Core Acting Company

Since re-establishing the resident acting company in 2001, A.C.T. has been home to a closely knit group of artists who bring fearless commitment, consistent excellence, and a transformational spirit to each role they inhabit onstage. Each of these artists is given the security of a full-time contract with A.C.T., which allows them to develop a variety of roles throughout the season while teaching, directing, and mentoring young actors in the conservatory and participating in artistic planning for the theater. You've seen them in roles that fit like a glove and roles that stretch beyond measure. We thought you'd like a chance to get to know the people behind the characters.

René Augesen in Cat on a Hot Tin
Roof. Photo by Kevin Berne.

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.

Anthony Fusco in Travesties. Photo by Kevin Berne.

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 Performing in Clybourne Park at A.C.T.; seeing Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst in A Moon for the Misbegotten; The Real Thing on Broadway (auditioned to understudy a role, but wound up actually getting the role); 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; 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: Sinus Rinse. Post: Ibuprofen.

VIEW Anthony's official company profile.

Nick Gabriel with Kathleen Early in South Coast Repertory Company's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

BIRTHPLACE Albany, New York.
HOMETOWN The suburban wilderness near Albany, New York.
A.C.T. CORE ACTING COMPANY MEMBER SINCE 2011.
FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE In fourth grade I played WOO, the Wise Old One, in a little-known gem called A Town Without a Name. Before that I danced in a few ballet recitals and portrayed everything from a warlock to a gloriosa daisy.
FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE I loved playing Warren in Ordinary Days, directed by Ethan McSweeny at South Coast Repertory.
FIRST A.C.T. EXPERIENCE The initiating event in my first year of graduate school in A.C.T.'s Master of Fine Arts Program: performing two monologues in front of the entire A.C.T. faculty, staff, and M.F.A. Program student body. Terrifying.
FAVORITE A.C.T. EXPERIENCE The initiating event in my first year of graduate school in A.C.T.'s Master of Fine Arts Program: performing two monologues in front of the entire A.C.T. faculty, staff, and M.F.A.Program student body. Terrifying.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT As a child I had a pet goat.
RECOMMENDATIONS Visit the Little Farm in Tilden Regional Park and bring several heads of lettuce to feed to the animals. And read Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.
PRE- OR POSTPERFORMANCE RITUAL Pre: Nap. Post: Shower.

VIEW Nick's official company profile.

Omozé Idehenre in The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Photo by Kevin Berne.

BIRTHPLACE Concord (Cabarrus County), North Carolina.
HOMETOWN Charlotte, North Carolina (aka, The Queen City).
A.C.T. CORE ACTING COMPANY MEMBER SINCE 2011.
FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE Watching Rita Moreno in West Side Story at the age of eight or nine. I was never the same after that. It was an experience in and of itself.
FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE Seeing FELA! on Broadway. From "Jump" I felt like I was home.
FIRST A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Besides performing in A Christmas Carol as a M.F.A. Program student, my first experience on the A.C.T. mainstage was The Caucasian Chalk Circle. It was epic.
FAVORITE A.C.T. EXPERIENCE Onstage watching Gregory Wallace slowly turn to Richard Theriot in Clybourne Park and say, "And why are they assholes?" (I may be paraphrasing) and seeing Emily Kitchen's face as we both attempted to suppress our uncontrollable laughter.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT I have an unrelenting alien phobia. I will not drive down dark and quiet country roads out of fear of being abducted. Thanks a lot, Unsolved Mysteries!
RECOMMENDATIONS Books: Isabel Wilkerson's The Warmth of Other Suns and Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections. Films: Raging Bull and Precious. Music: Staple Singers's Too Close.
PRE- OR POSTPERFORMANCE RITUAL Pre: Sitting in the sun and just being or sitting in a dark room and just being. Post: Music, hot shower, and writing down my thoughts and what and who I'm thankful for.

VIEW Omozé's official company profile.