Jerrell Ritcherson joins Lombardi Street cast
Acting in cyberspace
Acting in cyberspace
By Jonathan Gramling
Imagine a world with no televisions. Imagine if you can … In the continuing evolution of the
food chain of broadcast communications, first there was radio, then there was broadcast television,
then there was cable and dish television and now there is the Internet. Just as the Internet has
begun to replace newspapers and television news programs as people’s source for news, could it
be far behind that the Internet also replaces the television as a source of entertainment?
During the past few years, television stations like TNT and NBC have placed some of their
episodes on the Internet after they have appeared on broadcast or cable television. But what would
happen if the Internet became the sole source for original programming of “television” programs
with television quality production values?
For the past two years, Jerrell Ritcherson, a graduate of Edgewood High School, has attended
the New York Conservancy for the Dramatic Arts. After he graduated in May, he got wind of an
innovative acting gig from one of his teachers. But it wasn’t your typical casting role for a part.
Imagine a world with no televisions. Imagine if you can … In the continuing evolution of the
food chain of broadcast communications, first there was radio, then there was broadcast television,
then there was cable and dish television and now there is the Internet. Just as the Internet has
begun to replace newspapers and television news programs as people’s source for news, could it
be far behind that the Internet also replaces the television as a source of entertainment?
During the past few years, television stations like TNT and NBC have placed some of their
episodes on the Internet after they have appeared on broadcast or cable television. But what would
happen if the Internet became the sole source for original programming of “television” programs
with television quality production values?
For the past two years, Jerrell Ritcherson, a graduate of Edgewood High School, has attended
the New York Conservancy for the Dramatic Arts. After he graduated in May, he got wind of an
innovative acting gig from one of his teachers. But it wasn’t your typical casting role for a part.
Jerrell Ritcherson is a member of the cast of
Lombardi Street, an Internet “television
show.”
Lombardi Street, an Internet “television
show.”
“I found out about the audition and they wanted us to sign up for the website and submit an on-line video of us,” Ritcherson said who was in
Madison for the summer before heading back east to study at Adelphi University on Long Island. “We all did that and then the director, Kevin
Jackson, watched all of them and called people back based on the videos. I got called back. I then did a try-out in Chicago. It was very unique
because we got to sit in on other people’s auditions, which is not usually done. We saw the mistakes that other people made so we wouldn’t make
them. And then maybe a week or so later, I got a call telling me that I got a part. I was excited.”
What Ritcherson tried out for was a new Internet-based drama series, Lombardi Street, which will be shown exclusively on the Internet. It will
all be done at a website, www.lombardistreet.com, that will combine the features of video, Facebook and blogging into a unique social interaction
site. And instead of regular commercials, the site will use a technology where the viewer can place their cursor on an item on the show while it is
playing — take a sports car for instance — and a pop-up box will appear that describes the vehicle and tells the viewer where it can be purchased
or which website to visit to order it or get more information.
But back to the drama. Ritcherson won a spot on the drama as a supporting character. “It’s about six students who just graduated from high
school and are going to college for the first time,” Ritcherson said. “It’s about their experience with campus life. My character’s name is ‘Chris’
Friend.’ Chris is the typical high school jock. He plays football. The only downside is that he is close-minded and he’s not even aware of it. So he
says random, hurtful things. He doesn’t think it is hurtful. But when he hurts people, he’ll ask ‘Why are you crying?’ Chris is like the leader. He’s the
only one who basically has a bright future because he was the star quarterback and got a scholarship to go to school. I look at him as my role
model so that hopefully, I will succeed like him. But I won’t be as close-minded and will be able to think outside the box and appreciate people and
get my life together. We just graduated. He’s the only one in our group of friends who is actually going to college. All of us are basically stuck in
our small town, working a small job until we can actually afford to go to college and have the grades to go to college. Right now, I’m not in
college.”
Ritcherson shot his initial spots in LA and then returned to New York to resume his studies. “After I graduate, I plan to go to LA,” Ritcherson
said. “My goals are — like any other actor — to win the Academy Award and not just be any other actor in the business, but be one of the best. My
ultimate goal is to be one of the greatest actors ever like the Cary Grants, Clark Gables and Denzel Washingtons.”
But meanwhile, watch out for Internet-based “television” programming. “Online stuff is becoming bigger by the day,” Ritcherson said. “It’s cheaper
to produce. It’s a drama like The Closer. We’re working toward the same kind of production values. Soap Operas are good, but they rush so much
so they can’t really get into their characters. We’re going to take our time and do the best we can.”
Minisodes introducing the six main characters are scheduled to be available in late September. Meanwhile, there is a world of Facebook,
blogging and character introductions at www.lombardistreet.com awaiting. See the future of television.
Madison for the summer before heading back east to study at Adelphi University on Long Island. “We all did that and then the director, Kevin
Jackson, watched all of them and called people back based on the videos. I got called back. I then did a try-out in Chicago. It was very unique
because we got to sit in on other people’s auditions, which is not usually done. We saw the mistakes that other people made so we wouldn’t make
them. And then maybe a week or so later, I got a call telling me that I got a part. I was excited.”
What Ritcherson tried out for was a new Internet-based drama series, Lombardi Street, which will be shown exclusively on the Internet. It will
all be done at a website, www.lombardistreet.com, that will combine the features of video, Facebook and blogging into a unique social interaction
site. And instead of regular commercials, the site will use a technology where the viewer can place their cursor on an item on the show while it is
playing — take a sports car for instance — and a pop-up box will appear that describes the vehicle and tells the viewer where it can be purchased
or which website to visit to order it or get more information.
But back to the drama. Ritcherson won a spot on the drama as a supporting character. “It’s about six students who just graduated from high
school and are going to college for the first time,” Ritcherson said. “It’s about their experience with campus life. My character’s name is ‘Chris’
Friend.’ Chris is the typical high school jock. He plays football. The only downside is that he is close-minded and he’s not even aware of it. So he
says random, hurtful things. He doesn’t think it is hurtful. But when he hurts people, he’ll ask ‘Why are you crying?’ Chris is like the leader. He’s the
only one who basically has a bright future because he was the star quarterback and got a scholarship to go to school. I look at him as my role
model so that hopefully, I will succeed like him. But I won’t be as close-minded and will be able to think outside the box and appreciate people and
get my life together. We just graduated. He’s the only one in our group of friends who is actually going to college. All of us are basically stuck in
our small town, working a small job until we can actually afford to go to college and have the grades to go to college. Right now, I’m not in
college.”
Ritcherson shot his initial spots in LA and then returned to New York to resume his studies. “After I graduate, I plan to go to LA,” Ritcherson
said. “My goals are — like any other actor — to win the Academy Award and not just be any other actor in the business, but be one of the best. My
ultimate goal is to be one of the greatest actors ever like the Cary Grants, Clark Gables and Denzel Washingtons.”
But meanwhile, watch out for Internet-based “television” programming. “Online stuff is becoming bigger by the day,” Ritcherson said. “It’s cheaper
to produce. It’s a drama like The Closer. We’re working toward the same kind of production values. Soap Operas are good, but they rush so much
so they can’t really get into their characters. We’re going to take our time and do the best we can.”
Minisodes introducing the six main characters are scheduled to be available in late September. Meanwhile, there is a world of Facebook,
blogging and character introductions at www.lombardistreet.com awaiting. See the future of television.
