Screening in the Pilots Slate at Dances With Films 2025
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/17/25 – In Department of One, creator Arcadia Conrad delivers a drama that feels both urgent and overdue—a raw, smart, and emotionally resonant pilot about a woman tasked with giving everything, all while watching her own identity quietly erode.
Premiering in the Pilots (TV/Web) Slate at the 28th annual Dances With Films festival, Department of One introduces us to Cassandra Wheeler, a high school drama teacher played with captivating emotional precision by Kelsey Landon (The Cleaning Lady, Trap House). Cassandra is overworked, under-supported, and beginning to unravel. And while she’s nurturing the next generation of performers, she’s losing her grip on her own life—her family, her sanity, and her sense of self.
Landon, who also produced the pilot, described the project as deeply personal: The title itself is both literal and metaphorical. Cassandra is, in essence, a “department of one,” juggling lesson plans, set builds, casting decisions, parent politics, and her own collapsing personal life without backup. What’s quietly devastating—and painfully recognizable to educators, artists, and caregivers alike—is how much is expected of her simply because she’s good at what she does.
Click below to see our exclusive interview:
As Conrad noted in the film’s press materials: “What I loved is that it’s a love letter to the teachers who make you who you are,” she shared in an interview with The Hollywood Times. “Everyone has that one teacher who went out of their way to build your confidence—Cassandra Wheeler is that teacher for many of her students. But often educators sacrifice their own lives for their students… I love that humanity—realizing you might be giving everything to everyone else and not asking what you want.” “Drama teachers are often unseen, except by their communities, wearing every hat on the production team… They are the perennial helper. But who helps them?”
This question reverberates through the pilot—not as melodrama, but as lived-in tension.
Directed by John Redlinger, with warm, grounded cinematography by Sam Schweikert, the pilot balances gritty realism with poetic undertones. There’s no stylized gloss here. Instead, we get crowded classrooms, half-painted flats, and the fluorescent fatigue of underfunded public education. The visual tone supports Cassandra’s exhaustion—it’s artfully worn down, much like her.
Landon recounted one of the most emotionally powerful moments on set: “One was working with Audrey, who plays my daughter. We have a contentious scene, and although I’m a mom, I’ve never experienced teenage years in real life. On set, she was nervous, so I connected with her—and we both broke down in tears. The raw emotion between mother and daughter in that scene was unforgettable.”
The supporting cast brings added depth: Ben Edlin (Chicago Med) is compelling as a former student who may be crossing emotional and ethical lines; Amy Madigan, Ed Begley Jr., and Jordan Gonzalez round out a strong ensemble, offering flashes of humor and resistance within Cassandra’s increasingly pressurized world. The cast, Landon emphasized, is key to the pilot’s authenticity: “We’ve got a fantastic cast… everyone is wonderful,” she said, before highlighting the community spirit behind the production—even during the sweltering 106°F desert shoot. “Our sound designer, Kyle, wore a full-body suit like a heat-resistant ninja to protect his gear. We were all drenched in sweat, but it was a real team moment.”
What elevates Department of One is how unflinchingly it looks at a woman nearing her breaking point—not as a caricature of burnout, but as a layered human being reckoning with aging, ambition, motherhood, and unmet expectations. Cassandra is someone who once dreamed of standing in the spotlight but now spends her days training others to take the stage. The pilot deftly asks: What happens when you start to believe that your best work will never be seen?
There’s something almost theatrical in the structure itself—fitting for a show about a drama teacher. The pacing builds like a one-act play, propelling Cassandra toward a choice that isn’t explosive, but quietly revelatory. She’s not fighting for fame—she’s fighting for meaning, relevance, and a life that still feels like her own.
The screening at Dances With Films marks Landon’s first time attending the festival as a creator, though not as a fan: “They’re amazing at supporting independent creators, and I’m thrilled they opened a pilot section. I think indie TV is the future, and they’re on the forefront of discovering new series.”
With its smart writing, emotionally grounded lead performance, and timely subject matter, Department of One feels poised for a wider audience. If the rest of the series lives up to the promise of this pilot, it could be one of the most quietly revolutionary dramas to emerge from the indie circuit this year.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
A compelling and compassionate portrait of creative burnout, Department of One is a love letter to the educators who give everything—and a wake-up call about what it costs them.
Important links:
- Dances With Films official site: https://danceswithfilms.com/ danceswithfilms.com
- Kelsey Landon Olson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
kelseylandonolson/ instagram.com - quotes from Kelsey Landon:
- “It’s a love letter to the teachers who make you who you are.”
- “Am I doing what I wanna do? Is this the life that I wanna live as I’m giving away all my time and my energy?”
