Hannah Elias NYC casting complete!

AAPEX has put together a stellar cast of Broadway veterans for

The Players Club reading of

Nathan Ross Freeman's

Hannah Elias.

Because of limited seating at the legendary Players Club, seating is going fast.

RSVP now to gumsandals@yahoo.com

*Indicates member of Actors Equity

Leilani Bryant
as Hannah Elias

She has performed on Broadway in the musical The Color Purple. She has also performed in the Broadway musical Show Boat, a benefit concert for Carnegie Hall. Other accomplishments include featured vocalist for Music Under the Stars with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, as well as featured vocalist for the Florida Jasper Awards. Leliani is a native of Jacksonville, FL. *

Tobi Kanter

as Belle Marshall

After a spate of playing under-five and principal roles as Irish-heritage police officers on all the New York soaps, Tobi Kanter has graduated to the role of Irish maid. (Her Lithuanian and Hungarian grandparents are rolling in their graves, but Tobi’s having the time of her life!) She was last seen as Tanta Rose in the WorkShop Theater Company’s full production of Martin Sherman’s Messiah and the Polish Snuff Film Victim in Loren Marsh’s black comedy movie, Invitation to a Suicide, as well as roles in Woody Allen’s Celebrity, The Jane Pauley Show, HBO’s Earthly Possessions and Saturday Night Live. SAG, AFTRA, AEA. *

Jerome P. Bates

as Cornelius Williams

Jerome Preston Bates created the role of Floyd Barton in the world premiere of August Wilson’s Seven Guitars at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. He has appeared in King Lear at Classical Theatre of Harlem and at the Folgers in Washington, DC. His television credits include NYPD Blue, All My Children, One Life to Live, as well as numerous appearances on NBC’s Third Watch and Law & Order. He appeared in the remake of the 1970’s classic Shaft, starring Samuel L. Jackson and HBO’s original series Oz. He directed Eddy P, from the Oedipus Project as seen through the eyes of the Black Panthers Party. His play Electric Lady is about Jimi Hendrix. *

Stu Richel
as Andrew H. Green & John R. Platt

NYC theatre: Merry Wives of Windsor (Lion), Autoeroticism in Detroit (Blue Heron), The Lower Depths (Manhattan Ensemble Theatre), Slaughter City (WOW Café), The Philanderer (Jan Hus), East Village Chronicles (Metropolitan Playhouse), and Bag Fulla Money (Clurman). Principle roles in 22 indie films, including Death in Love (Sundance 2008; Jacqueline Bisset’s husband), Sexland (with Dan Fogler) and Hiding Divya (Madhur Jaffrey’s companion). TV: 30 Rock (Alex Baldwin’s boss), As the World Turns and One Life To Live. In earlier lives...a corporate attorney...and combat photographer with the 1st Infantry Division.*

Liliane Klein
as Red Head Maid & Brunette Maid

NYC: Me and My Girl (McGinn/Cazale Theatre, Musicals Tonight!), I Wanna Be Rosie (La Mama, E.T.C.), The Greeks (MET, IMUA!), Narative Intervention (Here, IMUA!), Do I Hear $5? (St. Clements). National Tours: Titanic(Candlewood), Scrooge (NYSO), Cyrano De Bergerac (NTAE), The Little Prince (NTPA), Tikki Tikki Tembo & Friends (StorySalad). Liliane plays Terry the Turtle on Kid Fitness (PBS). Recording: Stage Stars Gypsy (Mama Rose). Training: Boston University (BFA). Member: AEA, SAG, CFS, NJ Rep, The Players.*

Jessica Fontaine

as Clara Elias-Hudson
Jessica Fontaine is blessed to be back on stage for her fifth production this year. After earning a BFA at Howard University, Jessica moved back to New York with one thing on her mind: becoming a working actress. Theatre credits include The Sanctuary, an Off-Broadway production at The American Theatre for Actors. She stunned people as little old Birdie Lee in Tambourines To Glory. Her debut lead role was in Antigone Assata Shakur. Jessica’s consistency and determination for acting stems from her belief that “with God all things are possible” and gives thanks to her family for their unconditional support. www.nycastings.com/msfontaine.

Jonathan Marbelli

as Detective 1

Past theatre work includes: Mr. Bumble in Berkeley Repertory’s Oliver Twist (understudy), Benjamin Cohen in the Contemporary American Theatre Co’s production of The Underpants, Walter in Keely & Du,Williamson in Glengarry Glen Ross, Roderigo in Othello, and Yovan in Division Street. Television: Made-for-TV movie Skin Complex. You may also see Jon in the upcoming web-series pilot Penelope’s Playland. Jon would like to thank his loving, devoted, and supportive family and friends. Above all he thanks God for-- well-- everything.

Nick Raio

as Detective 2

Nick Raio is a Bronx born New York based actor/writer and member of SAG, AEA, AFTRA and the Dramatists Guild. Nick will be on the season premiere of Rescue Me as the AA group leader. Other TV credits include The Sopranos, Law & Order: CI, America’s Most Wanted, numerous soap operas and commercials. Films presently available on DVD include One-Third, Invitation to a Suicide, Mob Queen and Unsavory Characters. He is Nick of Nick’s Commercials and Guile in Street Fighter: The Later Years on the College Humor website. For links to Nick’s work go to:http://www.nickraio.com/. Nick can be contacted at nickraio@rcn.com. *

Eric Bondoc

as Kato

Broadway: Pacific Overtures. Favorites: Rizal, a one-person play about the Philippine National Hero; Where Elephants Weep, the first known Cambodian rock opera; Road Dreams, a cabaret about his 800-mile solo bicycle trip from Arizona to California; Ariel in The Tempest; title roles in M. Butterfly and Peter Pan. Regional Theatres include: The Guthrie; Actors Theatre of Louisville; The Alliance, The O’Neill; North Shore Music Theatre, Bay Street Theatre; Flat Rock Playhouse, George Street Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse; Triad Stage, Sacramento Music Circus. *

Passion

(Director)

Passion has directed more than 30 productions and has been critically acclaimed as “creative” and “stunning.” As Artistic Director of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Young Writers’ Workshop, she recently directed Just Imagine at NJPAC’s Victoria Theater. She directed Tony Award winner Melba Moore in Sweet Songs of the Soul at the Bermuda Festival and directed the cast of Real Black Men Don’t Sit Cross-Legged On The Floor to rave reviews and standing ovations. Under her guidance both productions received AUDELCO Awards. She is a private coach, educator and new filmmaker. Passion is the producer and director of DramaMamas! The Film, Black Women Theatre Directors in the Spotlight and Remembered. She welcomes your support of her feature-length documentary at dramamamasthefilm.org.

Nathan Ross Freeman

(Playwright)

Author, Director, Producer of the Independent Feature Film, Mr. Bones, the Official Selection of the following festivals: San Francisco Black, National Black Theatre, Indie Memphis, Southern Appalachian International Film (Best Drama/Edit), Black Disapora (Durham, NC), Cackalacky (Charlotte, NC), Sweet Auburn International Film Festival (Best Feature), and NYC Festivals. Francine, Official Selection of the New York Short Film Festival. Hannah Elias screenplay runner up at the 2005 San Francisco Black Film Festival Screenplay Contest. Awarded the 1997 North Carolina Arts Council Playwrights Fellowship for Hannah Elias. Founder of Montage Showcase Ensemble and Assegai Film Group. Mr. Freeman also teaches professional acting. He was awarded B.E.S.T. Outstanding Faculty as a member of the Intensive Writing Faculty teaching screenwriting/playwriting at the University of North Carolina. Currently Mr. Freeman is a member of the NC Humanities Speakers Bureau and Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Winston-Salem Youth Arts Institute. http://www.nathanrossfreeman.com/

Frenchie La’Vern

(Costume Designer & Cutter/Draper)

Frenchie graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts with a degree in Design and Production. During the last 10 years, Frenchie has worked in theater and film. She has enjoyed an ongoing professional affiliation with Nathan Ross Freeman since signing on as the Designer of costumes, hair and make up for Mr. Bones. Her most recent film credits are Lost Stallion: The Journey Home and Westerly, both do for release in 2008. Her most recent professional credits include Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow, starring Broadway veteran Jannie Jones, directed by Broadway veteran Mable Robinson and produced by the North Carolina Black Repertory Theatre. Regarding the NCBR, Frenchie has mounted the Black Nativity for seven seasons. Her work was also seen on productions by the Community Theater of Greensboro, Duke University, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, and The Barn Dinner Theatre of Greensboro, the oldest continuously operating dinner theatre in America.

Thierry Saintine

(Stage Manager)

Thierry Saintine is a graduate of City College Theatre and Speech Program. He has made appearances on several New York City stages and screens and is determined to keep the arts and performing arts alive within and around him.