“What If” to premiere in Grand Rapids
August 10th, 2010 at 8:15 am by Laff at the Movies under Entertainment
“What If” will premiere in Grand Rapids August 10th, cast and filmmakers scheduled to be in attendance
UPDATED 8/11/10:
Fundraiser raised more than $20,000 for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Updated 8/10/10:
The first theater sold out, “What If” will be showing in two theaters. Some general admission tickets still remain you can get them at: www.devoschildrens.org/whatif. The movie will have a limited release starting August 20th in select markets throughout the country, including Grand Rapids where the movie will be playing at Celebration! Cinema theaters and will be part of the Grand Rapids Film Festival.
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Originally published 7/28/10:
Kevin Sorbo (“Hercules”), John Ratzenberger (“Toy Story”, “Cheers”), Kristy Swanson (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” movie), and Debby Ryan (“Disney Channel’s Suite Life on Deck”) are coming to Grand Rapids for the premiere of “What If” which was shot in Grand Rapids and Manistee June/July 2009.
The premiere of the family movie will be Tuesday, August 10th at 7:30pm at Grand Rapids’ Celebration! Cinema North. The event is open to the public and a fundraiser for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. All proceeds are said to benefit the HDCH; general admission tickets are $25 and tickets can be purchased at www.devoschildrens.org/whatif. A VIP reception will be held prior to the premiere at 6 p.m. in the Celebration! Cinema Wave Room. Tickets to the VIP reception are $100 and can also be purchased at www.devoschildrens.org/whatif.
So far about 400 tickets have been sold for the 500 seat main theater #1, but organizers say that if there is enough interest, they will use two theaters at the same time.
Russell Wolfe, Producer of “What If” and director Dallas Jenkins will also be in attendance and plan to speak before the presentation and introduce the cast to the audience.
7-year-old Grand Rapids resident Taylor Groothuis is also in the movie and plays Sorbo’s younger daughter in the movie.
The film is a co-production between 10 West Studios in Manistee and Jenkins Entertainment and Pureflix Entertainment, both of Los Angeles.
More info from the press release:
“The premiere is a double win; it’s a film the whole family can truly enjoy and it benefits an incredible organization,” said Tom Kyros, a Varnum partner and member of the Foundation’s board. “This is entertainment that is uplifting as well as entertaining for whole family. We at Varnum and at DeVos Children’s are proud that Grand Rapids has been chosen for the premiere.”
Stars who will attend the premiere the evening of August 10 include:
Kevin Sorbo; Hercules
Kristy Swanson; Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Debby Ryan; Disney Channel’s Suite Life on Deck
John Ratzenberger; Cheers, Toy Story I, II and III, A Bugs Life, Monsters, Inc.,
Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, WALL-E and Up.
Taylor Groothuis, local actress
Russell Wolfe, Producer of What If and CEO of Pure Flix Entertainment
Dallas Jenkins; Director of What If
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Tags: Debby Ryan, filmed in West Michigan, John Ratzenberger, Kevin Sorbo, Kristy Swanson, Laff at the Movies, movie, movies, Taylor Groothuis, Waterfront Film Festival, What If
Aaron Lafferty covers the film industry in West Michigan and reviews movies for EightWest on Fridays.
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Wat...
I had the pleasure of seeing a screening of this film last weekend in Manistee. As an extra in the film I was very pleased with the final product! It has a great story and represents Grand Rapids and Manistee very nicely! Hopefully it will spark peoples interest in Manistee and the beauty of a great Lake Michigan town!
Darn. I wish it was in Los Angeles! I would go. Will definitely check it out.
Sorry but if this is the message we want to send our children that angels hit just to get you to pay attention and do what the angels say then I’ll pass on this movie – I know that God is a better supreme being then to send one of their angels to hit one of God’s children – so sad on the Directors part!
The only thing that’s sad is that there are so many out of touch Christians like Sandy
No offense Craig but the God I serve is LOVE so tell me how is hitting some guy done out of LOVE that would mean God is a VIOLENT God – do you believe he is violent? I am not a CHRISTIAN and I have never claimed to be but you look at all the movies and series that have been done about angels and you tell me who would you follow “An angel that does not hit” but “Touches with love and peace”
Have You Noticed? I guess you could call me a people watcher. Lately I
seem to notice more and more working age men just seemingly wandering around in the
middle of the day. Walking through grocery stores with almost nothing in there
carts,pausing to let older women cut in front of them, “I’m not in a hurry.” Going
for evening walks in there
neighborhoods , not exercising just ambling down the side streets. Heads
down,shoulders rolled forward, bellies out and the pace slow. The Economy hurts in
so many ways with no where to go nothing to build no way to earn. If Obama rides in
on his socalisim ass waving an American flag so what. He has no clue that people
don’t want others people’s tax dollars they want a job of there own and not tax
payer “Created Job” People know that is just a hand out. I read a very inresting
artice in http://www.michigan-businessreview.com by the renowened blogger artdeco
good manners and the law stop me
from reprinting it here but I suggest you read it. good day and good luck yours
theomonk