Speakeasy to Me

Plot

Newbie federal agent Charlie Connor is trying to get his hands dirty with the rest of the boys. He wants to get in on the busts, instead of doing all the pre-work of being undercover and letting the other feds bust in on all the speakeasies and dives. Charlie's boss, Hutchins, is a dirty crooked federal agent with a happy trigger finger.

While doing undercover work at a speakeasy, Charlie meets Elizabeth and falls in love with her, not knowing she's the owner of the bar. Elizabeth, a widow, runs the bar with business partner Frank, her late husband's best friend and low-key mobster. When Charlie finds out that Elizabeth owns the bar, he decides to keep the feds away from the location. But Frank, who secretly provides information to Hutchins, gives far too much detail when he found out Charlie and Elizabeth are dating. For Frank has been in love with Elizabeth, and it was Frank that offed his best friend, Elizabeth's late husband.

When Charlie gets wind of the bust and that Hutchins is out to get Elizabeth, he goes to the speakeasy, only to find Marjorie, Elizabeth's go-to girl, and Bucky, the bartender. Marjorie tells Charlie that Elizabeth has left with Frank and that she's aware of Charlie being a double-crossing fed. Charlie leaves the bar to go after Elizabeth, and warns Marjorie that she and Bucky should leave. However, it's too late; as soon as Charlie leaves, Hutchins shows up and kills Marjorie, but gets information as to where Elizabeth is located by Bucky.

Charlie shows up at the airport in time before Frank and Elizabeth take off. Elizabeth confronts Charlie about being a federal agent. Hutchins shows up and Frank panics. There's a shootout, and Charlie and Elizabeth find out that Frank has been working with Hutchins all along and that Hutchins is one bad cop. Elizabeth kills Hutchins and leaves with Charlie.

Cast

Musical numbers

1. "Come on in my Speakeasy" - opening song by speakeasy singer
2. "Bootleggers" - Hutchins
3. "I'm Here" - Charlie
4. "Speakeasy to Me" - Charlie and Elizabeth
5. "I Vow" - Charlie
6. "Make Her Mine" - Frank
7. "Why Not Me" - Marjorie
8. "Finally" - Charlie, Elizabeth, Frank and Hutchins

Production and development

Alexa Polar created and wrote the screenplay, which originally was meant to be feature-length. As she was a student at the time, attending Orange Coast College with her best friend and film partner, Robin Pabello, Polar decided to shorten the screenplay significantly as it was going to be used for her final class before graduating. Many professors advised Polar that the concept was too ambitious. It would be a challenge to produc wa a musical that's also a period piece. Polar and Pabello weren't average students, known at the school by a faculty-given nickname of "the dynamic duo".

Polar and Pabello moved forward with production as a SAG-AFTRA project. They hired John DelVento and Gregory Flower to be the composers. They found a hangar with a 1920s Stearman single propeller airplane. They were granted a few Model Ts and authentic props. They were able to fully produce the short film as students, against all odds.

Release

Speakeasy to Me premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 26, 2015.