Synopsis

In the small Missouri town of Blaine, theatrical director Corky St. Clair assembles an amateur cast for "Red, White and Blaine," a musical celebrating the community's history. When the performers hear that Broadway producer Mort Guffman may attend, their hopes of fame grow wildly. Rehearsals, auditions, romances, and mounting insecurities collide as the cast prepares for its all-important hometown performance.

Factoids & Trivia

• The title alludes to Samuel Beckett's play "Waiting for Godot," replacing the elusive Godot with Broadway producer Mort Guffman.

• "Red, White and Blaine" features original songs written by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer.

• Much of the dialogue was improvised. The musical numbers were the main sections written in advance by Guest and Eugene Levy.

• The cast's musical audition pieces were performed publicly for the first time during the audition scenes.

• Approximately 60 hours of footage were shot. Editor Andy Blumenthal and the production team spent about a year and a half shaping it into the finished film.

• Filming took place in and around Lockhart, Texas, with the historic Gaslight-Baker Theater serving as the production's main theater location.

• The film established the documentary-comedy style that Guest would revisit in later films such as "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind."

• Although its initial theatrical release was modest, the film developed a lasting following through home video and cable screenings.