Somewhere
Somewhere
A Musical with a Big Impact
“Somewhere” is a musical love story. Submerged in tones of loneliness and longing, this film will build to an empowering, show-stopping anthem which emboldens people of all walks, raises awareness for immigration rights, and takes a stand against hate. Utilizing a live musical theater feel, but shot on location, this 13 minute short will tell the story of Cameron and Elena, who discover a tunnel in the basement of their border-town bowling alley. Shortly thereafter, Elena is captured by I.C.E. agents, and our story follows her deportation process. This short will give audiences a taste of the storytelling, while delivering the concept of the show.
A Musical with a Big Impact
“Somewhere” is a musical love story. Submerged in tones of loneliness and longing, this film will build to an empowering, show-stopping anthem which emboldens people of all walks, raises awareness for immigration rights, and takes a stand against hate. Utilizing a live musical theater feel, but shot on location, this 13 minute short will tell the story of Cameron and Elena, who discover a tunnel in the basement of their border-town bowling alley. Shortly thereafter, Elena is captured by I.C.E. agents, and our story follows her deportation process. This short will give audiences a taste of the storytelling, while delivering the concept of the show.
The Story
Elena Delgado, a dreamer who came through the tunnel years ago, has been running the tunnel since the untimely death of Cameron’s grandparents. Cameron falls in love with Elena, and his discovery changes everything he thought he knew of his conservative parents and their bowling alley. After Elena stands up for Pablo, a young boy who has been hiding in the tunnel, the three soon become entangled in a journey of epic proportions.
Earl Jones is an avid bowler and a racist — as such, he is suspicious of the large number of young immigrant workers that the Whitakers employ at the bowling alley. Fed up with being treated as less than equal, Elena stands up to Earl, who calls I.C.E. agents the next day.
Cameron tries to pay off the border patrol, only to get punched in the face by Earl and Elena is taken away.
Fully knowing she can re-enter through the tunnel again, Elena allows herself to be deported without putting up a fight. The rest of the dreamers are emboldened by her strength and soon join in song. Elena emerges as our heroine as she leads a group of recently deported dreamers across the desert and back to the tunnel.
Meanwhile, intercut is Cameron, who hides Pablo back in the tunnel and hops on his motorcycle to go after Elena.
Arriving at the border, he realizes the futility of his trying to save her and turns around. He lets Pablo out of the locker tunnel and accepts his role as “keeper of the tunnel,” now helping other Dreamers enter the country safely.
As we follow Elena down the conveyor belt to the detention center, to Courtroom, to deportation bus south, and back north through the desert, Cameron joins in the song with the other dreamers — elevating the song of redemption to show-stopping levels.
Cast of Characters
Jon Robert Hall
A singer-songwriter who returns home to take over his parent’s blue-collar bowling alley, only to find that things are not as they appear. We meet him the night his new love is arrested by I.C.E. agents, tipped by a racist customer.
Cameron
Natalie Hanna Mendoza
A Dreamer who has worked at the bowling alley for ten years. We meet her just before she is captured by a I.C.E. henchman and put into a redistribution center, south of the border. We follow her heroic story from deportation to leading others on her way north.
Elena
As an unaccompanied minor, Pablo has gone through the secret tunnel in hopes of finding a better life. He is skeptical of unfamiliar faces and loyal to his friends.
Pablo
A devoted bowler and leader of the town’s right-wing stronghold, Earl Jones has resented the Whitaker family for years. He runs a gas station by day, and by night assists in free-lance bounty hunting. He'll do anything to make a buck.
Earl
Developing The Music
This type of storytelling requires that the musical arrangement accommodate shifts in time and place depending upon which character is center stage.
Mexican visual artist Arturo A. Velasco created incredible renderings of each scene in the animatic allowing for the marriage between music and picture to begin.
There are so many talented and creative people working to make this project possible! We have singers and supporting actors that have been featured on The Voice, American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Wicked, and Glee to name a few, all making contributions. Both Jon Robert Hall (Cameron Whitaker) and Natalie Hanna Mendoza (Elena Delgado) bring us into a world centered around immigration through song as their characters face the threat of never seeing each other again.
Transformation and arrangement of Jeff Pifher’s original song “Somewhere” was undertaken by Harlan Hodges. His arrangement evokes an emotional connection between our two main characters and translates this powerful message and sense of urgency. While realizing director Alexander Craven’s vision, Harlan transports us from a place of vulnerability to one of self-empowerment while experiencing everything in between. During this unique musical journey, we encounter moments of nostalgia, in-the-moment action, and peeks into the future.
The Creative Team
Alexander Craven
Producer, Writer, Director
Jeff Pifher
Executive Producer, Composer
Shane Collins
Producer
Harlan Hodges
Music Producer, Composer, Arranger, Orchestrator
Merlin Showalter
Cinematographer
Hélène Vogelsinger
Modular Synthesizers/Sound Design
Cast
Jon Robert Hall
Lead Actor
Natalie Hanna Mendoza
Lead Actress
Zxena
Supporting Actress
Jej Vinson
Supporting Actor
Hallelujah
Supporting Actress
Micah Christian
Supporting Actor
Gabby Neeley
Supporting Actress
Jordyn Simone
Supporting Actress
Trace Gaynor
Supporting Actor
Social Impact
Standing Up For Immigration Rights.
Without embracing reform, immigration enforcement will continue to grow as a private profiteering business. Our hope is that this project is a joyous celebration of both those who have come before, and a call to action for immigration reform so that others may follow!
The themes explored in this musical have implications far beyond the realms of science fiction.... This world could be our future. These issues are life-and-death for our characters, as they are for so many who try to enter this country. Their song is one of triumph and courage. Respecting their identity is at the core of the conflict and the moral fabric of this story.
Somewhere
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