The Actors

  Marianna Barry (Masquerade Dancer/Ensemble) - Marianna is a freshman at Ursuline Academy and is excited to be in this production of Romeo and Juliet.  She was most recently seen in Jesuit's Phililectic Society's Guys and Dolls.  Marianna is a student at Metropolitan Dance Theatre, and is also interested in singing, fencing, and piano.

  Jennifer Carriere (Juliet) - Jennifer is a Theatre / Communications major and French minor at Loyola University, where she recently appeared in Tartuffe, as Mariane.  She played Juliet, in select scenes and speeches, to Mr. Scalise's Romeo, for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra's Romeo & Juliet concert series, last autumn, and also appeared in Tulane's Shakespeare Festival production of Love's Labour's Lost as the androgenous Boyet.  Other credits include Heidi Holland in The Heidi Chronicles, Man With a Dog in Goldberg Street, and a variety of character roles on stages throughout the city.  She studied clowning and improvisation with former Theatre Du Soleil clown and Tulane professor, Lisa Jo Epstein, and has trained at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University.  Jennifer is a member of New Orleans' only improv and original sketch comedy troupe, the Loyola-based team, Boxaganga (formerly Plan B).

  Sheila Shea Chimento (Lady Capulet) - Sheila returns to the stage after a several year absence.  Her last appearance in the city was as Olga in The Three Sisters at the CAC.  Other roles include Joy in Shadowlands and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Sheila has also appeared in several TV commercials and has a Speech/Theatre degree from LSU.  When not onstage, her days are spent in another fantasy land, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe, where she works as the Office Manager/Bookkeeper.  Sheila is thrilled to be working with Bert again, as well as the rest of this very talented cast.

Crystal Costanza (Masquerade Dancer/Ensemble) - Crystal is a sophomore at Grace King H.S. who has been involved in theatre, mainly at Rivertown Rep., since the age of 9.  At Rivertown she has appeared in The Wizard of Oz and The Ice Dragon, both directed by Chip Stelz.  Crystal has been the Operations/Publicity director for every play at Grace King since she first entered the school, and has been studying guitar for over two years.  She is very excited to be participating in this production.

  Carlie Cutrer (Masquerade Dancer/Ensemble) - This performance of Romeo and Juliet will mark Carlie’s theatrical debut.  She is a sophomore at Ponchatoula High School.  This is her ninth year in dance and she is currently dancing under the direction of Karen Hebert.  She would like to dedicate this performance to her loving family.

  Katie Dekerlegand (Masquerade Dancer/Ensemble) -  Katie is presently a sophomore at Ponchatoula High School.  She is thrilled to be making her theatrical debut on UNO’s main stage.  Katie has been dancing for the past nine years, currently under the direction of Karen Hebert.  She would like to dedicate this performance to her Uncle Michael who has been her constant source of inspiration.

  Myisha Dunn (Masquerade Dancer/Ensemble) - Myisha is a 16 year old sophomore at Louis S. McGehee where she has participated in the upper school plays: Anything Goes, Annie, Quilters, Blame It On the Movies, and Guys and Dolls.  She is a veteran of the Summer Stages theatre program, and studied theatre at NOCCA for two years.  Myisha is a new student with Metropolitan Dance Theatre, and is honored to be working with so many talented people in this production of Romeo and Juliet.

  Scott Faucett (Abram; Friar John) - Scott is a senior in the University of New Orleans drama department.  Last spring he appeared onstage in UNO's production of The Merchant of Venice.  Last semester he also appeared onstage in Quiet Empire Productions' Pick at the Pickery Theatre, playing Marc.  He has also been working constantly doing extra and stand-in work for future films.  Keep a lookout for his current commercials for Entergy and Popeye's.

  Felix Favaloro (Balthazar) - A senior at UNO and a member of the Lakefront Players, Felix has been seen onstage as Doug in Pillow Talk, Harold in K2, Joey in The Wall Of Crispian, and other UNO productions such as No Exit, Solstice, and Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.

  Kevin Fricke (Benvolio) - Kevin's credits include Taming of the Shrew at Le Petit, under the direction of Bert Pigg; Native Son at SUNO, under Tommye Mryick; and Chess at Delgado, under Tim Baker.

  Tom Grantham (Escalus) - Tom is an architect from Madison, Wisconsin.  He most recently appeared in the chorus of the New Orleans Opera Associatio production of Madama Butterfly and as Rutherford Selig in Dillard University's production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone.  He has frequently appeared in productions at Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre, Rivertown Repertory Theatre, and Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre.

  John Hammons (Capulet) - John is pleased to be in this production of Romeo and Juliet.  John just completed another father role - Walter in Twilight of the Golds here at UNO.  He has worked in Community Theatre since 1995 performing at CAC, Delgado, Le Petit, Marigny, Rivertown Rep, Southern Rep, Theatre 13, and the A.R.K. in a variety of productions.  Some of John’s favorite roles were Harry Hope in The Iceman Cometh, Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman, Henry in Henry IV, Charles in Blythe Spirit, Karl in Marriage of Bette and Boo, and Old Man in Shall We Go Walking Then You And I.

  Nancy Hammons (Nurse) - Nancy is delighted to be in this production of  Romeo and Juliet.  Nancy’s most recent appearances were as Lilla Barton in The Moving Of Lilla Barton at the Anthony Bean Community Theatre, and Mom in True West at Le Chat Noir.  Some of Nancy’s favorite roles include Ruth Condomine in Blithe Spirit at Rivertown, Ann Putnam in The Crucible at Delgado, Dora Strang in Equus at Le Petit, Lady Alice in A Man for All Seasons at JPAS, Claudius in Hamlet at Theatre Marigny and Mother in Barefoot in the Park at Tulane.  Nancy is also a volunteer docent at the Gallier House Museum as well as a French Quarter Walking Tour Guide for the Friends of the Cabildo.

  Maria Karras (Masquerade Dancer/Rosaline) - A freshman at UNO, Maria is very excited to be making her first appearance on the UNO stage.  She has been dancing for sixteen years, currently under the direction of Karen Hebert.  In 1998 Maria received the title "Teen Miss Dance of Louisiana."  She has been in numerous productions of Jesuit's Phililectic Society, including Joseph..., as Diana Morales in A Chorus Line, West Side Story, and Tommy.  You may also have seen her in the Big Easy Award winning musicals: 42nd Street, Barnum, and Chess.  Maria would like to dedicate this performance to her big sister, Violetta, and would like to say 'Break A Leg' to this cast of Romeo and Juliet.

  Eric Pollard (Montague; Apothecary) - 'Shoeless' hails from the Adirondack Mountains in northern NY.  He     has acted in dramas and musicals throughout the U.S., including as a member of the renowned Shakespeare in Delaware Park company in Buffalo.  A New Orleans resident, he’s appeared locally in Much Ado About Nothing in Tulane’s inaugural season and most recently in King Lear  with Dog and Pony Theatre. He is pleased to finally have an occasion to work with his friend, the multi-talented Bert Pigg.

  Travis Resor (Paris) - Travis is very happy to be onstage again with some of his greatest friends. Some of
Travis's recent credits include: Molokov in the Big Easy Award winning Chess at Delgado Community College, Gino Capaletti in the long running Joey and Mary's Irish Italian Wedding, and a featured ensemble role in Blood Brothers at Carlone's Dinner Theatre. Travis would like to thank all who attend this special production.

  Justin Scalise (Romeo; Mercutio) - Justin is a graduate of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA),  and has studied Shakespeare at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University.  He has also been trained in stage combat at the Paddy Crean International Stage Combat Program in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Justin has performed an extensive variety of roles in classical, contemporary, and musical theatre, and is a Big Easy Award winner.  His Shakespearean credits, to date, include: Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, Horatio in Hamlet, Launcelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice, and he previously played Romeo, in select scenes and speeches, to Ms. Carriere's Juliet, for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra's Romeo & Juliet concert series, last autumn.  Justin will next be seen onstage playing the title role in Hamlet, and later as Puck in Shakespeare in the Park's A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Justin would like to express his gratitude to everyone who contributed to this production, and he dedicates his performance to his instructors at BADA and the late Sir John Gielgud, for their inspiration.

  Billy Slaughter (Romeo; Mercutio) - A soon-to-be UNO senior, Billy has been acting professionally in New Orleans since '97, and has worked in theater, film, and television.  Some of his favorite starring roles include Biff/Fabu in Daryl's Perils, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Alan Strang in Eqqus, for which, at the age of 18, he received the Marquee award for best leading actor.  Billy has trained in New York at Michael Howard Studios and in England at the British American Drama Academy (BADA).  Look for Billy this summer at Tulane, where he will be performing in Richard II and The Winter's Tale with The Shakespeare Festival, as well as with the Patchwork Players in Snow White, and Pecos Bill, in which he will be playing the title role.  Billy can also be seen  in the upcoming feature film Happy Here and Now as a young Napoleon Bonaparte.  Billy expresses his gratitude to Bert and Justin.

  Sean Stewart (Tybalt) - Sean is currently a third year graduate student at Tulane.  He graduates in May with an M.F.A. in Scenic Design.  Sean has designed several shows in the area including Squabbles and The Odd Couple at Carlone's Dinner Theatre, and The Heidi Chronicles at the CAC.  Sean's acting credits include Octavius in both Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra at the Tulane Shakespeare Festival, and he was was last seen in the award winning production of Tracers at True Brew.

  Michael Sullivan (Friar Laurence) - Michael is happy to make his first appearance on the UNO stage.  He has been seen in other ecclesiastical roles as Cardinal Voltemand in Hamlet at last summer's Shakespeare Festival at Tulane, and Father McPorter SandiRhodes' long-running hit: Joey and Mary's Irish-Italian Wedding.  Michael's favorite roles include Camille Chandel in Star Castle's A Flea In Her Ear, M. Martin in Rivertown's Hotel Paradiso, Brian in LePetit's Laughter On The 23rd Floor, and Arnold in Chase Waite's Boys Next Door, for which Michael received a Big Easy nomination and a Storer Boone award for Best Actor in a Comedy for 1999.

  Corey Vallon (Peter) - A PFMA theater major for the past four years at Delgado and UNO, Corey has performed in such plays as Hair, The Crucible, Welcome to the Moon, Mammoth Decisions, The Conquest of Mexico, Twelfth Night, and Love's Labour's Lost.  He is a founding member and artistic director of the Guerilla Theatre Company, a playwright, currently looking to stage his play, Two Halves of the Same Coin, and is also a clown that defines himself as a Poet in Action.  Corey would like to dedicate his performance to his family, because if he doesn't, he can't go home, and also to his friends, that have always been there for him.
 

The Directorial Staff & Technical Crew

Bert Pigg (Director) - Bert trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and in the past 25 years he has appeared in more than 150 plays and has directed more than 40 productions, including The Importance of Being Ernest, The Indian Wants the Bronx, Mother Courage and Her Children, Julius Caesar, and The Comedy of Errors.  He is the founder and former Artistic Director of Actors' Ensemble - Dallas and the Jersey City Actors Workshop.  His adaptations of Shakespeare, The Weight of the Crown and Merely Madness have been performed at schools and regional theatres throughout the U.S.; the latter having toured with the Folger Museum's exhibition entitled Shakespeare, the Globe and the World.

Karen Hebert (Choreographer) -

Cheri Arena (Stage Manager) - Credits include: The Crucible, Thurber Carnival, Hair, City of Angels, The Roar of the Greasepaint and the Smell of the Crowd.

Troy Vance 'Scratch' Buckley (Lighting) - A professional student on a perpetual quest for his degree, Scratch is currently studying technical theater at UNO.  Celebrating his tenth year of basking in the unacknowledged glory of the techie, Scratch has been in more shows than his fragile mind can remember.  When not glued to his computer or slaving in the theater, Scratch enjoys spending his precious time with his fiancee, Weeder.  Someday he hopes to serve as the lighting designer for an immensely large and well-budgeted Broadway production.  After which, he will retire to work as a T.D. for some college, imparting his knowledge to a new generation of techies.

Kaela 'Weeder' Trosclair (Sound) - One of the most skilled and trusted light/sound board operators in the city, Kaela works professionally in many of the local theaters.  Studying theatre at UNO was only natural for her after years of experience in grammar and high school.  Currently, all of her energy is consumed in preparing for spending two months studying abroad in Europe, with her fiancee, Scratch.

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