives on Oct. 1. 

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