Russell and Jacklyn are roommates in Astoria, Queens, and they're in search of a third person to share their apartment.
That search and the interview of a new co-habitator make up the pilot episode of a new web series, "This Is My Roommate," created, produced and co-written by Mount Carmel native Jacklyn Collier. It debuts Monday.
Collier teams with writing partner - and real-life roommate - Russell Daniels to also star in the series.
"We are drawing from a lot of our life experiences," Collier said. "We have been roommates for about seven years, since college, and have some interesting stories to tell."
Off-Broadway work
For Collier, the web series is the latest step in a career that began after graduation from Mount Carmel Area High School in 2004 and Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, in 2008, and then earning a master's in acting at the University of Houston.
But she was on stage long before that, having sung Elvis Presley and Patsy Cline hits at events in Mount Carmel's town park as young as age 6.
After appearing in high school and college plays, she moved to New York to work as an actress and appeared in off-Broadway productions of "The Awesome 80s Prom" and "I Hope They Serve Beer in Heaven."
"Every project is special to me, including some work I did in Florida at a playhouse," she said. "It really helped me get a new perspective on things with different surroundings."
Her biggest role was in an episode of the Investigation Discovery docudrama "Redrum." She played the victim in "The Girl in the Shower," in which her character at times, while recounting a real-life murder, required her to be driving.
"It was tough to let them know that I didn't have a driver's license," Collier laughed.
'Weird relationship vibe'
Collier and Daniels, who were assigned to be roommates at the University of Houston, established a bond before they ever met.
"I was walking around (the Coal Township) Wal-Mart and talking with him on the phone about what color bath mats we should get for the room," she said. "We've been friends ever since."
When Collier and Daniels attended a friend's wedding, they were talking about their experiences with roommates and began to hash out the idea for "This is My Roommate." The pilot reveals relationship qualities of the Paul Reiser-Helen Hunt sitcom "Mad About You," mixed with the zaniness of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
"We have this weird relationship vibe with each other, but our sense of humor really meshes well," Collier said.
A press release for the show's premiere states, "The young adults have garnered inspiration and story fodder from sharing failed or non-existent relationships; other, lesser roommates; passive aggressive yet silent tantrums; what some would call a bathroom and others would call hell" - a major plot point in the series pilot - "and getting booed off stage by fourth-graders while performing children's theater."
"We are thrilled to see our weird, relatable stories come to life," Daniels was quoted in a press release.
Exciting, but 'vulnerable'
After working for a year on writing the equivalent of about eight to 10 episodes for the first season, Collier and Daniels completed the pilot and began to work on filming the first episode.
"I called Andrew Neary, who directed an independent film I worked on, and really got along with well," Collier said. "He did it, but we really went into debt to rent the equipment to shoot the episode."
Many of their acting friends took part in the filming, one who might provide an interesting story for another episode.
"We have one potential roommate who just stares a lot, and ironically, was someone that I dated for four years," Collier said laughing. "He just fit the role perfectly."
Perhaps not surprisingly, Collier said "Roommate" is the favorite project from her acting career, but also a bit unnerving.
"It's been very personal and vulnerable for me," she said. "Since this is all based on fact with some fiction, it just feels a little scary to put this out there."
Onto TV?
After Monday's premiere, Collier and Daniels hope to shoot the rest of the series for airing in 2016. To do that, though, costs money, which they hope to raise online.
"We are doing a Kickstarter campaign for fans to donate to us if they like what they see," she said. "To do a complete season will probably cost about $9,000 for about eight to 10 episodes with a two-part season finale."
The ultimate goal would be to have the series picked up by a TV broadcaster.
"We have written the series from A to Z, seasons one through four, and have held onto the concept for years," Daniels said."
Collier said one of their favorite series is "Broad City," which started on the web and is now in its third season on Comedy Central.
"We both love shows that are kooky and fun and that's what we have tried to create here," she said. "I just hope people watch it and enjoy it and want to see more."