Official Thread: David Simon's 'Treme'

[WyldeMan45]

I have been following David Simon's "Treme" for quite sometime now, and I love the premise and the cast looks fantastic. After the Wire I will give any of his projects a shot. I wanted to make this thread to alert everybody out there who might not even know about this show that is premiering April 11th on HBO. So check out the info and remember the date.




Premise

Treme is an upcoming American drama television series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer. The series takes place three months after Hurricane Katrina where the residents of New Orleans, including musicians, chefs, Mardi Gras Indians and ordinary New Orleanian try to rebuild their lives, their homes and their unique culture in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane.The series is scheduled to premiere April 11, 2010, on HBO. The first season will consist of 10 episodes, including an 80-minute pilot episode.

Conception

Simon and Overmyer first worked together as writers on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street when the two became friends. They collaborated again on Simon's series The Wire when Overmyer joined the crew as a consulting producer and writer in 2006. Treme was put into development by HBO in 2008 shortly after the conclusion of The Wire. The show was envisioned to focus on the working class Treme neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and will be smaller in scope than The Wire, which examined an entire city.

Overmyer lives part-time in New Orleans and Simon believes his experience will be valuable in navigating the "ornate oral tradition" of the city's stories. Simon has stated that the series will explore beyond the music scene to encompass political corruption, the public housing controversy, the criminal-justice system, clashes between police and Mardi Gras Indians, and the struggle to regain the tourism industry after the storm. Simon also consulted with New Orleans musicians Donald Harrison Jr., Kermit Ruffins, and Davis Rogan while developing the series. Simon also consulted local chef Susan Spicer.

Casting

The Wire star Wendell Pierce was the first to be attached to star in the series. His involvement was announced shortly after the pilot in July 2008. Pierce is a New Orleans native and will play Antoine Batiste, an accomplished trombonist. Fellow Wire alumnus Clarke Peters was also attached to star in the project early in its development. Peters will play the leader of a Mardi Gras Indian tribe who is trying to bring his people home. Khandi Alexander will also star in the project. She previously worked with Simon on the award-winning HBO miniseries The Corner. In August 2008 Alexander was cast as Ladonna Batiste, the estranged wife of Pierce's character and a bar owner.

Film actor Steve Zahn joined the project in February 2009. Treme is his first series commitment in television. Zahn will play a dancer, DJ and band member with anger management issues. The role will showcase the actor's singing and guitar playing talents. Zahn's character is based on series consultant Davis Rogan and will share his first name. Kim Dickens from HBO's Deadwood was also cast in February 2009. She will play a chef with a tumultuous relationship with Zahn's character. Rob Brown was cast as Delmond Lambreaux in February 2009. Browns' character is a New York jazz musician and son of Peters' character who reluctantly returns home. Academy Award nominee and Homicide star Melissa Leo was cast as a civil rights lawyer just before the pilot began filming in March 2009. John Goodman was cast as her character's college professor husband when the show started filming its season order, and scenes featuring him were added to the pilot.

The series casting mirrored that of The Wire in using local actors wherever possible. Local casting took place in January and February 2009 via RPM casting. New Orleans native Phyllis Montana LeBlanc was cast as the girlfriend of Pierce's character. LeBlanc was recommended for the project by director Spike Lee who had worked with her on the HBO Hurricane Katrina documentary When the Levees Broke. Additionally, well-known New Orleans musician Kermit Ruffins will appear as himself in the pilot. Other musical guests will include Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Donald Harrison Jr., Galactic, Trombone Shorty Andrews, Deacon John, and the Rebirth and Tremé Brass Bands.

There are several reviews of the pilot you can read Here

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