Film completed 2020/2021
The LA Women's Theatre Project is a Proud Fiscal Sponsor of this film!
We are working in partnership with CJS Productions
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The LA Women's Theatre Project is a 501c3 Nonprofit.
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LILLIAN CARTER
Too often women are relegated to being a footnote in history. Remembered as a mother, sister, daughter, or wife of a famous man. And while it's true that few women can experience the pride of having a son elected President of the United States, (Jimmy Carter,) it is also easy to understand how her life served as an inspiration to her Nobel Peace prize winning son. Lillian Carter was a pioneer, she was a social and civil rights activist, a supporter of women's rights, a nurse, a Peace Corps volunteer (at the age of 68,) a peanut farmer, and fisherman. She was a woman ahead of her time.
In 1977 Lillian Carter became the first woman to receive the Covenant of Peace Prize of the Synagogue Council of America for her contributions to the ''furtherance of international understanding, justice and peace.''
The next year she journeyed to Rome to receive the Ceres Medal of the Food and Agriculture Organization, a specialized United Nations agency, going on to West Africa to study the drought there.
Her story has as much resonance today as when her son was President of the United States. Never has the need for her messages of equality and inclusivity been greater than they are today.
Miss Lillian – The Lillian Carter Story, is important not only because of its historical relevance but also because the social significance of her messages resonate today. Lillian Carter was more than a President’s mother; she was a great humanitarian.
In 1977 Lillian Carter became the first woman to receive the Covenant of Peace Prize of the Synagogue Council of America for her contributions to the ''furtherance of international understanding, justice and peace.''
The next year she journeyed to Rome to receive the Ceres Medal of the Food and Agriculture Organization, a specialized United Nations agency, going on to West Africa to study the drought there.
Her story has as much resonance today as when her son was President of the United States. Never has the need for her messages of equality and inclusivity been greater than they are today.
Miss Lillian – The Lillian Carter Story, is important not only because of its historical relevance but also because the social significance of her messages resonate today. Lillian Carter was more than a President’s mother; she was a great humanitarian.
The Movie Making Team
CAROL SWARBRICK - Writer/Actress
For the past 4+ decades, she has made her living principally by performing. Most of her work has been on Musical Theatre stages around the world, including 4 Broadway shows thus far. She has also starred in television series and specials, Movies of the Week and feature films. She has been seen in many commercials, selling items from air fresheners to cereals to antacids. Concerts and cruise ships have offered her opportunities and she was thrilled to be a part of a Steven Sondheim Tribute with The Seattle Symphony conducted by Marvin Hamlisch!
Several years ago, her agent suggested that she look into a biographical one-person show. It was after a lot of women were considered that she lighted upon Lillian Carter. The more Carol learned about this woman, the more Miss Lillian’s story resonated with her. One fortuitous event after another led Ms. Swarbrick and her husband, Jim Dries, to an invitation from Jimmy Carter to visit Plains and “meet more of the family.” Eagerly, the invitation was accepted. Since then, there have been more than a handful of additional meetings with Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter, each clarifying and adding the stories that are told in More Than A President’s Mother – The Lillian Carter Story.
The title of the play came about when the creative team realized that, though people who recognize Miss Lillian’s name do so because she was Jimmy’s mother, she lived fully, freely and generously, taking on many more roles than that of a mother, and living a life in service.
In addition to her performing, Ms. Swarbrick has authored a book of her inspiring essays, It Occurred To Me, and has co-authored the soon-to-be- released story of her romance with husband, Jim Dries.
For the past 4+ decades, she has made her living principally by performing. Most of her work has been on Musical Theatre stages around the world, including 4 Broadway shows thus far. She has also starred in television series and specials, Movies of the Week and feature films. She has been seen in many commercials, selling items from air fresheners to cereals to antacids. Concerts and cruise ships have offered her opportunities and she was thrilled to be a part of a Steven Sondheim Tribute with The Seattle Symphony conducted by Marvin Hamlisch!
Several years ago, her agent suggested that she look into a biographical one-person show. It was after a lot of women were considered that she lighted upon Lillian Carter. The more Carol learned about this woman, the more Miss Lillian’s story resonated with her. One fortuitous event after another led Ms. Swarbrick and her husband, Jim Dries, to an invitation from Jimmy Carter to visit Plains and “meet more of the family.” Eagerly, the invitation was accepted. Since then, there have been more than a handful of additional meetings with Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter, each clarifying and adding the stories that are told in More Than A President’s Mother – The Lillian Carter Story.
The title of the play came about when the creative team realized that, though people who recognize Miss Lillian’s name do so because she was Jimmy’s mother, she lived fully, freely and generously, taking on many more roles than that of a mother, and living a life in service.
In addition to her performing, Ms. Swarbrick has authored a book of her inspiring essays, It Occurred To Me, and has co-authored the soon-to-be- released story of her romance with husband, Jim Dries.
VIVIAN WINTHER - Director
Vivian is a multitalented creative Producer, Director and Writer from Toronto, Canada. Her career spans thirty years and three continents. She started her career in front of the camera in 1980 as a top print model. Her work took her to Tokyo where she was the face of Yoji Yamamoto and later to London doing time as the face of the iconic BOY brand. Her success as a model led her to commercial acting, which in turn led to dramatic acting in such films as Cocktail, Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, Heaven is For Real and Elvis and Nixon and Television appearances.
Despite her acting success, it was the behind the scenes aspects of film that had a much stronger pull for her. Vivian started working in script development helping to develop unknown writers. In order to realize these projects, Vivian started Harvest Table Pictures. In 2015 she released En Lumiere, which premiered at the 2017 Austrian Independent Film Festival. Her follow up release ATOMIC showed to sold-out audiences at multiple screenings in Los Angeles in 2017. In 2018, Goliath 22 is an official selection at Holly Shorts in Los Angeles. Her latest directorial effort, LISL BABY, a documentary about the life of photogournalist Lisl Steiner, will be released in 2019. Her follow up documentary, EXPLANT, a cautionary tale about the side effects of breast implantation is currently in postproduction. Vivian is still very passionate about championing unknown artists. She currently resides in Los Angeles where you can find her shopping scripts, editing her documentary and in her off time shooting portrait photography.
Vivian is a multitalented creative Producer, Director and Writer from Toronto, Canada. Her career spans thirty years and three continents. She started her career in front of the camera in 1980 as a top print model. Her work took her to Tokyo where she was the face of Yoji Yamamoto and later to London doing time as the face of the iconic BOY brand. Her success as a model led her to commercial acting, which in turn led to dramatic acting in such films as Cocktail, Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, Heaven is For Real and Elvis and Nixon and Television appearances.
Despite her acting success, it was the behind the scenes aspects of film that had a much stronger pull for her. Vivian started working in script development helping to develop unknown writers. In order to realize these projects, Vivian started Harvest Table Pictures. In 2015 she released En Lumiere, which premiered at the 2017 Austrian Independent Film Festival. Her follow up release ATOMIC showed to sold-out audiences at multiple screenings in Los Angeles in 2017. In 2018, Goliath 22 is an official selection at Holly Shorts in Los Angeles. Her latest directorial effort, LISL BABY, a documentary about the life of photogournalist Lisl Steiner, will be released in 2019. Her follow up documentary, EXPLANT, a cautionary tale about the side effects of breast implantation is currently in postproduction. Vivian is still very passionate about championing unknown artists. She currently resides in Los Angeles where you can find her shopping scripts, editing her documentary and in her off time shooting portrait photography.
STEVEN ULLMAN - Producer
Steven has long been producing and directing theatre. He is currently the producer of Miss Lillian – A Life of Service, a one-woman play about Miss Lillian Carter, starring Carol Swarbrick. In 2017, he produced and directed the new one-woman show, Tammy Faye Tweets starring Charlene Tilton. In the Fall of 2015, Steven produced and directed A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher, the first play ever performed in Paris about Pablo Picasso, presented in both English and French (on different nights but with the same cast) which garnered all rave reviews. He produced the Off-Broadway World Premiere of Falling For Eve, a musical written by Joe DiPietro, Bret Simmons, and David Howard. In Chicago, Mr. Ullman produced the World Premiere of Saturday Night Live’s Nora Dunn’s second one-woman show, Mythical Proportions. Previously, Steven produced Small Prey, a one-woman show also written and performed by Nora Dunn that ran nearly a year.
During his ten-year tenure as Producing Artistic Director of the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities (1996-2005), Steven became the only producer in Los Angeles to win the L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Musical (Large Theatre) three times in four years: West Side Story (1999), Dreamgirls (2000), and Crazy For You (2002). He was also nominated for Best Musical for Titanic (2001), Ragtime (2003), and Forever Plaid (2004).
Steven’s career as an independent producer includes many highlights; among them is the West Coast Premiere of David Rabe’s Hurlyburly at the Westwood Playhouse. The production, directed by the playwright, starred Sean Penn, Danny Aiello, Mare Winningham, Suzy Amis and Michael Lerner. He produced Loose Lips, directed by Martin Charnin starring Robert Morse, Fred Savage and Steve Landesberg. In San Francisco, he produced several shows, including the six-year run of Greater Tuna, in which the late Michael Jeter appeared for six months, and The Foreigner starring Imogene Coca, Rene Auberjonois and Charlene Tilton. Ullman produced and directed the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright Doug Wright’s first play, The Stonewater Rapture, which won a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. He produced the National Tour of Some Like It Cole!, a Cole Porter musical revue, for five years. Steven was the General/Company Manager for the long-running hit, Tamara, in Los Angeles, Beehive in Las Vegas, and many others.
Steven has long been producing and directing theatre. He is currently the producer of Miss Lillian – A Life of Service, a one-woman play about Miss Lillian Carter, starring Carol Swarbrick. In 2017, he produced and directed the new one-woman show, Tammy Faye Tweets starring Charlene Tilton. In the Fall of 2015, Steven produced and directed A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher, the first play ever performed in Paris about Pablo Picasso, presented in both English and French (on different nights but with the same cast) which garnered all rave reviews. He produced the Off-Broadway World Premiere of Falling For Eve, a musical written by Joe DiPietro, Bret Simmons, and David Howard. In Chicago, Mr. Ullman produced the World Premiere of Saturday Night Live’s Nora Dunn’s second one-woman show, Mythical Proportions. Previously, Steven produced Small Prey, a one-woman show also written and performed by Nora Dunn that ran nearly a year.
During his ten-year tenure as Producing Artistic Director of the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities (1996-2005), Steven became the only producer in Los Angeles to win the L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Musical (Large Theatre) three times in four years: West Side Story (1999), Dreamgirls (2000), and Crazy For You (2002). He was also nominated for Best Musical for Titanic (2001), Ragtime (2003), and Forever Plaid (2004).
Steven’s career as an independent producer includes many highlights; among them is the West Coast Premiere of David Rabe’s Hurlyburly at the Westwood Playhouse. The production, directed by the playwright, starred Sean Penn, Danny Aiello, Mare Winningham, Suzy Amis and Michael Lerner. He produced Loose Lips, directed by Martin Charnin starring Robert Morse, Fred Savage and Steve Landesberg. In San Francisco, he produced several shows, including the six-year run of Greater Tuna, in which the late Michael Jeter appeared for six months, and The Foreigner starring Imogene Coca, Rene Auberjonois and Charlene Tilton. Ullman produced and directed the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright Doug Wright’s first play, The Stonewater Rapture, which won a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. He produced the National Tour of Some Like It Cole!, a Cole Porter musical revue, for five years. Steven was the General/Company Manager for the long-running hit, Tamara, in Los Angeles, Beehive in Las Vegas, and many others.