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JOE SYLVESTER jsylvester@leader.net
Sunday, January 30, 2000 Page: 5
Gayle Voytush and ex-Mrs. Pennsylvania Rhonda Lewan’s projects include the
story of the scandal-ridden 1998 pageant. What does a scandal-tarnished beauty
queen have in common with an amputee golfer? They share a scriptwriter. Gayle
Voytush, 32, mines local characters for made-for-TV dramas. She has written
two scripts so far: Reclaiming of the Crown…The Rhonda Lewan Story” and
“Challenge from the Heart…The Donna Marie Garze story.” Judy Martini, a
Hazleton resident who graduated from King’s College with Voytush in 1990,
handles public relations for the partnership and introduced Voytush to Garze
and Lewan. Along the way, the four women became friends and now plan to write
a comedy about their exploits. “When we’re out for dinner, we’re really an
interesting foursome,” Voytush said. When Lewan was looking for someone to do
a novel or a movie on her Mrs. Pennsylvania experience, Martini suggested
Voytush. Martini, who taught Lewan’s son, had met Lewan at a parents night and
the two had become close friends. Lewan, 36, said on Friday she liked the
script. “I think it’s the closest re-enactment of what was happending that I
could have wanted,” Lewan said. “It’s the closest version to the truth.”
Voytush, 32, said she hopes to spark some interest by either ABC or the
Lifetime channel in Lewan’s story. She is trying to sell the Garze script
through NBC and the Paxton channel. Garze, of Mahonoy City, is Martini’s
cousin. “Judy told me about her cousin Donna and all the problems she was
having,” Voytush recalled. “I thought it would be a good made-for-TV movie.”
Voytush, along with Martini and Garze, both 46, formed GMV Partnership about
two years ago to market Garze’s story. Voytush appeared in a recurring
background role in the movie “Strictly business,” the movie “Strictly
Business,” the television series “Power Rangers,” and has modeled with Lewan.
Lewan drew national attention when, after winning the Mrs. Pennsylvania
Pageant in May 1998 in Lancaster, accusations of a rigged contest surfaced.
She gave up her title that August, and contestants unofficially crowned the
runner-up, Rita Marie Roley, of Warrington, the new winner in October of that
year. Lewan and her husband, polka band leader Jan Lewan, filed a lawsuit in
November 1998 against pageant owner Isabella Ilacqua, of Geneva, N.Y., and the
pageant, asking for more than $50,000 to compensate for pain, suffering and
monetary costs associated with the pageant. Eight criminal charges were filed
against pageant director Denise Becker and her husband, John, including
rigging a public contest, conspiracy and theft by deception. They were found
not guilty last September. The next day, similar charges were dropped against
pageant executive director Nancee May, of Riverside, N.J., and Donna
Hess-Foulkes, of Edgewater Park, N.J., who was in charge of handling score
sheets. Following the court case, Ilacqua declared Lewan the rightful owner
of the Mrs. Pennsylvania 1998 title, and Lewan rescinded her resignation.
Meanwhile, the NBC show “Dateline,” which did a segment on the pageant
scandal, is doing a follow-up show on the Lewan movie, said Lewan, who
operates a gift shop in Hazleton with her husband. “I’m happy this is finally
something positive,” she said. A LOOK INSIDE THE PLAY Following are two
scenes from the screenplay for the Rhonda Lewan Story: In this scene, Rhonda
and Jan are in a restaurant. She had agreed to come out after hiding for two
weeks because of the accusations regarding the fixed pageant. Rhonda (patting
Jan’s hand): Actually, I was thinking back to how this first began…(She
looks off into the distance.) DISSOLVE TO: Interior Las Vegas Hotel. Long
shot. evening. There are thousands of people waiting to see Jan’s band perform
for a concert. Rhonda (voice over): It was the first time you played in Las
vegas. (brief pause) There must have been several thousand people anxiously
waiting to hear the band perform. Interior backstage. Full shot. Immediately
afterwards. Jan is dressed completely in white, as she and Rhonda stand
backstage. Rhonda (voice over): You looked so handsome dressed in dazzling
white. I stood there so proud of you and all that you had accomplished. Rhonda
notices a scuff on his shoe. Camera zooms in to a medium shot as she bends
down to clean it. Rhonda (voice over): I did notice one imperfection, however.
There was a scuff on one of your white shoes which I bent down to clean. Jan
(voice over): I remember that! Interior stage curtain. Full shot. a short time
later. The curtain slowly begins to rise. Interior backstage, medium close
shot. Immediately afterwards. Rhonda is watching Jan entertain from backstage.
Rhonda (voice over): This was your night to shine. As I stood backstage
watching you entertain all those people, I began to wonder just what my place
was in all of this. I mean, the room was filled with people.. Camera slowly
zooms in to a close shot of Rhonda’s face. Rhonda (voice over): …yet I never
felt so alone. The screen fades to black. This scene took place at the pageant
orientation. It was with Rhonda, the future first runner-up. Roxanne and
another contestant: Interior hotel lobby. Long shot. Later that day. A few
contestants are walking together through the lobby. Interior auditorium. Long
shot. A few minutes later. Camera pans around the auditorium as the
contestants converse with each other. It then zooms into a medium shot as
Rhonda enters the auditorium. She shyly smiles at a few contestants and sits
down toward the front of the stage. Within moments, camera zooms out to a
long shot as one contestant whispers something to another while motioning
towards Rhoda. Shortly afterwards, they begin to walk over to her. Camra zooms
into a medium shot as they sit beside her. Roxanne (extending hand to Rhonda):
Hello. I’m Roxanne and (motioning to othe contestant) this is April. Rhonda
(happily shaking hands): Oh hi. I’m Rhonda. Rhonda Lewan. Roxanne: It’s very
nice to m eet you. Rhonda: Likewise. April: Isn’t it hard to believe that
it’s already orientation? Rhonda (surprisingly): You know..I was just thinking
the exact same thought. Roxanne and April smile at each other. Roxanne: May I
ask how old you are? Rhonda is shocked by her rude question. Rhonda: If you
don’t mind me inquiring; why would you ask such a question? Roxanne. I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I was simply wondering your age because of
the competition for generation prizes. Rhonda: Generation prizes? (shaking
head) I’m probably going to sound very naive and uneducated but I have
absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Roxanne (smiling): That’s
alright. I understand. (explaining) There are generation prizes for the best
swimsuit, evening gown and photo for contestants in their twenies, thirties,
forties, and fifties. Rhonda embarrassingly laughs. Rhonda: Oh I was just
curious. I’m 35 years old. Roxanne (meanly looking her in eye ): You are going
to be a problem. This is how Rhonda first got a clue that the pageant was
fixed: Interior living room. Medium shot. Immediately afterwards. Rhonda
notices her answering machine light is blinking, so she plays the message.
Female voice over: The pageant was fixed, and they’re going to tell. The
machine clicks to the off position. Camera zooms in to a medium close shot of
Rhonda’s dumbfounded face. Rhonda (talking to herself): What the…There is a
brief pause as she thinks for a few moments. Rhonda (talking to herself):
Probably just a sore loser.