Lake Orion Sitcom 'Baldwin Cafe' Premieres On CW50
"It's going to sound kind of weird, but you'll get a sense of home," 19-year-old actor Jordan Dowodzenka said when I asked why people should watch "Baldwin Cafe." The character-centered show also promises cheeky laughs.
It's a familiar setting for the people of Lake Orion, Mich. The actual Baldwin Cafe is now the location for a new sitcom airing on CW50 Saturday mornings at 3:30 a.m. Fridays.
The man behind the production, Mike Sneed, got his start in the music biz playing the same shows as Bob Seger in the 70's in the band Tantrum. He shifted to filmmaking and had success on the festival circuit with features titled, "A Grain of Sand" and "Butterfly Kisses". During an acting workshop he hosts, Sneed wrote comedy sketches and was inspired to bring them to TV. The location of "Baldwin Cafe" was suggested to Sneed by a fellow actor who participated in the writing of the sketches and had connection to the diner, Neil Patterson.
Sneed is seeking sponsors for the program and interested parties can email him for details.
Made In Michigan Cast
The principal cast includes Caroline Ruth McClure, Col Neil J Patterson, Lauren Candela, David Pesce, Tim Oestreich, Rocco Guirlanda, John Tynan Jr., Victor Pytko, Mike Sneed, Allison Megroet and Kellie Tate.
One of the show's recurring characters is played by Jordan Dowodzenka -- who happens to be a budding Internet celebrity. He's made a name for himself with humorous Vine videos and YouTube vlogs. He has nearly 20k subscribers on YouTube and more than 75k followers on Vine.
Dowodzenka's grew up in Michigan and went to MSU. He currently resides in California where he's auditioning for acting roles and continuing to develop his social media audience. His dream is to be on the cast of "Saturday Night Live."
His character Andy is a shy, awkward young man whose love interest, Hannah, isn't won over by his charms.
In one episode, Dowodzenka admits to committing too fully to a stunt. He wanted to make it as real as possible, but ended up a little sore after taking a dozen fake punches and tumbling to the ground.
Tune In
"Baldwin Cafe" has 14 episodes ready to air and a second season is in the works. Sneed reminds me of how the show is a unique opportunity. The cast is filled with Michigan actors and the list of roles is growing. "We're constantly bringing in new characters in the cafe," explained Sneed.
Sneed doesn't just run the show, he also lends his talents in the role of an ex-Russian chess master named Nokolia Onanov.
Set your DVR or your alarm and tune in at 3:30 a.m. Saturday mornings -- or Friday nights, depending on how late you stay up -- to CW50 Detroit to watch "Baldwin Cafe!"
