Who is the Preacher-Man? Behind the Scenes on Closer to Crazy
I first met Barry Lyons is the hallway of a burlesque club--our location for the day. I was watching as they were shooting episode two of Closer to Crazy in a little room with four walls of mirrors. He came and sat next to me while I was trying to figure out how they were going to shoot the scene in this mirrored room with no equipment showing.
Barry quickly gave me the once over. I’m sure someone told him that I was the Executive Producer, ad I knew that he’d been recruited to play the role of Dexter Smalls, one that hadn’t quite jelled yet in my head, at least not beyond these first few episodes. I was nervous for two reasons. One, I was on a STRIP club, yeah, it was daylight, but we only had the place until noon. At that point the club would open and REAL STRIPPERS would come in, but more importantly, our rates would go up. The second reason I was nervous--he was a real preacher. A Pastor. Of a big church.
He struck up a conversation and before I knew it, his wonderful baritone voice had comforted all my fears. (And I ain’t even religious like that.) We talked politics and spirituality and I was impressed that he didn’t even blink twice when Heidi Marie walked by him in her next to nothing wardrobe, nor did he turn his nose up when the REAL stripper came into work early. (We recruited her. You will see her in another episode).
Later, I asked Pastor B about what made him want to be involved on Closer to Crazy.
His reply--“I was very excited to play Pastor Smalls because the way that you wrote him was a slight departure from the normal way that preacher’s are portrayed in film. He felt, alive, authentic and approachable.”
What do you want to see this character do in later episodes?
“Well, I’d love to see him in direct conflict with Ayzah’s past, and confrontational with people in ”the life“ that she is trying to leave behind.”
Well, Pastor B, I’ll see what I can do.
About Barry Lyons:
Barry Lyons is the founding minister and senior pastor at Living Waters of the San Fernando Valley. Originally from New Jersey, he is a fifth generation preacher. He has a background in music and theater, and has enjoyed several lead roles in stage musicals across the country, has recorded a series of love songs for christian couples, and ha authored two upcoming books about contemporary christian living, entitled “Sinners Anonymous” and “PMS: The Pre-marital Shift”.
Barry quickly gave me the once over. I’m sure someone told him that I was the Executive Producer, ad I knew that he’d been recruited to play the role of Dexter Smalls, one that hadn’t quite jelled yet in my head, at least not beyond these first few episodes. I was nervous for two reasons. One, I was on a STRIP club, yeah, it was daylight, but we only had the place until noon. At that point the club would open and REAL STRIPPERS would come in, but more importantly, our rates would go up. The second reason I was nervous--he was a real preacher. A Pastor. Of a big church.
He struck up a conversation and before I knew it, his wonderful baritone voice had comforted all my fears. (And I ain’t even religious like that.) We talked politics and spirituality and I was impressed that he didn’t even blink twice when Heidi Marie walked by him in her next to nothing wardrobe, nor did he turn his nose up when the REAL stripper came into work early. (We recruited her. You will see her in another episode).
Later, I asked Pastor B about what made him want to be involved on Closer to Crazy.
His reply--“I was very excited to play Pastor Smalls because the way that you wrote him was a slight departure from the normal way that preacher’s are portrayed in film. He felt, alive, authentic and approachable.”
What do you want to see this character do in later episodes?
“Well, I’d love to see him in direct conflict with Ayzah’s past, and confrontational with people in ”the life“ that she is trying to leave behind.”
Well, Pastor B, I’ll see what I can do.
About Barry Lyons:
Barry Lyons is the founding minister and senior pastor at Living Waters of the San Fernando Valley. Originally from New Jersey, he is a fifth generation preacher. He has a background in music and theater, and has enjoyed several lead roles in stage musicals across the country, has recorded a series of love songs for christian couples, and ha authored two upcoming books about contemporary christian living, entitled “Sinners Anonymous” and “PMS: The Pre-marital Shift”.
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