Published Thursday, September 26, 2002
Wednesday
celebrate their
TV debut
Herald Staff Writer
About 20 locals gathered Wednesday night in Hermitage to watch the season premiere of "The West Wing," NBC's political drama about a fictional president and his staff.
Michael's Cafe at Magnotto's Shop 'n Save organized a "West Wings" night, which attracted both fans of the show and lovers of chicken wings curious about how the two-hour season premiere of the series turned out -- and possibly who turned up.
Tori Yeager of Volant, who was an extra in the primetime show, was among the watchers last night. In the spirit of the occasion, she dressed in red, white and blue, complete with an American flag necklace.
She said she and three of her friends were used as extras, filmed over and over again simply "chit-chatting." She said they also got to stand in during the opening shot of a crowd of campaign supporters listening to a speech by President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen.
"I'm waiting to see the parts we saw them film," she said, as she sat eating wings prior to the show.
And her wish was granted, the payoff for enduring a casting call for 300 extras at Westminster College, followed by hours of unbearable heat and hunger during filming.
Scenes for the show were shot in August at Jeff and Roberta McConnell's farm in Washington Township, Lawrence County. The farm near Volant was turned upside down for several days, transformed into a fictional town in Indiana, which was the setting for the episode.
During a local search for a soybean field where Bartlet could make a campaign stop, the production company decided McConnell's farm was the perfect place.
"There's the farm," Ms. Yeager pointed at the big-screen TV when the show opened.
After the first commercial, Ms. Yeager sat back in her seat and sighed.
"Man, that was really good," she said. "To think it was all filmed in Volant."
Jim and Lynn Reinhart of Transfer also sat in Michael's Cafe, transfixed by the show. Mrs. Reinhart said she was a devoted fan but Reinhart laughed and said it was the wings that attracted him. He added the show was "pretty interesting," though he doesn't watch it all the time.
Denny Coulter of Grove City said he's never seen the show, but figured it was worth it to watch Wednesday night.
"I plan to stick around here for a while," he said.
Aileen Magnotto, who owns the grocery store with her husband Michael, said she was trying to come up with a promotional idea last week but was afraid she had missed the date of the premiere.
Sometime later, "I said 'Oh my God. It's West Wings Wednesday' as a slip," and, she said she realized the store could sell wings for 10 cents each.
"We realized ... (the episode was this week) and said 'Let's have it.' We had everything planned within 20 minutes," Mrs. Magnotto said.
She said it was "amazing" how many people called and came in to the store wanting more information.
"I figured it would be an alternative for friends to come to a public place and watch," she said.