Script Files

The Andrews Sisters

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The Andrews Sisters is about an American female vocal trio with hundreds of hits from late 1937 - 1966. It is copywritten.

This musical biopic is the true story of the lives and careers of Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne Andrews. We see the drama unfold with three entirely different personalities and how they clash. We watch how they interact personally and professionally over 41 years. We hear and see how it all began for them and eventually become famous.

There is also much humor as well between the Andrews Sisters and those around them across America, North Africa, Italy, England, and Australia.

The Andrews Sisters Screenplay Has These Specific Attributes:
1. It is 90% factual.
2. It is in chronological order except for the opening scene and the middle of one scene in the latter half of the script.
3. There is no narrator. One is not needed as there are many scenes and dozens of characters.

There is more acting than singing. The storyline is character-driven. There is no profanity. An unexpected announcement is their greatest shock, and we watch each Sister react with raw emotion.

This screenplay was written to intentionally not focus on one Sister over the other two. This gives each individual viewer and listener the opportunity to sympathize or even possibly empathize with one of the three. One Sister is not more favored over the others, so the choice is not made for you. The audience decides for themselves which Sister they relate to the most. Or perhaps they come to realize which Sister they relate to naturally.

Since the majority of people have siblings, the audience will be able to connect to that emotionally and mentally as well. Even though most people are not entertainers, this screenplay will hit the viewer and listener in the heart, mind, and spirit.

It is fully written and could be a two-parter, trilogy, or a miniseries.

Project Type:

Screenplay
Number of Pages:

121
Country of Origin:

United States
Language:

English
First-time Screenwriter:

Yes
Student Project:

No

Writer Biography

SCREENWRITER AND ENTERTAINER

Valerie Saunders has been an actress, comedienne, vocal impressionist, singer, and dancer for many years. She has performed across America.

As a screenwriter, she pulls from her years of experience as an entertainer, as well as working behind the scenes, in film, TV, theaters, theme parks, and arenas, and incorporates all of these skills and knowledge into her scripts.

Valerie created, produced, and performed shows for different theme parks in Arizona at both Rawhide and Old Tucson Studios.

She founded the Honeybuns, a female vocal trio which performed with a keyboardist, statewide in Arizona. She was inspired by the Andrews Sisters, who had hits from the 1930-50s, one of their biggest being 1941s “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”

BEHIND THE SCENES - ALL MEDIA

SCREENWRITER
The Andrews Sisters
Logline: Three early adolescent sisters discover the ability to harmonize, without professional training, and turn their gift into a multi-million-dollar, globe-trotting adventure, performing throughout their lives on stage, radio, film, and TV, with hundreds of hits and millions of record sales, including their famous and iconic song, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."

PLAYWRITER
COWGAL VAL Yodeler, Comedienne, Storyteller, AZ History, Statewide in AZ
TRIBUTE TO PATSY CLINE Statewide in AZ
MOVIE MUSICAL SALUTE Statewide in AZ

ENTREPRENEUR
The Honeybuns - Female Vocal Trio
Additional Positions Held:
Booking Agent, Choreographer, Director, Performer
Expanded Repertoire: Andrews Sisters, Big Band, Movie Musicals, Broadway, Jingles, Patriotic, Sing-Along, Comical Skits, Commercials, Tap Dance
Performed statewide in AZ

HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST
Films, TV Shows, Commercials, Photo Shoots, Headshots, Stage

SKIN TYPES
Caucasian, Mexican, American Indian, African American, Asian

MAKEUP TRAINING
Sylvia Hardt, started in 1988 in Germany, then throughout Europe; 1998 in Phoenix Arizona
Nancy Hall, started in 1980 in Phoenix Arizona

FILM WORK
TOMBSTONE - Scenes Done In Soundstage at Old Tucson, AZ
Props - Location and Placement
Lighting Assistance on the ‘Bird Cage Theatre’ Set

LETTERS TO THE SKY
Props, Private Home in Scottsdale, AZ

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
SONGS OF THE DESERT, Taliesin West, Scottsdale AZ, Brigham Young University (BYU) Students

JEWELRY AND COSTUMES
REQUITED, Finalist for the Student Academy Awards - Point Park University, supplied additional wardrobe and jewelry for several female cast members, including myself, in this 1871 western. Filmed at Gammon’s Gulch in Benson, AZ

CHOREOGRAPHER
SEARLE PHARMACY (Industrial) Phoenix Civic Plaza, Phoenix AZ
CANADIAN MUSIC VIDEO Mountains in Sedona AZ

STAGE WORK
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
PINOCCHIO, Phoenix Children’s Theater, Phoenix AZ
GRAND PALACE MUSICAL REVUE, Old Tucson Studios

CHOREOGRAPHER
MUSICALS / VARIETY SHOWS / REVUES / SOLO ACTS
Rehearsed and Performed in Theaters, Clubs, Schools - All Ages in Arizona, Ohio, and Texas
PHOENIX SUNS GORILLA MASCOT

DANCES
BALLROOM Swing, Waltz, Cha Cha, Fox Trot, Polka
STAGE Basic Stage Movement, Tap, Jazz, Ballet
COUNTRY Two Step, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Different Line Dances, Waltz

VOCAL INSTRUCTOR
PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS
Also helped a few students with speech impediments

STAGE INSTRUCTOR
ACTING CLASSES, All Ages
IMPROVISATION CLASSES, All Ages

AWARDS
Best Female Performance at Desert Foothills Theater in Carefree AZ, Sweet & Hot: The Songs Of Harold Arlen “Alto Valerie Saunders would hit a resonant note of ‘Stormy Weather’ and raise chills.” 2003. Sue Crouse, reporter and columnist for the Sonoran News

“Der Fuehrer’s Face” named “The funniest choreographed number on any Phoenix stage in 1990.” Max McQueen, theatre critic for The Arizona Republic

Certificate of Appreciation - VFW of the US Auxiliary - Gold Circle Member For Faithful Support

Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo Parade - True West Magazine Participant

Add Writer Biography

Writer Statement

Mike Mahoney and I wrote the treatment. He was also my editor. About a year into the intensity of this huge project, due to his great ideas and additional research, he became my co-writer. He wholeheartedly deserved it.

I live in Scottsdale and he lived in Phoenix. In May 2023, he entered heaven. Knowing he is no longer in any kind of pain is fantastic - his favorite word. I cannot even begin to express to you how all of us felt and continue to feel. He was only 42.

He was a huge part of the film industry in Phoenix for 20 years. I look at his picture often and think of him with great love, enormous respect, and sincere fondness.

Mike was a tremendous man - his extreme focus, mind, ideas, spirit, and soul. He is with our Heavenly Father right now, and as I like to put it, having the time of his life.

He wrote and directed webisodes, as well as independent short and full-length feature films. His greatest dream was to move to Los Angeles and be part of and meet daily in the writers room.

With 'our' screenplay, it is now my sole intention to pursue this marvelous project of ours unrelentingly until it is on the big screen. I have always envisioned The Andrews Sisters as a feature film. Given the length, it could also be a two-parter or miniseries.

I will make Mike Mahoney and The Andrews Sisters proud!