Who’s Who
A new Play Off of the team that gives us all a rush -
from the Who Dat’s that gave us the Kingfish!
STEVEN SCAFFIDI – Writer / Producer – A seasoned writer, producer, director, cinematographer, and editor, Steve has produced many award-winning films, television programs, and broadcast commercials. His production company, Ghost Rider Pictures, has been in business since 1990, and he has worked on many feature films, and for most major broadcast and cable networks.With over 25 years of experience, Steven’s body of work includes: THE PEOPLE’S STORY: The Devastation of Central America – Winner at the New York, Houston, and Telluride Independent Film Festivals and a finalist in the 2000 Academy Awards; FORGOTTEN ON THE BAYOU: Rockey’s Mission to the White House – Winner of the prestigious Humanitarian Vision Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, and winner for Best Documentary at the Moondance International Film Festival in Hollywood, the First Glance Philadelphia Film Festival, and the Ozone Film Festival; and the groundbreaking feature film EXECUTION, based on his original screenplay which follows the final seven days of a condemned man’s life on death row. Steven has unique flair for story-telling, and has extensive experience working with actors and real people. He has also produced and directed numerous commercials and corporate films for national and local clients and has been recognized as a leader and educator in the Louisiana film and television industry.
NICHOLAS GAMBINO – Writer - was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1986, before moving to New Orleans with his family as a young child. Nick recently graduated from LSU with a degree in Creative Writing and is an up and coming young writer and poet. He currently resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
SAL GAMBINO – Producer – Sal has over thirty years international business experience. Starting from the bottom rung of the ocean shipping industry in 1972, he rose to General Manager of a New Orleans based shipping company that generated over thirty million dollars in net profits. In 1992, he founded Ocean Logistics Corporation providing ocean vessel management throughout the Caribbean. Since its inception, the company has successfully overseen hundreds of millions of dollars in business. Sal’s expertise is contract negotiation and practical business application. He has enjoyed tremendous success due to his vision and thorough approach to obtain the best possible outcome for all involved. Most recently Sal executive produced and helped finance the award-winning feature films EXECUTION and FORGOTTEN ON THE BAYOU: Rockey’s Mission to the White House. Both films have been recognized internationally and are currently in front of distributors interested in worldwide sales and distribution. Sal’s known for his community involvement and has served as a volunteer member and past chairman of the Board of Zoning Adjustments for the city of Kenner. He is also the chairman of the Roma Club annual golf tournament which benefits the Sunshine Kids.
PERRY MARTIN – Producer / Director – Perry Martin is the President of Evangeline Entertainment, a company that offers development and consulting services for theatre, concert, television, film, talent and facility management industries. He is the Producing Artistic Director for the Halifax Theatre Co and the Bayou Playhouse. National television appearances include CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt, ABC Nightly New and CNN. Mr. Martin was awarded a National Telly Award for Advertising and continues to participate as an annual judge for the Daytime Emmy Awards. New York theatrical credits include: The Kinfish, as well as the world premieres of A Different Woman & Mirrors of Chartres Street. He was the developmental consultant for the National tour of Smoke & Mirrors, starring Anthony Herrera of As The World Turns. Mr. Martin has directed and produced over 80 theatrical productions including the world premieres of Earl Long in Purgatory, Miz Caraway and the Kingfish, Spiritual Gifts, Tant Que Durera La Terre, A Confederacy of Dunces, Floating Palace, and 5 newly discovered Tennessee Williams plays. His award winning regional premieres include The Beauty Queen of Leenane, A Walk in the Woods, Filumena, Okra, All My Sons, The Great Big Doorstep, Tiger Tail, I Can’t Imagine Tomorrow, Burn This, and The Playboy of the Western World. Perry also directed all 5 Production for the Bayou Playhouse’s premier season including the Pulitzer Prize nominated Rising Water.
KARISSA KARY – Producer / General Manager – Karissa Kary is an avid writer and producer whose travels and work in the Missouri Ozarks, Europe, Asia, and South America still leave her feeling most at home in New Orleans. Her writing has been anthologized in “Love, Bourbon Street”, “Louisiana in Words”, “Life in the Wake” and has also appeared in “Art Voices” magazine among others. A co-founder and management consultant for Greenlight Operations, focused on artists and businesses emphasizing social responsibility, she was the Associate Director with the celebrated Tennessee Williams/New Orleans and Saints and Sinners Literary Festivals. She is the co-Founder and Producing Managing Director for Halifax Theatre Company, a regional touring company that most recently toured The Kingfish and opened The Bayou Playhouse seeking to showcase the rich culture and heritage of Louisiana. She has organized literary scavenger hunts in the New Orleans French Quarter, bluegrass festivals in the Missouri Ozarks, appeared in film and stage productions in China, London, and Argentina, and annually attempts to unite all winged, magical, and mythical creatures as they march in the New Orleans Mardi Gras Krewe du Faye Fairy Parade. More information about selected projects can be found at www.greenlightoperations.com.
JOHN McCONNELL – Matty – John McConnell was born and raised in Bayou country and holds a Master’s degree in acting from L.S.U. His career has taken him to Hollywood for three seasons on the ABC’s hit comedy Roseanne. McConnell has over 100 film, television, stand up comedy, voice over and stage performances to his credit. Best known for his theatrical portrayals of Louisiana’s most colorful politicians, his most memorable roles include, Huey P. Long in his triumphant Off-Broadway production of The Kingfish and Earl K. Long in the smash hit 3-year Southern tour of Earl Long in Purgatory. Besides being a favorite in Southern-based film and stage productions, John is also a living landmark, honored with a life-sized bronze statue on New Orleans’ historic Canal Street commemorating his portrayal of Ignatius J. Reilly from the stage adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, A Confederacy of Dunces. But it’s on his weekday radio talk show that Spud really shines. John is the number one Arbitron rated talk host in his time slot and was recently honored by Gambit Weekly and New Orleans magazine as one of the best talk hosts and shows in New Orleans.
BECKY ALLEN – Roxy – was recently given the Big Easy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. She has been voted as Gambit’s ”Best of New Orleans” Best Actress consecutively for ten years by the readers themselves. Becky loves New Orleans “hard, hard, hard” and swears to God that she feels related to the entire greater New Orleans area: “I’m like a crazy aunt that you see three or four times a year, but you really love her.” This year she appeared in the 5th episode of Treme on HBO and on September 11 she will appear with Jody Barrella in a stand up comedy show at Harrah’s Casino. She adores working with Perry Martin and the talented crazy actors he has assembled for this show. Her beautiful mother, Myrt, is her muse and her idol.
RANDY CHERAMIE -Bubby – Randy Cheramie’s recently appeared in Bayou Playhouse’s crowd favorite Rising Water. Other stage appearances include Teyve in the Jefferson Performing Arts Society’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. More JPAS musical roles include Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun and Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar. Tulane Summer Lyric performances include Victor/Victoria, Wonderful Town, Pippin and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. Non-Musical performances include All My Sons, The Playboy of the Western World and Spinning into Butter at Southern Rep, Spiritual Gifts and Two in the Bush at Le Chat Noir, and A Walk in the Woods (Big Easy Entertainment Awards Best Actor) and The Glass Mendacity at the True Brew Playhouse. Film & Television appearances include A Gathering of Old Men, Love & Curses, Hard Target, Orleans, and Big Easy. Randy has performed voice over work in commercials, industrial films and audio books for a client list that includes Disney, where he recently voiced a character in the hit animated feature film, The Princess & The Frog. Randy is a professional chef and is the Associate Dean at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University.
DANE RHODES – Sal – has directed and acted on New Orleans’ and world stages for the past thirty years. He is owner of two production companies: DEM Boys Productions and Sandi Roads Theatrical Productions, llc. His acting credits include the films A Love Song for Bobby Long, where he starred with John Travolta and Scarlett Johannsen , Just My Luck with Lindsay Lohan, Déjà Vu with Denzel Washington, and Ticking Clock with Cuba Gooding Jr. His stage credits include the world premiere of Macbeth at the Gates, Mr. Paradise by Tennessee Williams (Southern Rep), and The Murder Game (The West End of London). Dane has directed the critically acclaimed Pillowman, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and The Merchant of Venice. He spends most of his free time in New Orleans rebuilding his home and chasing after his dog, Hunter.
MARY LEE GIBBONS – April - earned her BFA in Theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University. She last worked with Evangeline Productions as Anna in Burn This and as Elaine in The Miss Firecracker Contest. Her local credits include Big Easy Award winning productions of Hay Fever (Le Petit), As Bees in Honey Drown (Le Chat Noir), and Private Eyes (True Brew Theatre). Her career has included voice-overs for educational cartoons, radio, as well as TV commercials, both in front of and behind the camera. She has acted locally with The Shakespeare Festival at Tulane on tour nationally, Off-Broadway with The National Shakespeare Company, internationally in The Murder Game (King’s Head Theatre, London) and in radio broadcasting with MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays.
TRAVIS RESOR – Lenny - is very happy to be part of this once in a lifetime All-Star cast. His stage credits include Love Labours Lost (Tulane Shakespeare Festival), Damn Yankees (Le Petit Theatre), A Midsummer Nights Dream (Shakespeare in the Park), and The Frogs (DCC). Travis is a graduate of Nicholls State University and Delgado College; where he received an MFA and PMFA from both universities respectively. Film and television credits include Waiting (Chett Miller), Elvis-the mini series, and the soon to be released New Year’s Bleed (January 2011).
CASEY McMURRY – Gabby - is thrilled and honored to be part of Ain’t Dat Super! A graduate from the prestigious William Esper Studio in New York City she is happy to be home in New Orleans. Casey can last be seen as the Wisconsin Tourist who parties too much in the 7th ward on the HBO series Treme. In addition to acting she is also a certified Pilates Instructor and an avid traveler. In her spare time she sings in her car since her radio is broken. She would like to thank her family and friends for their loving support.
JIM HENDERSON – Announcer - is an American sportscaster, employed with the New Orleans television station WWL-TV since May 1, 1978. He covers a range of output from sports coverage to fishing. He is also the radio voice of New Orleans’ favorite team. Henderson began reporting on Little League baseball games in his native Rochester, New York. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in English from the State University of New York at Cortland, Henderson went on to achieve a Masters in Radio and Television at Syracuse University. Henderson is a 13-time winner of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s Sportscaster of the Year Award, an award conferred by sports journalists from all over Louisiana. He is currently the play-by-play announcer on Black and Gold radio broadcasts. Henderson enjoys fishing and tennis in his free time and was at the microphone for both of the Black and Gold NFC Championship Game appearances in 2006 and 2009, as well as their appearance in the championship game.
PAMELA D. ROBERTS – Stage Manager - Moved to New Orleans in 2007, after a 3 ½ year voyage with the Caravans Stage Tall Ship Theatre. She has toured throughout Europe and the US as both performer and Stage/Company Manager. Locally she has stage managed for ArtSpot Productions, and the Alamo Underground. Favorite stage credits include: Flower Power – A 60’s Love Rock Revue, A Showservice International Production - Vanishing Currents - an original work produced by the Caravan Stage. She spends her summers teaching Shakespeare and Guerilla Theatre at Country Day Creative Arts.
ANDREW ELLIOTT – Stage Manager – earned an MFA in directing from the University of Southern Mississippi. Andy toured the country for a while with American Family Theater before returning home to his native New Orleans in 2006. Once there, he began working in television, producing several documentaries about life on the bayou, all while staying busy with the New Orleans theater community.
RON ARI GOLDBERG – Production Design – has been Artistic Director for film, TV, and theatre for more than 20 years. He enjoys creating miniatures, prosthetics and special FX as he continues to push the boundaries of commercial sculpture. Now living in New Orleans, Ron has worked in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, England, and China. www.GrimmIndustries.net
