The Tucson Jewish Community Center and Chabad Tucson will present “Tales of a Hollywood Screenwriter” at the Tucson J on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m.
David Weiss will share stories of his wild ride to success and spirituality as screenwriter of the Academy Award-nominated “Shrek 2,” “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius” and other hit movies.
Weiss’s talk, which he has presented at venues around the globe, springs from his unlikely adventures as a nice Jewish boy who spent years as a charismatic church youth worker before returning to his Jewish roots via a blockbuster screenwriting career. Says Weiss, “When you find yourself under a wedding chuppah with a gorgeous blonde in a Presbyterian church being married by a Jews for Jesus rabbi, something has to give.”
Weiss was nominated for an Emmy as co-head writer for the “Rugrats” series. His credits include “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” “The Rugrats Movie,” “Clockstoppers” and “Are We There Yet?” He recently completed work on the sequel to the Amy Adams hit musical, “Enchanted,” for Disney.
An award-winning short film director, he is a member of the Motion Picture Academy, a former vice president of the Writers Guild of America and has also written several children’s books. He lives in Los Angeles, with his wife, Eliana, their two kids, plus two cats, two birds, two dogs and a desert tortoise.
Tickets for the event are $12 in advance (at chabadtucson.com) or $15 at the door. The lecture will be followed by a Q&A and a dessert and coffee reception.
