Elwood Shreve
Pat and Megan Whalen have been working with talented local film industry friends to create a comedy TV series and they're rolling out the red carpet to share it with the community.
Pat and Megan Whalen have been working with talented local film industry friends to create a comedy TV series and they’re rolling out the red carpet to share it with the community.
Due Southwest, created by the Chatham couple who make up the classic country duo Deep Southwest, will stream on Bell Fibe TV1 starting March 20.
To celebrate, the Whalens are hosting a premiere and screening of the five-episode, Chatham-shot series at the Chatham Capitol Theatre March 8 .
“It is a thank you, basically, to the community,” Megan Whalen said. “We’d love to show this to the community before anybody else gets a chance to see it, so you can be part of the celebration of the fact that it’s done.”
Pat Whalen said they are “excited and exhausted at the same time” now the first episodes are ready. “It’s like we’ve been carrying this baby and it’s finally ready to show it to the world.”
The series is about Deep Southwest trying to realize their dream of playing the Hawaiian Pizza Festival in Chatham, where the pineapple pizza really was invented. It features many well-known residents and recognizable locations.
The Whalens formed Deep Southwest in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which is also when Pat began writing songs about Chatham. As the songwriting progressed, the couple began exploring incorporating the music into a stage play or series of music videos.
When the Bell Fibe opportunity came along, Megan “wove a story around the music,” Pat said in an earlier interview.
The Whalens also called on talented local friends, including Ben Srokosz, camera department head and editor on the project. Also on the team: director Daniel Turres, camera operator Cam Sinasac, sound person Donnie Ivey, project co-ordinator, Shannon Young and grip Joe Gorzeman.
While Bell provided funding for the show that will stream on Fibe TV1 for up to five years, the Whalens can pitch the series to TV networks after 90 days of it being exclusively on the Bell streaming service.
“We’ve already had some interest” in the series, Pat said.
“We’re just sitting back on that, making sure the premiere is the best that it can be before we start moving to the selling phase,” he added.
Megan said those attending the premiere will have their photo taken, might even be interviewed by a videographer, and be treated to music by The Long Lots, who are featured in the series.
She added there will be a question-and-answer session after the screening, followed by an after party at the nearby River Rock Social House.
Tickets for the premiere are available online at cktickets.com.