On Thursday, I was able to see The Woodsman which was presented by the Tribeca Theater Festival. It's a series which screens films which were adapted from the theater.

The Woodsman, the play by Steven Fechter, had a successful four-week run in 2000. At the time, Nicole Kaassell was a student attending film school and had gone to see the play because they were giving out free tickets to students.

She loved the play and contacted Steven Fechter about adapting his play into a movie.

Both Steven and Nicole were on hand at the screening and said they worked together on the adaptation. They agreed that the most important part of writing the screenplay was revising it. They gave the script to almost everyone they knew and then revised it after receiving comments.

When they finished the screenplay they submitted it to the 2001 Slamdance Screenplay Competition and won.

After winning the Slamdance Screenplay Competition, Lee Daniels Entertainment (Monster's Ball) decided to go ahead and produce the film. Lee Daniels, also at the screening, knew Nicole through Monster's Ball.

Lee Daniels was looking for funds and sent a script to an investor who happened to be vacationing at the same place and at the same time as Kevin Bacon. The investor was not sure if he wanted to invest, so he gave the script to Kevin Bacon and asked him for advice on whether he should invest or not.

Kevin Bacon read the script and contacted Lee Daniels saying he wanted the lead and wanted his wife Kyra Sedgwick to have the female lead. Nicole had always pictured Kyra for the role, so it wasn't a difficult call.

Damon Dash, hip-hop mogul, requested to co-produce the film and the crew then brought on actors Benjamin Bratt, Mos Def, Eve and David Alan Grier.

Mos Def has a smaller role, but he was shinning. When he's in front of the camera, he's absolutely captivating and a breath of fresh air.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2004 and is being distributed by NewMarket Films who will release the film in theaters in December 2004.

Be on the look out for Steven Fechter who is continuing to write plays and the very pregnant Nicole Kaassell, who has signed on to direct a new Michael Douglas film.