UMM theatre prof to appear as "extra" in Modern Family

The assistant to the director of the ABC hit comedy, Modern Family, asked the perfect crowd to serve as "extras" in its Valentine's Day episode. As they prepared to film in the Los Angeles Hyatt Regency lobby, a knowledgeable group of onlookers were gathering--theatre professors, including Siobhan Bremer, associate professor of theatre arts. Serendipitously, the production crew booked the venue for filming at the same time as the Association for Theatre in Higher Education was holding a conference at the hotel.

"When I returned to the hotel from having lunch with actor Brendan Brandt '05, one of our alums, the crew was transforming the lobby into a set," shares Bremer. "I love Julie Bowen, so I sat down to watch the make-up, wardrobe, and lighting process with a couple other conference attendees. Assistant Helena Lamb walked over and asked if we'd like to be in a TV episode. When we told her that we were theatre arts professors, she was thrilled."

Bremer appears in the background of a scene that centers around Claire, played by Bowen, and Phil, played by Ty Burell. From the lobby, Bremer and her colleagues observe Claire and Phil's romantic rendezvous take a humorous turn on the escalator.

"Our part was to turn and watch the commotion," says Bremer. "One take, and we heard 'That's a wrap.' That's all it took, but it was really fun to be a part of the process."

The "My Special Valentine" episode of Modern Family, airs at 8 p.m. central time this Wednesday, February 10, 2010.