Dependably genuine, and suffused with Mr. Jaglom’s increasingly mellow intelligence, this lighthearted backstage drama will feel to his fans like a gathering of familiars. The movie’s main engine is the flowering infatuation between Maggie (played by Tanna Frederick) and Stewart (James Denton), a famous television actor who wants to steal Maggie for his new show… Working with naturalistic dialogue and organically developed characters, the two leads are a pleasure to watch.

Frederick peppers her role of Maggie, the altruistic theater actress, with just the right amount of comedic spice and dramatic flair; while Denton flavors his role of the dashing leading man television star, Stewart, with a slow seething sweetness and smoldering sensuality. Together, they spark the screen as you root for their coupling… Frederick’s comic timing and improvisational acting was impeccable.

A truly excellent film about life on the stage.

‘Ovation’ is a loving tribute to the theater, to the intoxicating power of live performance and to the bond among performers and crew, from the lighting guy in the booth down to the star on the stage… Tanna Frederick is a standout as Maggie, the breakout star of the show… There truly is no business like show business, and ‘Ovation’ perfectly captures that.