When the film "Drivers Ed Mutiny" makes its Milwaukee premiere at The Times Cinema on Thursday, March 11, it will feature 2005 Wauwatosa East graduate Hunter Johnson.
The second feature-length film by local filmmaking team Collateral Damage Productions is a comedy / drama about three teens -- including Nick, played by Johnson -- who steal their driver's ed car to make a trio from Chicago to Los Angeles. It is a coming of age journey that dips into a few potholes along the way.
The film follows 2007's "The Chemistry of Dating" and was shot in nine states.
Johnson was the president of the Tosa East Players during his senior year at the school and went on to earn his BA in drama at Chicago's Columbia College in 2009.
"We had a blast making this movie, and I think it deals with issues that young people can relate to," Johnson said.
"I'm glad I was able to help with this project, and I give Mr. (Thomas) Thaney and the rest of the Tosa East theater department some of the credit. The auditions for the film were held in Chicago, and were open to the public. Tons of people auditioned to play Nick, the lead role. The lessons I learned at Tosa East and Columbia College helped me land that role."
The screening starts at 7 p.m. and there is a talkback session with Johnson and director Brad Hansen following the film.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
