Core Acting Company

BIRTHPLACE Mankato, Minnesota.
HOMETOWN Odessa, Texas.
A.C.T. CORE ACTING COMPANY MEMBER SINCE 2001.
FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE Performing in A Christmas Carol in college.
FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE Performing in The Three Sisters at Yale Repertory Theatre while in graduate school.
FIRST A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Performing in the remount of the A.C.T. production of Mary Stuart in Boston (2000) and the role of Célimène in The Misanthrope (2000) at the Geary Theater.
FAVORITE A.C.T. EXPERIENCE The role of Nora in A Doll’s House.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT I can twirl fire batons while drinking beer!
RECOMMENDATIONS Watch: Slings and Arrows (Canadian television show about the trials and tribulations of a repertory theater company). Read: Angle of Repose (Wallace Stegner), A Dirty Job (Christopher Moore).
PRE- OR POSTPERFORMANCE RITUAL Pre: vocal and physical warm-ups. Post: beer.

VIEW René's official company profile.

BIRTHPLACE San Francisco.
HOMETOWN San Francisco!
A.C.T. CORE ACTING COMPANY MEMBER SINCE 2009.
FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE Playing Micaela's Gypsy guide in the San Francisco Opera's production of Carmen with Placido Domingo.
FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE George in Sunday in the Park with George.
FIRST A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Jan in Rock 'n' Roll.
FAVORITE A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Jerry in Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT As a child, Mano decided to see how many coffee beans he could stick up his nose. He thinks that turned him off of coffee for many many years.
RECOMMENDATIONS Having a drink with Jack Willis, a guaranteed good time.
PRE- OR POSTPERFORMANCE RITUAL Pre: vocal, physical warmups. Post: Bourbon & Branch.

VIEW Manoel's official company profile.

BIRTHPLACE New York City.
HOMETOWN San Francisco.
A.C.T. CORE ACTING COMPANY MEMBER SINCE 2007.
FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE Watching Cleavon Little perform the title role of Hamlet at the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1968; performing the title role of The Dreams of Irving Creepster in the sixth grade—addicted ever since.
FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE Playing Tuzenbach in The Three Sisters at A.C.T.; seeing Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst in A Moon for the Misbegotten; The Real Thing on Broadway (auditioning for an understudy role, but getting the part instead); meeting Steve Martin while wearing only my underwear.
FIRST A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Seeing The Crucible (1973); performing the role of Kent in Edward II (1999).
FAVORITE A.C.T. EXPERIENCE The first preview of Edward II, standing on the same stage as the heroes of my youth: Peter Donat, Rene Auberjonois, Ray Reinhardt, and Raye Birk. I still sometimes get goose bumps.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT A faith healer once put his fingers inside my knee.
RECOMMENDATIONS Watch: Unfinished Piece for Player Piano, a Russian film adaptation of several Chekhov short stories—funny, heartbreaking, authentic, and sublime; anything by Buster Keaton; Herzog’s Kaspar Hauser. Read: Other Voices, Other Rooms (Truman Capote), Bel Canto (Ann Patchett), The Eighth Day (Thornton Wilder). Listen to: Louis Armstrong, Al Green, Neil Young’s Harvest Moon, Stan Getz, Willie Nelson’s Stardust, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin.
PRE- OR POSTPERFORMANCE RITUAL Pre: Realizing I have to pee after putting on the tights!

VIEW Anthony's official company profile.

BIRTHPLACE New York City.
HOMETOWN Lawrence, NY (on Long Island).
A.C.T. CORE ACTING COMPANY MEMBER SINCE 1999.
FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE My father took me to see the Broadway production of Hair when I was seven years old.
FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE Thus far, A.C.T.’s production of Angels in America. We rehearsed for three months (which is unheard of) and performed it for nearly a year. I’m still very close with many of the cast and crew. Opening that show felt a bit like going to war, because the set was notoriously large and unruly!
FIRST A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Watching clips from a famous A.C.T. production of The Taming of the Shrew on public television as a teenager.
FAVORITE A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Performing in Harold Pinter’s Celebration the day after 9/11. I still vividly remember listening to Carey’s precurtain speech from backstage. Other favorites include watching Marco Barricelli sing and tap dance in his bare feet during Insurrection: Holding History, silently stalking René Augesen backstage while she played my cheating wife in The Three Sisters, and working with Steven Anthony Jones and Laird Williamson in "Master Harold"...and the boys.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT I am the dubious owner of a 13-year-old talking African grey parrot named Gabriel. His favorite expressions are: "You be QUIET!!" and "I must poop."
RECOMMENDATIONS Watch: Rome, the HBO television series. Definitely worth putting on your Netflix queue.
PRE- OR POSTPERFORMANCE RITUAL I have the grilled chicken, zucchini, and broccoli entrée at Lori's Diner every evening before a show. They throw the chicken on the grill when I walk through the door.

VIEW Gregory's official company profile.

BIRTHPLACE/HOMETOWN Salina, Kansas.
A.C.T. CORE ACTING COMPANY MEMBER SINCE 2007.
FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE Performing in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore in high school.
FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE Adapting and performing in All the King's Men at Dallas Theater Center.
FIRST A.C.T. EXPERIENCE The roles of Wilhelm's Old Uncle and The Duke in The Black Rider (2004).
FAVORITE A.C.T. EXPERIENCE The role of Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT I died as an infant and was found by a nun. When I was born, I became seriously ill with dysentery and was taken to St. John's hospital. Attempts to save me failed; it was determined that I was dead, and I was taken to the morgue. One of the older nuns at the hospital had made it a custom every night to go to the morgue with a stethoscope and mirror to check for breath and heartbeat. I was found breathing, thereby ensuring Sister Christina received birthday and Christmas cards for the rest of her life.
RECOMMENDATIONS Watch: Graves of Fireflies. Read: The Silver Spoon (Phaidon Press). Listen to: Arcade Fire.
PRE- OR POSTPERFORMANCE RITUAL Post: cocktails.

VIEW Jack's official company profile.