DTLA (TV series) explained

Genre:	Drama Comedy
Creator:	Larry Kennar
Director:	Larry Kennar
Country:	United States Canada
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	1
Num Episodes:	9
Executive Producer:	Larry Kennar Darryl Stephens Michael Andres Palmieri Helen Shaw
Producer:	Charisse Reneau
Company:	Larry Kennar Entertainment OUTtv
Cinematography:	Alex Milosevic
Composer:	Alexander Bornstein
Network:	OUTtv Logo

DTLA (acronym for Downtown Los Angeles) is a gay-themed television series which premiered October 24, 2012. The series was created, and is co-produced and directed by Larry Kennar.^[1] It follows a group of friends in Downtown Los Angeles^[2] under the slogan: One City, Seven Lives / Old Friends, New Stories. The seven main characters are Lenny, Bryan, Sara Jane, Matthew, Marky, Kai and Stefan.

Cast

• Darryl Stephens as Leonard "Lenny", a civil litigation attorney and Bryan's boyfriend of six years^[3]
• Matthew Stephen Herrick as Bryan, a stoner and Lenny's boyfriend who has been unemployed for over a year^[4]
• Marshelle Fair as SJ, a Professor of fashion merchandizing, textiles, and accessories, she is a college friend of Lenny, Kai and Kevin, and estranged wife of Norm^[5]
• Hiro Tanaka as Kai Nakamoto, a high school math teacher^[6]
• Scott Pretty as Marky, a military man and boyfriend of Matthew^[7]
• Patrick McDonald as Matthew Bouvier, Bryan's friend who recently moved to LA to be an actor^[8]
• Ernest Pierce as Stefan, a lawyer and friend of Lenny^[9]
• JC Jones as Trey, Stefan's young boyfriend, he works in a doughnut shop part-time and has a stage act at night as a drag queen^[10]
• Jeremy Jackson as Kevin, a former model, college friend of Lenny, Kai, and SJ, who recently moved back to LA for a new start
• Michael Basilli as Rafi, a manager of a Downtown Los Angeles club, who after meeting Kai soon becomes a romantic interest of Kai
• B. Scott as Bosco, owner of a restaurant they frequently gather at^[11]
• Sandra Bernhard as Carla, one of Bryan's mothers^[12]
• Melanie Griffith as Kimberley, one of Bryan's mothers^[13]
• Paul Mooney as Silas, Lenny's estranged father^[14]
• AzMarie Livingston as Ricki, Kimberly's current girlfriend^[15]
• William McNamara as Norm, a lawyer and SJ's husband^[16]
• Ryan Izay as Rod
• Cesar D' La Torre as Ceasar Gomez
• Luenell as Racine, Trey's mother and Ressie's sister
• Tiffany Pollard as Reesie, Trey's aunt and Racine's sister
• Jeffrey Damnit as Shef, one of Lenny's naked neighbors

Production

DTLA was originally made as a movie.^[1] The U.S.'s two main LGBT cable channels were not enthusiastic about the project; here! passed on the project and Logo was initially non-committal.^[17] Brad Danks, COO of OUTtv said, "He called us because he had heard from people in the U.S. that we were doing good things in Canada with the service."^[17] After screening a rough cut of the movie for executives of OUTtv they commissioned a series instead.^[1] It was originally expected that the series would premiere on OUTtv in the late spring of 2012.^[18] On January 25, 2012 Kennar created an account on Kickstarter.com for the series, to secure the remaining required financing via crowd funding.^[19] In 6 days 50 people had pledged a total of $4762.^[1] On February 21, 2012 it was announced that they had surpassed their target of $25000.^[20] In April 2012 it was announced that the premiere of DTLA would be delayed until after the launch of OUTtv's HD channel which would be coming in a few months. In September 2012 it was announced that DTLA had been acquired by Logo.^[21] DTLA is the first series funded in part via Kickstarter to receive domestic and international distribution.^[17] Distribution outside of Canada and the U.S. is being handled by OUTtv.^[22]

External links

• DTLA on imdb.com
• DTLA on logotv.com
• DTLA on OUTtv.ca
• DTLA on Facebook

Notes and References

1. News: Larry Kennar, L Word Producer, Talks DTLA, His New Gay Scripted Drama Series . Holzer . Alexandra . Huffington Post . January 30, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
2. News: Sex, Love and Los Angeles: Your New Favorite Show Has Arrived . Huffington Post . Logan . Lynn . November 1, 2013.
3. Web site: Lenny . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
4. Web site: Bryan . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
5. Web site: SJ . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
6. Web site: Kai . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
7. Web site: Marky . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
8. Web site: Matthew . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
9. Web site: Stefan . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
10. Web site: Trey . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
11. Web site: Bosco . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
12. Web site: Sandra Bernhard joins cast of DTLA. . May 30, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
13. Web site: Melanie Griffith joins cast of DTLA . July 10, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
14. Web site: Paul Mooney Joins the Cast of DTLA . July 5, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
15. Web site: Model AzMarie joins DTLA Cast . July 14, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
16. Web site: Norm . dtlatheseries.com . November 23, 2012.
17. News: How Canada's Gay Network Rode to the Rescue of Logo's DTLA Ensemble Drama . Vlessing . Etan . The Hollywood Reporter . October 16, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
18. Web site: OUT Exclusive: New Gay TV Drama, 'DTLA' . Rathe . Adam . Out.com . January 26, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
19. Web site: DTLA by Larry Kennar - Kickstarter . November 23, 2012.
20. Web site: DTLA Kickstarter Campaign - 24 Hours To Go! . February 21, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
21. Web site: Logo Acquires Scripted Series 'DTLA' . . September 27, 2012 . November 23, 2012.
22. Web site: DTLA - Breaking News!!! . April 11, 2012 . November 23, 2012.