Disney Comes to Town

August 2007

Do you think they'll get grades for this?

The Taft campus was the setting for Disney's upcoming movie College Road Trip, due out in April. The film stars Martin Lawrence (Wild Hogs, Big Momma's House) and Raven-Symone (That's So Raven). The movie is directed by Roger Kumble, who also directed The Sweetest Thing and Cruel Intentions.

The plot revolves around an overachieving high school student who decides to travel around the country to choose the perfect college and her overprotective police chief father, who decides to accompany her in order to keep her on the straight and narrow. Taft plays the stand-in for Georgetown University in the film.

The production company spent two weeks on campus, with a crew of more than 200 and nearly 250 extras (including a few Tafties). Watch for a wild golf cart chase through a Greek fraternity festival; it should look familiar.

Taft's selection as a location resulted from increased interest by movie companies once Connecticut began offering tax incentives for filming in the state. Taft Business Manager Gil Thornfeldt was approached by several movie productions this spring. The Disney movie, Thornfeldt determined, would be least disruptive to the school, filming in August--once summer sessions were over and before students returned for the fall.

"While the campus was chaotic during the filming, the overall experience was great", says Thornfeldt. "The movie's producers, director and crew were all amazed by our beautiful campus. The bookstore was the center of attention, with the cast and crew wearing Taft hats and t-shirts. There were also a few autograph sessions with the stars. It will be exciting to see our school on the silver screen."