POWER UP! They've Gone Co-Ed, Announcing the This Year's 10 Amazing Gay Women and 10 Amazing Gay Men in Showbiz!

POWER UP, the only 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Film Production Company & Educational Organization that develops, finances, produces and distributes GLBTQ films; conducts tremendously successful educational programs through their hands-on filmmaking mentorships, classes, workshops and seminars; and unifies and validates GLBTQ persons all around the world via their films goes CO-ED!

POWER UP! They've Gone Co-Ed, Announcing the This Year's 10 Amazing Gay Women and 10 Amazing Gay Men in Showbiz!

“With the current climate, POWER UP saw this as a time, more than any other, where our GLBTQ community – Women & Men - needs to be unified to help achieve our collective goal of equality, representation and acceptance,” stated Stacy Codikow, POWER UP’s founder & Executive Director. “POWER UP knows that we are in this together and is working to advance our collective interests.” As such, in 2009 POWER UP is going Co-Ed. We are adding men to our Honorary Board of Directors and will have our first list of “10 Amazing Gay Men in Showbiz” as well. Although our mission was geared to gay women, the reality is that POWER UP has always been an integrated organization and have supported men & women, gay & straight within the educational programs and POWER UP has even made two award winning films for men – STARCROSSED starring Marshall Allman and BILLY’S DAD IS A FUDGE-PACKER starring Robert Gant.

POWER UP’s new additions to the Honorary Board of Directors include: Dustin Lance Black, writer MILK, BIG LOVE; Q. Allan Brocka, Executive Producer Rick & Steve the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World; Bruce Cohen Producer AMERICAN BEAUTY, MILK; Jim Dobson, President of Indie PR; Robert Greenblatt, President of Showtime Networks Inc.; Michael Lombardo, President of Programming Group & West Coast Operations of HBO and Peter Paige actor/director SAY UNCLE.

They join the exciting Honorary Board of Directors: Jehan Agrama, Jamie Babbit, Leslie Belzberg, Roberta Bennett, Esq., Debra Chasnoff, Donna Deitch, Gina G. Goff, Jan Oxenberg, Kimberly Peirce, Angela Robinson, Lee Rose and Andrea Sperling.

Power Lesbians: Andrea Sperling, Jamie Babbit, Stacy Codikow and Lisa Thrasher

In keeping with their newly official Co-Ed status, POWER UP has announced The 9th Annual “10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz” and the first ever“10 Amazing Gay Men in Showbiz” Awards, recognizing Amazing Gay Women and Men who are working, creating and changing lives as they continue their way up the ladder of success. The recipients receive their award at the 9th Annual Power Premiere Celebrity Gala on November 1, 2009 in Hollywood, California.

10 AMAZING GAY MEN IN SHOWBIZ (First Annual)

Paris Barclay

Paris Barclay is the two-time Emmy® Award winner for directing “NYPD Blue." He has also won the DGA Award (with 7 other nominations), the Peabody Award, two NAACP Image Awards, two Golden Globe nominations, and three other Emmy nominations for directing and producing such critical and audience favorites as “The West Wing," “ER," “CSI," “Lost," “Weeds” and “The Mentalist." Currently, Paris is an executive producer and the principal director of HBO’s critically acclaimed “In Treatment," starring Gabriel Byrne and Dianne Wiest. “Pedro," the biopic of the late AIDS-activist Pedro Zamora that Paris executive produced and co-wrote with Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”), premiered at the Toronto, Berlin and Palm Springs Film Festivals and on MTV this spring. Paris currently serves as the First Vice President of the Directors Guild, the first African-American and openly gay officer in the history of the Guild. He has served on the board of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and is currently on the Board of Trustees of Project Angel Food.

Lance Bass

Lance Bass is the ultimate multi-hyphenate: singer-actor-producer-writer-entrepreneur-philanthropist and even Cosmonaut. Best known as a member of the phenomenally successful pop group *NSYNC, he has also made a name for himself in a variety of other endeavors. He executive produced and starred in the Miramax film “On the Line” which received the coveted Movieguide® award for excellence in family-oriented programming. He received the Golden Apple Award® as Male Film Discovery of 2001. In addition Lance has appeared in films like “Zoolander," “Tropic Thunder,"” I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry” and the television shows “7th Heaven," “The Simpsons," “Clueless," “Sabrina the Teenage Witch," NBC’s hit series “Americas Most Talented Kid” and co-host for the “American Music Award’s Red Carpet Party.” Lance continues to flex his producing muscles with his production company, Lance Bass Productions. He recently executive produced Randal Kleiser’s romantic comedy, “Lovewrecked,” starring Amanda Bynes, Chris Carmack, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Jonathan Bennett.

Bob Cohen

Bob Cohen is Executive Vice President for Legal Affairs for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and since 1994 has been in charge of legal affairs for production and marketing for Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000, Fox Animation, Fox Searchlight, direct to video productions, and the licensing, merchandising and music divisions of Twentieth Century Fox. Prior to his tenure at Fox, Bob served in a similar capacity for Paramount Pictures Corporation. Bob began his legal career in 1978 in San Francisco at the law firm, Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro after graduating from South Texas College of the Law in 1978 and receiving a B.A. from George Washington University in 1974. Over the years, Bob has had significant involvement with gay civil rights organizations, and in particular, National Gay Rights Advocates and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

C. Jay Cox

C. Jay Cox’s first professional screenplay, “The Thing In Bob’s Garage," was optioned by Norman Lear. He subsequently has written projects for Bette Midler, Antonio Banderas, Walt Disney, Columbia, New Line and Paramount Pictures. His first produced feature script, “Sweet Home Alabama," starring Reese Witherspoon, holds the record as the biggest September opening ever. C. Jay followed the success with his directorial debut, “Latter Days," which won the HBO Award for Best First Narrative Feature at Outfest. On the eve of it’s theatrical opening the movie was ‘banned’ in Salt Lake City. It became the highest grossing gay-themed feature of 2004. C. Jay formed a production company, Shadow Factory, to produce his next independent feature, “Kiss The Bride," starring Tori Spelling, which was released theatrically through Regent releasing. His next big screen writing credit is for “New In Town” starring Renee Zellwegger, which was released by Lionsgate in January.

Silvio Horta

Silvio Horta is currently the creator/executive producer for ABC’s Emmy-nominated comedy “Ugly Betty.” Prior to his launch of the series, he served as creator/executive producer of UPN’s acclaimed sci-fi drama, “Jake 2.0,” and before that created and executive-produced the Sci-Fi Network original series, “The Chronicle,” which earned a Saturn Award nomination. “Ugly Betty” is the 2007 Golden Globe Winner for television’s best comedy, as well as the recipient of the Writers’ Guild Award for Best New Series. Horta has also been honored with an NAACP Image Award for outstanding writing, an ALMA award for best show and best writing, a Family Television Award, and the 2007 Peabody Award. Horta got his break in the industry a year out of NYU Film School with his screenplay for the box office hit, “Urban Legend,” a satirical horror film starring Alicia Witt, Jared Leto and Rebecca Gayheart.

Graham Kaye

Graham Kaye has been involved in the Entertainment Industry for 17 years. Graham started in the business at what some might consider to be the old age of 30 at a boutique talent and literary agency. Within 2 years Graham worked his way up to become a talent and literary agent at The William Morris Agency. Recently, Graham was promoted to President of CP Productions, which producing credits include “Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”Even with the duties of running a production company. Graham insisted on continuing to represent out actors and writers including Chad Allen. Graham has a 24 year old son named Jensen and was one of the first out fathers of his generation. “Let’s put it this way, Play dates were hard to find.” He continues to work for gay and Lesbian causes such as the Human Rights Campaign Fund and also works with men and woman in the gay community to fight drug and alcohol addiction. This year Graham is co-chair of the entertainment committee of The American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life event to be held in August in Hollywood, CA.

Mark V. Olsen

Will Scheffer

Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer were domestic partners of seventeen years until they were legally married last September, just before the ban on gay marriage was imposed on Californians. Individually, they both had successful careers as writers for TV, film, and stage (Will: “In the Gloaming;" Mark: “Cornelia,” “Mary Chestnut’s Civil War”) before they decided to incorporate their talents into their production company, Anima Sola Productions. In 2004 they created the HBO series “Big Love” where they currently write and executive produce. In their spare time, Mark and Will work on new projects (executive producing a gay family dramedy for HBO) and care for their supportive extended families in New Jersey and Nebraska. They live in Pasadena with their Spanish Water Dog Lester and their two alley cats from NYC.

Don Roos

Don Roos is the screenwriter of “Love Field," “Single White Female," “Boys on the Side," and the 1996 remake of “Diabolique." In 1998 he made his directorial debut with “The Opposite of Sex," and won two Independent Spirit Awards for best first feature and best screenplay. In 2000 he directed Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow in his script “Bounce," and created the NBC series “M.Y.O.B." He then directed his script “Happy Endings," which starred Lisa Kudrow and Maggie Gyllenhaal and opened the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. In 2008, Don directed the script he adapted from Ayelet Waldman’s novel “Love and Other Impossible Pursuits," starring Natalie Portman and due to be released in late 2009. Don is currently casting “Swedish Berries," which he wrote and is slated to direct later this year. He lives in Los Angeles with his spouse, the actor/writer Dan Bucatinsky, and their children Eliza & Jonah.

Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant is an author, musician, and photographer, but is best known as a film director. His film career began with the critically acclaimed “Mala Noche." His works range from indie films such as “Last Days” and “Elephant," which won both the Palm D’Or and Best Director of the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, to major studio productions, including “My Own Private Idaho,"”To Die For," “Good Will Hunting” and “Finding Forrester." Gus’s latest film “Milk” is still winning awards across the globe, and was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. Gus is also an involved member of the Portland community and has been a recipient of the ACLU “Freedom of Expression” award.

10 AMAZING GAY WOMEN IN SHOWBIZ (9th Annual)

Megan Cavanagh

Megan Cavanagh is most often recognized as Marla Hooch in “A League of Their Own," also played Broomhilde in Mel Brooks’ “Robin Hood: Men in Tights," among numerous other films roles. Currently starring on the LOGO series “Exes & Oh’s," she also voices Hillary on Amy Poehler’s “The Mighty B!." As Trudy on “Home Improvement," she married Al in the series finale. She has guest starred on “Will & Grace," “Friends," “West Wing," “Just Shoot Me," “Roseanne” and “ER” to name a few. Having graced numerous stages, she recently received rave reviews in San Francisco as Madame Arcati in the Noel Coward musical “High Spirits." She voiced the Mom in the Academy Award nominated film (and series) “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius."

Angela Courtin

Angela Courtin serves as SVP of Marketing, Entertainment and Content for MySpace. An accomplished creative and vision-oriented marketing executive, Angela has developed key relationships with Fortune 500 companies and production executives to create rich product campaigns, branded entertainment and game-changing marketing executions. She was the VP of Integrated Marketing at MTV and VP of Rock the Vote. She began her career in political fundraising for organizations such as Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and the DNC. Her work was recognized in 2004 in Out Magazine’s OUT 100, the annual list of the year’s most interesting, influential, and newsworthy LGBT people.

Liz Feldman

Liz Feldman (writer/producer/comedian) is a four-time Emmy award winning writer/producer for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show." She got her start as a writer/performer on Nickelodeon’s “All That” and has since written for “Blue Collar TV," “The 79th Annual Academy Awards” and “Ellen’s Really Big Show." She performs stand-up regularly in Los Angeles, and currently hosts the popular internet talk shows “This Just Out” on afterellen.com and “Shack Talk” on funnyordie.com.

Sharon Isbin

GRAMMY Award winner Sharon Isbin has been hailed as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time.” She has made over 25 award-winning recordings, and her 2001 GRAMMY was the first for classical guitar in 28 years. Her latest bestseller, “Journey to the New World” (SONY), includes guests Joan Baez and Mark O’Connor. Her CD with the New York Philharmonic received Latin Grammy and GLAAD Media Award nominations. Soloist with over 160 orchestras, she was featured on “the L word," in Scorsese’s “The Departed” soundtrack, and on 30 magazine covers. Author of “The Classical Guitar Answer Book," she directs The Juilliard School’s guitar department.

Carol Leifer

Carol Leifer is an accomplished stand-up comedian, and an Emmy-nominated writer and producer for her work on such television shows as “Seinfeld," “The Larry Sanders Show," “Saturday Night Live” and “The Academy Awards." She has starred in several of her own comedy specials which have aired on HBO, Showtime and Comedy Central. Her “big break” came when David Letterman unexpectedly showed up one night at The Comic Strip in New York City and caught Leifer’s show. His visit led to twenty-five guest appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman." Carol has also been seen on “The Tonight Show," “Real Time with Bill Maher," “Conan O’Brien," and “The Oprah Winfrey Show." She starred in and created the WB sitcom, “Alright Already." She lives in Santa Monica with her partner, their son and seven rescue dogs.

Harriet Newman Leve

Harriet Newman Leve is an award-winning Broadway producer. Broadway productions: “The Norman Conquests;" “Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps;" “Coram Boy;" “Lieutenant of Inishmore;" Eve Ensler’s “The Good Body;" “The Crucible” starring Liam Neeson and Laura Linney; “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” starring Whoopi Goldberg; “Hedda Gabler” starring Kate Burton; “Kat and the Kings;" Anna Deavere Smith’s “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992;" “Diary of Anne Frank” starring Natalie Portman. Off-Broadway: “STOMP;" “Shockheaded Peter; Necessary Targets;" “Bunny Bunny: Gilda Radner;" “Edith Stein;" “Communicating Doors” starring Mary Louise Parker; “Family Secrets;" “Beebo Brinker Chronicles." Film: “Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey." Ms. Leve is a member of the Broadway League.

Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow hosts MSNBC’s newest primetime success, the critically acclaimed “The Rachel Maddow Show.” “The Rachel Maddow Show” features Maddow’s take on the biggest stories of the day, political and otherwise, including lively debate with guests from all sides of the issues, in-depth analysis and stories no other shows in cable news will cover. Since its launch in September 2008, “The Rachel Maddow Show” has de-throned “Larry King Live,” beating the long-running CNN show head-to-head in the key adults 25-54 demographic. She is currently working on a book on the changing role of the military in U.S. politics, due out in 2009. She lives in New York City and Massachusetts with her partner, artist Susan Mikula.

Kelly McGillis

Kelly McGillis had her big break being cast to star opposite Harrison Ford in Peter Weir’s “Witness” playing the unforgettable role of the Amish widow, Rachel Lapp. This was soon followed by other films such as Tony Scott’s “Top Gun” opposite Tom Cruise, Alan Rudolph’s “Made In Heaven” with Timothy Hutton and Deborah Winger and Jonathan Kaplan’s “The Accused” opposite Jodie Foster. Numerous other films followed. Not restricting herself to the big screen, Kelly continued to work in television, starring in several mini series and movies of the week and recently, she completed filming a guest star ‘arc’ on the Showtime series, “the L word." She also found time to produce and star in a film adaptation of Kate Chopin’s novel, “Grand Isle." She has spent most of the past decade undertaking one of her most demanding roles – being a mother and raising her two daughters, Kelsey and Sonora.

Susan Miller

Susan Miller is the writer/executive producer of the hit web series, “Anyone But Me," Consulting Producer “the L word;" Story Editor “thirtysomething." Other television: “Family," “Trials of Rosie O’Neill," “L.A Law," “Urban Anxiety” (Head writer). Original screenplays: Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. Films: “Lady Beware” (Diane Lane); “The Grand Design” (Eric Stoltz director). She is also a Guggenheim Fellow in playwriting: “My Left Breast” (OBIE); “A Map of Doubt And Rescue” (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize), “Nasty Rumors And Final Remarks” (OBIE). Productions: The Public Theatre, Second Stage, Naked Angels, New York Stage and Film, Mark Taper Forum.

Patricia Resnick

Patricia Resnick wrote the book for, “9 to 5 The Musical” currently on Broadway; wrote the films “9 to 5," “A Wedding," “Quintet," “Maxie” and “Straight Talk;" and for television she was the Executive-Producer for “Olivia," animated hit series for Nick Jr., “Hell On Heels: The Battle of Mary” (Golden Globe nominations for Shirley MacLaine and Parker Posey.) Other theatre work includes sketches for Lily Tomlin’s Broadway show, “Appearing Nightly," and a stage musical adaptation of her own PBS movie, “Ladies in Waiting," for the Chicago Lyric Opera House. Currently she is writing a pilot, “The Twelve," and working on a memoir, “Dancing with Nancy Reagan.”

ABOUT POWER UP

POWER UP’s most successful educational curriculum has been its unique Filmmaking Program, through which POWER UP has produced 14 films over the last 8 yrs and has launched careers for countless women in all fields. Some examples of those success stories include: writer/director Angela Robinson (D.E.B.S., HERBIE: FULLY LOADED, the L word); writer/director Jessica Sharzer (SPEAK, untitled DUSTY SPRINGFIELD project); writer/director Cherien Dabis (AMERIKA in directors fortnight at 2009 Cannes, producer L WORD); and writer/director Colette Burson (Creator of the HBO series HUNG.)

POWER UP’s film successes include: (1) ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE, DEBS, BILLY’S DAD IS A FUDGE-PACKER, LITTLE BLACK BOOT, STUCK, STARTCROSSED & PROM-TROVERSY; (2) being an Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival for four years in a row, including an honorable mention; (3) Hundreds of Awards, including the South by Southwest “Best Narrative Feature Jury Prize for POWER UP’s first feature, ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE; and (4) record breaking Opening Weekend ticket sales for ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE’s Theatrical Release.

In 2008 POWER UP started the Public Service Announcement Program, where we have produced and distributed 23 spots for Marriage Equality PSA Campaigns: (1) the “Stop the Hate, Vote No on 8,” which was the only celebrity “No on Prop 8” commercial which included Amy Brenneman, Cameron Manheim, Christine Lahti, Sara Ramirez, Tyne Daley, Melanie Mayron, Melonie Diaz, Sally Kirkland, Wilson Cruz and more; and (2) the “Get to Know Us First” Campaign, which is the first campaign with real gays families that is currently being run on all major networks in California. POWER UP also produced an important “Stop Domestic Violence” music video for the out-artist Melange Lavonne.

Official Web Site: www.powerupfilms.org

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