March 22--"Veep's" Season 5 premiere episode will screen in advance next month with cast member and longtime Chicago theater actor Gary Cole in tow to talk about the show and his local roots.
The panel discussion is part of this year's Chicago International Television Awards (April 20), which are a minor offshoot of the Chicago International Film Festival. Cole and "Veep" will be featured 6:30 p.m. April 19, ahead of the show's April 24 premiere on HBO. (You can read my profile of Cole from a couple years ago here.)
Also scheduled is a screening of Fox's "Empire" at 8 p.m. April 18, along with a Q from crew members who will offer an inside look at how the Chicago-filmed show is made.
And local writer-director Steve Conrad, who is shooting a new series for Amazon in Chicago this spring, will screen the pilot episode (the series is called "Patriot" and will likely debut in the fall) and discuss it afterward. (Plus, apparently an audience member will have the chance to win a walk-on role in one of the upcoming episodes.)
For tickets and more information go to chicagofilmfestival.com.
nmetz@tribpub.com
