Glee's Max Alder to star in "Saugatuck Cures" plays a gay son of mother with cancer

Photo From: Saugatuck Cares Facebook Page

 Saugatuck Cures- is a family-friendly comedy about a widowed bed and breakfast owner, Maggie Callaghan (played by Judith Chapman), living in Saugatuck dealing with a second round of cancer. When she can't afford treatment, Maggie's gay son Drew (played by Glee's Max Adler) becomes determined to raise money for her treatment, yet doesn't have the slightest idea of converting" homosexuals into heterosexuals! After a crazy adventure, getting into a lot of trouble with the law, family conflicts and not knowing if they will have enough time to save mom, the film ends with an overall message of forgiveness, love, and acceptance.

Photo From: Saugatuck Cares Facebook Page

how to do it. After a falling out with his sister, Penelope, a religious conservative, Drew is convinced by his eccentric, best friend Brett (played by Danny Mooney), who's straight, to pose as ex-gay ministers in order to raise the money by "

West Michigan beach town lands starring role in film Saugatuck Cures

Photos and Story From:  The Grand Rapids Press

Max Adler and Danny Mooney play friends,
Drew and Brett, in the film, Saugatuck Cures.

 Jay Paul Deratany got a preview of how audiences may react to his film, "Saugatuck Cures."

A public reading of the script by the film’s cast Saturday evening drew lots of laughs and a hearty applause even though the performance ended on a cliff hanger. The audience will have to wait for the film to see how the story ends, they were told.

“It was more than I expected,” said Deratany, the film’s writer and producer, of the positive reaction.

Judith Chapman and The Lady Chablis,
will play friends Maggie and LaQuisha, in the film, Saugatuck Cures.

That’s a good sign since filming begins Monday, Oct. 14, with principal photography expected to wrap by Nov. 3.

The film stars Judith Chapman, a veteran of soap opera "The Young and the Restless," and Max Adler, known for his recurring performances on "Glee."

The cast also includes The Lady Chablis, who portrayed herself in the 1997 Clint Eastwood-directed film, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and Danny Mooney, who had roles in “The Ides of March” and “Whip It.”

Matthew Klinger and Amanda Lipinski,
will play couple Paul and Penelope in the film, Saugatuck Cures.

The director is Matthew Ladensack, who brought in Adler, a high school friend.

The shoot will be especially intense for Adler who just found out he has a recurring role on “Switched at Birth.”

Adler has to balance the film’s 14- to 16-hour shooting schedule with flying back to L.A. to tape the ABC show.

From left to right, the cast of Saugatuck Cures:
Matthew Klinger, Amanda Lipinski, Max Adler,
Danny Mooney, Judith Chapman and The Lady Chablis.

His strategy?

“No sleep,” he joked.

Adler says he committed to the film because the story resonates with him.

“I loved everything it had to say to me,” Adler said.

The feature-length comedy is about a cancer-stricken woman (Chapman), whose gay son (Adler), and his straight friend (Mooney), pose as ex-gay ministers, converting homosexuals into heterosexuals to raise money for her treatment.

Deratany opened the first cast reading of the script to the public, which is rarely done, as a thank you to the Allegan County community for its support.

“We wanted to do something special for you,” Deratany told the audience of about 75, who seemed to enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the film process.

There were lots of cell phone snapping photos of the cast gathered shoulder-to-shoulder along two white-clothed tables on the bar’s short-rise stage. Behind them, members of the supporting cast and production team sat in half-moon seating along a bank of windows overlooking Saugatuck Harbor.

Sitting at a table, Richie Gould admitted he’s a little starstruck by the whole experience.

“I suppose everybody is to a certain degree,” said Gould, who works at The Butler Pantry, which is loaning some antiques and kitchenware to the production for props.

Deratany credits donations from Saugatuck residents and Michigan Film Incentives program for helping to underwrite the film’s modest $300,000 budget.

He has nearly all his financing, cobbled together from investors in Saugatuck, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The gay-friendly beach resort was the inspiration for the Chicago resident who owns a summer house there.

“This is where I do my writing,” said Deratany, adding the story came to him as he was walking around the community about a year ago, and thinking about how amazingly well people and religion come together there.

“Saugatuck without a doubt is a character, which shows through in the characters of Maggie and LaQuisha," he said.

His script makes jokes at the expense of the conservative Christian’s anti-gay movement, but Deratany describes the film as a marriage between both ends of the political spectrum.

“You might think that it starts out anti-religion but everyone comes to accept everybody regardless of sexual orientation or faith,” said Deratany.

Deratany says the film is on track to come out in the 2014 holiday season.

“Certainly, the premiere will be in Saugatuck,” he said.