Illusion? Confusion! 

                                 Biographies

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Raphael Badagliacca - Writer, Triple Threat: Three Scenes

More than 30 of Raphael’s short plays were produced in NYC; seven also appear as scenes in his full-length, GPS: Where Are We Going? He’s written two books: Father's Day: Encounters with Everyday Life and The Yogi Poems and Other Celebrations of Local Baseball. Father's Day stories are performed often, recently as this month.  The International One-Minute Play Festival featured his work. He collaborated with Jersey City Ballet, performing his spoken word between dances celebrating the first baseball game and Statue of Liberty. He won The Moth NYC StorySLAM. Wrote English subtitles from Sicilian&Italian for the film, Many Beautiful Things.    

 

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Donna Baier Stein - Writer, Author in the Attic

​Donna Baier Stein is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, poet, and playwright. She is the recipient of the PEN/New England Discovery Award, Foreword Reviews Award, Bread Loaf Scholarship, Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars Fellowship, and more. Her work has been featured on NPR, PBS, Washingtonian, Saturday Evening Post, O Magazine, the WRPNA Women’s International Film Festival and London Global Film Festival. She was a founding editor of Bellevue Literary Review and founded and publishes Tiferet Journal. It’s truly a thrill to see her words come to life through the work of Gene Santarelli, Lucy McMichael, and Artistic New Directions.

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Josh Berresford - Keith in She's Got His Number

​Josh is thrilled to be back on stage after 8 years. Favorite theatre roles include Roy Bryant in Emmet: Down in My Heart at The Allstars Project on Theatre Row & Mr. Miller in Happy Ending in Ft. Lauderdale. Notable television role as series regular, Corey, in Dante’s Cove, a grifter on FOX's Gotham & Robby Wilkerson on CBS' FBI. Proudest moments include 3 internaltional film festival best actor awards for the short film "Heart." As a proud cancer survivor, Josh's goal is tell stories that leave people feeling empathy, compassion and to be grateful for everyday.
 

 

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Susan Courtney - Writer and Barbara in Where No Woman Has Gone Before​

Susan Courtney is a playwright (Dramatists Guild), short story writer, theater professor (Westchester Community College), theater director & professional actor (Equity/SAG-AFTRA). Recent Productions include : WHERE NO WOMAN HAS GONE BEFORE, (The Secret Theater, Semi-finalist, Act One: One Act Play Festival, Woodside, N.Y.) GALWAY CITY VISITOR (Winterlight Productions, Salmagundi Art Club, N.Y., N.Y.), ANAM CARA, (Eclectic Evening of Shorts, Artistic New Directions, N.Y, N.Y.), GIANTS OF THE CAUSWAY, (Winterlight Productions, Salmagundi Art Club.), TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. (N.Y. Theater Festival), THIRTY DAYS, (N.Y. Theater Festival)

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Patrick Eckland - Younger Man in Triple Threat: Three Scenes

Patrick Eckland is a New York based actor originally from Plymouth, Massachusetts. He holds a BA in Acting from Keene State College where he performed in productions such as As You Like It, Hell and Back, and Life Sucks. After finishing college and moving to New York Patrick has performed in a handful of productions such as Free Radicals at the New York theatre festival, A Seagull in the Hamptons, Falklands Law, and Little Women. He continued studying at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute post grad to further his craft.

 

*Linda Elizabeth - Jade in She's Got His Number, Production Stage Manager

LINDA ELIZABETH Linda is thrilled to be working with ANDTheatre Company again! Some favorite acting and production credits include: Regional: Elma in Bus Stop (Bristol Riverside Theatre); Off Broadway: Imagining Madoff (Theatre Row, NLTP); Off-Off Broadway: Caesar in Antony & Cleopatra (Hudson Classical), Miranda in The Tempest (Theater2020), Hermia in Midsummer (Gene Frankel Theatre); Film/TV: "Gossip Girl", "The Perfect Murder", national Super Bowl commercial for Chevrolet, and award winning webseries "Plant". Thank you Gene and ANDTheatre Company for having me back! To KoDee, "I would not wish any companion in the world but you."

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Katherine Elliot - Beth in HR-AR

Katherine Elliot (SAG-AFTRA) Cofounder/Actor/Producer-Wild Banshee. Former producer/performer-The Tempest Ladies (The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Off-Broadway producer/performer (Sammy’s Bowery Follies, Dog Sees God). Producer/performer (Paulette Goddard) Hannah, Can You Hear Me? - Best Arts Film, Cannes Festival. Director-The One And Only Amanda Palmer...,45 Coffee Dates, The Deed Is Done). Served on the Board of Directors for The League of Professional Theatre Women.

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Nick Freedson - Bennie in I Grew Up There: Two Scenes

Nick Freedson (they/them) is a neurodivergent, Brooklyn based artist based. They spent two years in UC Santa Barbara’s BFA acting program before transitioning to a playwriting emphasis. Acting credits include Richard II and Two Gents of Verona (Prague Shakespeare Company), Hamlet and King Lear (Naked Shakes), Mead and Stu Teach a Seminar (Skypilot Theatre), and Cambriolage (Gallery Players). Writing credits include This is Not a Drill and What Can I Get For You? (Skypilot Theatre) and Anna (NY United Solo, Whitefire Solofest) winning a Best of Fest award at Whitefire and a Second Rounder laurel at Austin Film Festival.
 

Vincent Gerardi - Writer, I Grew Up There: Two Scenes

Vince Gerardi started out in social work, but it was too crazy for him. He needed a saner occupation to fall back on. So, he went into Show Business. A trained actor (HB Studios 1976 – 1981), he ventured out to do his own solo comedy act. He became a regular performer at all the major comedy clubs in New York City. He was cast to do his comedy act in a Broadway show – Broadway Follies 1981. In 1984, he was a New York Star Search finalist. During the 1980’s, he went on the road as a professional comedian performing in such places as the Comedy Stop at the Trop (Tropicana Hotel, Atlantic City) and Club Med (Paradise Island). In 1990, he founded Comedians in Recovery, a group of working comedians struggling with various addictions. Their vision is to use humor to heal. They’ve done shows for recovery audiences and treatment professionals at conferences and conventions across the country. A number of these shows were emceed by Al Franken, actor/writer for Saturday Night Live who performed in character as Stuart Smalley. Vince blends his unique sense of humor with his talent as an artist. For two years (2008-2009), his 12 Step Nursery Rhymes won the New York State Recovery Fine Arts contest in the watercolor category. He has written 4 full length plays, including “Graybeard”, the story of a group of senior citizens who hijack the Staten Island Ferry and take it to Atlantic City. He has also written a graphic novel, numerous short plays and poems. He has appeared many times as Bennie Love, born again mafioso on his YouTube channel (Vince Gerardi – Christian comedian). Vince is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State. He has a private practice and works as a primary therapist for children in foster care. He has done workshops for treatment professionals on integrating humor into therapy. Vince would like to thank John Lampe of Artistic New Directions and especially Gene Santarelli and Ellen Barber for their skilled direction in helping him develop the material for his four part show “Mem-noirs” from which “I Grew Up There” is taken.

Frank Hankey - Harry, Older Man, Actor in Triple Threat: Three Scenes

​Frank Hankey has appeared in numerous AND Theater evenings, including several Without-A-Net productions. Recent theater work includes Chief Beatty in Greenhouse Ensemble’s Farenheit 451, creating the role of notorious mayor Frank Hague in Margo Hammond’s award-winning Horseshoe Empire, and Valter in the premiere of Love, Sex and Real Estate (ARTC). He worked on Broadway (End of the World) Off-Broadway (The Dining Room, The Cocktail Hour), extensively in regional/summer theaters (Boston, Salt Lake City, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Williamstown), on TV in The Trial of Standing Bear, and in the award-winning YouTube series Nurse’s Station. He studied acting at Brandeis University. 

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Nicholas Hart - Writer and director, HR-AR

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Lou Iacobelli - Accompaniment in Triple Twisted Tunes

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​Peter-WIlliam Jamieson - The Man in One More Thing, Barry in Bethesda

Peter is an actor, writer, and director from Sydney, Australia, with 13 years of experience across theater, film, and television. He is the founder of Street Kid Collective and creator of the acclaimed one-man show Borderless, which premiered at NYC’s TheaterLab and won Best Production and Best Actor at the 2024 United Solo Festival. Peter is preparing for his first lead role in the indie feature Backyard Desert. Other credits include Bloodshot Heart, Evening Caller, and stage productions such as Rabbit Hole, Mauritius, Wind In The Willows, Year of the Family, Retrograde, and Drown.  

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Michael Jennings - Al in Blind Date

Blind Date marks Michael’s premiere at the American Theatre of Actors & is grateful to work with KM Jones again. He has previously performed in Sightings (World Premiere), Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, The Tempest, and Uncle Vanya. He’s also a core member of the FeatherSouls Production team with whom he wrote and starred in, Johnny’s Bar, a Tarantino inspired series which can be found on Youtube. When not acting he runs a STEM focused tutoring service to prepare some of NY’s brightest students. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and is a graduate of Atlantic Acting School.

 

 

KM Jones+ - Director, Blind Date

KM Jones is committed to Diversity, Inclusivity, LGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent voices in Theatre/Film.  League of Professional Theatre Women (Present Board Member, Past Co Executive Vice President), Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (Past Associate Artistic Director), Member AEA, Associate Member SDC, and The Actors Studio Playwrights and Directors Unit. Website: KMJDirector.com, IG: @km.jones.52493, FB: @km Jones

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Susan Courtney - Writer and Singer in Triple Twisted Tunes

Susan Kaessinger (singer/songwriter). In 2024, Susan wrote and performed the music for AND Theater’s production of GPS. Her musical group, Misery Loves Company, has performed at many venues in NYC and for events such as The Atlantic Antic, ARTmageddon, Newkirk Community Garden Concerts, ArtSlope, Park Slope Civic Sweep, etc. Four of her original songs were featured in the film The Rekindling, winner of Best Screenplay at the 2019 Hell’s Kitchen Film Festival. She is currently a faculty member at Flatbush Community Theater. Susan is thrilled to have singer/harmonica player, Buddy Grecco and drummer, Lou Iacobelli join her for Illusion/Confusion.

 

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Drew Keil - Writer, A Good Death

Drew Keil is an actor and playwright.  His stage and film careers have featured a pillow fight with George C. Scott, a kiss from Susan Lucci, a commercial with Luciano Pavarotti, a shared goblet of wine with Brian Dennehy, a handshake with John Lennon, and dance moves with Kevin Bacon.  For more than twenty years he wrote for, acted, and directed with a theater company he helped create on Long Island.  His wife, Anne, and his sons, Andrew and Aidan, are endlessly supportive and everlastingly patient.  His granddaughters, Maggie and Lucy, just laugh.

 

Deb Maclean - Nonna Landa in I Grew Up There: Two Scenes and George's Mom in Bethesda 

Deb loves working with AND Theatre Co., where she has appeared in three previous productions. Deb also performs frequently with Black Box in Englewood, NJ, most recently in a workshop production of The Lost Years, a new play by John Patrick Shanley. She works with The Theater Project in Maplewood, NJ and has appeared in theaters in NY, NJ, and L.A. She did Russian voice work for Rocky IV. She’s performed two original solo comedy shows and is founder, producer/director and performer with Lunatic Fringe, NJ’s top improv comedy group, now in its 28th season. www.lunaticfringeimprov.com For my guys.

 

Jackie Maruschak - Ma in I Grew Up There: Two Scenes and Barry's Mom in Bethesda 

Jackie has done Regional Theater, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway in addition to standup, commercials, voiceovers and short films.  She’s worked in Off Broadway’s "Tony n' Tina's Wedding, The Signature Theater, The Atlantic Theater (director’s projects), The Barrow Group, The Lincoln Center New Works Series and The Public Theatre’s Reading Series. She’s a proud member of The Barrow Group/FAB and Rising Sun Performance Company. As a writer she has written sketch comedy, the short play, “Guess Who’s Coming to Hanukkah?, solo shows Last Stop: Neverland and The Right Kid: ”Spirit of a Baton Twirler.

 

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Rex McGregor - Writer, She's Got His Number

Rex McGregor is a New Zealand playwright. His short comedies have been produced on four continents from New York and London to Sydney and Chennai.

Website: https://www.rexmcgregor.com/

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Lucy McMichael - Charlotte in Author in the Attic

​Lucy McMichael (Charlotte in Author in the Attic) Lucy is pleased to be performing once again with AND.  New York City theater credits include: Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theater, Urban Stages, The Chain, Theater for the New City, the Workshop Theater Company, Abingdon Theatre Company, 600 Highwaymen.   Select Film/TV: “Dare” (Sundance), “Knife Point” (Sundance), “The Christening of William Trumbull,” Who She Was,” “What If I Were You,” “The Choice,” “Law & Order.”   Upcoming film: “Face to Face,” and “Waterfront.”    Lucy’s reel is available on IMDB and Actors Access.   AEA/SAG-AFTRA
 

Leslie C. Nemet - Director, She's Got His Number​​ 

LESLIE C. NEMET - has directed plays, musicals and world premieres at various venues and festivals throughout New York, including the Off-Broadway version of "Company" at the Lucille Lortel. As an Actress, she performed 15 roles in the Off-Broadway show "Olympics Uber Alles", originated and performed the role of Brenda Buttafucco for over 2 years in "Housewives of Secaucus" and played the role of GPS in "GPS" for ANDTheatre Company. Film and TV work includes: playing George Clooney's Hairstylist in "Money Monster" and she is the Pizzeria Woman on "Sesame Street". Leslie is also an independent Casting Director and Acting Coach. As a writer, she has penned several projects, including an interactive version of The Sopranos (complete with music), a one-woman show, "Life 101" and her latest play called "Perfection". Age is just a number! 

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Cortney Newell - Beth in Blind Date

Cortney Newell began her training as an improv player at Flatbush Community Theater under Susan Kaessinger and studies acting and Shakespeare under David Epstein of ActorClass. She regularly appears in live theater productions and film projects across New York City and beyond. She is excited to collaborate on new projects – please reach out to cynewell@gmail.com or @cortneynewell (Instagram).

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Taylor Rose - Kristen in HR-AR

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Gene Santarelli - Director, Author in the Attic, Triple Threat: Three Plays, I Grew Up There, One More Thing, Bethesda, A Good Death, and Arthur in Where No Woman Has Gone Before

Gene Santarelli is a founding member of ANDTheatre Company now in its 41st year. He most recently directed the Company’s production of GPS at The Producers Club. Other NYC directing credits include staging plays on Theatre Row, for Soho Rep, American Jewish Theatre, and Pretenders Theatre. While on the administrative staff of The Juilliard School’s Drama Division under the leadership of John Houseman, he had the opportunity to work with some of Performing Arts luminaries including Jack O’Brien and Carlo Menotti.​​

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As an actor, Gene (Arthur) has appeared in Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and regional productions ranging from experimental, to contemporary, to classical theatre, both comic and dramatic. When asked what he enjoys most, directing or performing, he responds, “It’s all delicious.” Above all, Gene is forever grateful to Lucille for her patience and encouragement. 

genesantarelli@gmail.com

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Ruth Sherman - The Woman in Mysterious Ways

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Donald Steele - Writer and director, Mysterious Ways

Donald Steele is very happy to have another piece of his work presented by AND. I have appreciated the company’s support over the years. I am very pleased that Ruth Sherman is getting to do my piece “Mysterious Ways”. I have had some of my plays published by Concord Theatricals  as well as some monologues in the Smith and Kraus Best of series. Some of my work can be seen on YouTube by going to TRANSITIONS Donald Steele as well as John Lampe Donald Steele. Again I am very happy to be having this piece presented by AND in this festival.

 

B. Stewart - Writer, Bethesda

B. STEWART: JESUS IN A BEEHIVE (Pick of the Week-NYTimes), WorkShop Theater: A MEMORY PLAY, (“Best of the Festival” @The MidTown International Theater Festival), and FABULOUS DARSHAN, “Top Plays of the Year” @INDIE THEATER NOW & Celebration Theatre’s Reading Series. AMERICAN INHERITANCE: Finalist-Kennedy Center’s Fund/New American Plays. CAROL OF CARROLL GARDENS:BROADWAYCON, Clamour Theatre and Depot Theater. LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY:OOTB THEATRICS & HOLMDEL THEATER COMPANY-Directed by Fredi Walker Browne. Patchogue Theatre produced Jeff Zelmanski and B. Stewart’s, THE UNTITLED 1969 MUSICAL PROJECT. Presently: a meta-comedy-nightmare about white, Harlem Renaissance provocateur, Carl Van Vechten, titled: FRIEND OF THE NEGRO.  http://www.emaproductions.net

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​Joel Trinidad - Writer, Blind Date

An actor, playwright, and librettist from the Philippines, Joel Trinidad has been granted a Permanent Residency in the US as an artist of “extraordinary ability and achievement.” His produced librettos include BREAKUPS & BREAKDOWNS; MY SUITE PRINCESS; GUADALUPE: THE MUSICAL; and AFTER EVER AFTER. His produced plays include UNSPEAKABLY YOURS; BREAKING THE SILENCE; ATTACK OF THE SHAKESPEARE FAIRY; and FAIRY TALE RESCUE. Joel has also written more than 100 short plays, many of which have been featured in various festivals in New York City, where he currently resides. His latest musical, A TALE OF TWO, premiered in London in 2024.

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​Mark Vaughn - Charlie in Triple Threat: Three Scenes and Jeffrey in A Good Death

Theater Credits:The Taming of the Shrew {Frog and Peach Theater Co.}, Still, and A Naked Man In His Early Eighties {Ensemble Studio Theater}, RIchard II {Hudson Classical Theater}, And Then There Were None, Strangers On A Train, You Can't Take It With You {Cranston Spade Theater Co., A Midsummer Night's Dream and Macbeth {Ensemble Studio Theater}, Jonin {Public Theater}, Television credit include s:Law and Order SVU, Another World, One Life To Live, aand All My Children. Film Credits: The Stepford Wives, The Dishwasher, Above Under Below, Late NIght Snack, Lily, This fall Mark will be back on the big screen in the thriller Don't Move. Thanks to my wife and son for their endless love and support. 

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Joseph Coppola - Lighting Design

Joe has been working in professional theater throughout the Tri-State area for over 20 years.  He's a House Technician at Off-Broadway’s ART/NY Theatres and freelances in theatrical and event tech with dozens of clients, working primarily in both electrics and sound.  When not behind the scenes, he is a fight choreographer and actor combatant, and founding member of the Brooklyn Action Theater, a production company specializing in theatrical violence and storytelling.

Linda Elizabeth* - Stage Manager

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*Member Actors’ Equity Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States.  Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.  Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans.  AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org
 

+Member Stage Directors & Choreographers