Sun City Summerlin improv actors add flavor to Las Vegas-based cooking show

More than six cars were parked outside a single-story house high in the hills of Sun City Summerlin Feb. 5. Inside, a teaser for a TV show was being shot.

If things come to fruition, “Better With Age,” a production of Grandmother’s Cooking Wisdom LLC, will be seen on televisions across the nation.

Dr. Myles Bader was the host of the proposed show and was joined by two other Sun City residents, Elaine Ruda and Adrienne Gentile. Both perform with A. Jesters Court, a local improv group, under the tutelage of Temma Keatan Hammond.

Hammond said she chose them because both were naturally animated and perfect for the cooking show.

“Being the coach for the Jesters troupe, I bring as many types of projects to them (as I can), so they can experience all the forms of acting,” she said. “It’s such a pleasure to watch them work in all the different venues and know they’re growing as actors.”

Hammond has extensive ties to Hollywood and moved to Las Vegas about a year ago. She came up with the concept of the TV show.

“I met Myles and learned about his background,” Hammond said. “After a while, the idea of this show came together, and I happened to contact someone from the Food Network who was interested. So that’s why I (chose) to do this.”

In Bader’s kitchen, two cameras were set up in the breakfast nook, trained on the kitchen island where various food items were on plates and in baskets.

Jon Fondy, producer/director of Vegas Production Studios, was in charge of the production crew.

“This is a sizzler of a half-hour show (being proposed), so they’ll (prospective buyers) look at it, and go, ‘We like this show. We don’t like that show,’ or, ‘We’d like to see more of the show, do you have a full half-hour one to view?’” he said. “… The improv is always a plus. The fun part about it is that improv makes it seem real.”

This day, the shoot was for a two-minute snippet of what a full show would deliver. He said the full half-hour one would be shot only if interest was shown.

To get two minutes worth of teaser took a little over two hours to shoot.

First, there was a discussion between the two camera operators about how to shoot the first scene, which camera would do the close-ups and which would do the pull-outs. A script was on the table between the two. There were three segments to be shot, featuring a potato salad, a salmon fish wrap and a cake.

Changes to the script were inevitable.

“We’re not calling it ‘Death By Chocolate’ anymore?” asked Charles Wynn, director of photography and post-production supervisor, on camera 2.

“No,” said Fondy, “now it’s ‘Chocolate Confetti Cake.’ ”

Curiously, the cake being used for a show about cooking with healthy ingredients was not a healthy version at all. It had been purchased at a local grocery store and would be quickly devoured by cast and crew after shooting was completed.

For now, the food was in presentation mode, on colorful plates or in bright picnic bowls.

Bader had his lines memorized, but the movements that accompanied them could only be worked out once everyone was assembled. A couple takes worked out the jitters.

“Try looking at both women as you say your line,” Fondy said.

“Talk to them, not the camera,” Hammond suggested.

As shooting continued, the nerves abated, lines came out more naturally and humor set in.

Ruda’s comfort level could be seen as she pointed out the various spices being used — until she got distracted and froze with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

Fondy laughed, asking, “What are you looking at me for?”

“I don’t know,” she said before her improv training kicked in. “Because you’re cute, maybe?”

Another shot had the two camera operators checking with each other to see if they were satisfied with everything.

“Was it good for you?” Wynn asked.

The actors laughed.

Bader included tips for the everyday cook: Put a piece of horseradish into your pickle jar to help maintain freshness; wet your fingers before picking up an egg so you won’t drop it; use low-fat yogurt in potato salad instead of mayonnaise as a healthy alternative, and blow into a plastic bag of herbs just before you close it, as the carbon dioxide in your breath with help maintain freshness.

Multiple shots were made for standalone stills, then the final scene was tackled.

Fondy called cut and said he had all the footage he needed.

The action scenes were shot in sequence to make things easier for post-production. Food stills were shot separately, to be inserted as needed. Fondy estimated it would take three or four days to put it all together.

Kim Tuel got the role of the voiceover that would introduce the show. With no studio sound booth on hand, the crew made do with the next best alternative: Bader’s walk-in closet. Tuel nailed it in a couple of takes.

Bader has done 6,000 radio and TV shows, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Fox & Friends.”

He said the women from A. Jesters Court were great to work with.

“They’ve got good experience in dramatics; they do very well with improv,” he said.

To Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.