Meet the Original Cast . . .

 

The Grooms

Diego Torres – Benjamin-Michael Joseph Antipuna (Benny) is ecstatic to be a part of the premiere of Diego & Drew Say I Do! Originally from Philadelphia, Benny (Benjamin-Michael Joseph Antipuna) is a graduate of DeSales University and has worked in a variety of outlets such as theme parks, cruise ships, and national tours. Favorite roles include: Dracula at Universal Orlando Resort‘s Beetlejuice Graveyard Review, Joey in Tony and Tina’s Wedding, and The Conjurer in Cirque Dreams.

Drew (Andrew Jackson Boudreaux III) – Eric O’Keefe is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University where he studied Spanish and Education. Recently, Eric was seen in Evening Star Productions’s regional premiere of 35mm: a Musical Exhibition, which was also his South Florida debut. Other favorite credits include Crazy for You (Eugene Fodor), A Funny Thing Happened . . . (Hero), and Sweet Charity (Herman).

 

The Boudreaux Family

Virginia Magnolia Hollingsworth (formerly Boudreaux) – Primarily a theatre artist, Merry Jo Cortada‘s recent theatre work includes Body Awareness at Island City Stage and Women’s Minyanat at West Boca Theatre. Merry Jo has been blessed with 2 original works written for her and premiered in South Florida: Mexico City by David Leddick, based on a true story, and 1000 Homosexuals by Michael Yawney at Camposition, the story of Anita Bryant’s campaign to repeal gay rights. She has also appeared in Stage Door Theatre‘s productions of Brighton Beach Memoirs and Steel Magnolias as well as Henry V at New Theatre. Venturing into the TV realm, and if audiences didn’t blink watching the new Charlie’s Angels, they would have seen her as the villain’s chatty housekeeper. She can be seen in the new thriller Lila and Eve, working opposite Viola Davis. Merry Jo recently appeared in Island City Stage‘s production of Angry Fags.

 

Andrew Jackson Boudreaux II – Steven A. Chambers  is excited to be making his debut with Two Grooms and the Broward Center. Steven has been active in the South Florida theatre community since 1999 and has appeared in productions across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, most recently appearing in the staged reading of The Vivian Vance Story at Lynn University, in the Flying High shorts series with Pigs Do Fly Productions, and as Juror #2 in Twelve Angry Men at New Theatre. Favorite acting roles include Elyot Chase in Private Lives and Brian in The Shadow Box. As a director, South Florida production credits include: A Bicycle Country and Jack Goes Boating (New Theatre); The Normal Heart and On Golden Pond (Public Theatre of South Florida), and The Sum of Us ( Rising Action Theatre Inc ), among others. Steven is a proud New Theatre Company Member and a member of the LMDA: Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas.

 

Big Daddy (Andrew Jackson Boudreaux) – Mark Kroczynski is excited to be part of Drew & Diego Say I Do. He’s had major roles in: Lost in Yonkers (ACT of Davie Theater), The Drawer Boy (Thinking Cap Theatre), Prisoner of 2nd Avenue (Tamarac Theatre of Performing Arts), A Thousand Clowns (ACT of Davie), The Boys Next Door (Down In Front Theater Company), The Matchmaker (Curtain Call Playhouse) and Fifty Plus (Pigs Do Fly Productions).

 

The Torres Family

Lourdes Maria Guadalupe Escobar de la Cruz Torres – Madelin Marchant is thrilled to be part of this world premiere and this wonderful “family.”  She has been involved in the performing arts since the age of seven studying classical piano.  She has appeared in many television, film and commercial productions as well as voiceovers in both Spanish and English. Her favorite roles are Joanne in Company, Gittel in Seesaw, Berthe in Pippin (FIU Theatre), Mama Rose in Gypsy and Mami in No Dogs Allowed! (Actors’ Playhouse) a musical based on the children’s book, written by Sonia Manzano (Maria on Sesame Street). In 2014, she appeared in New Theatre’s dramatic production of Visiting Hours and in the One Act Play Festival.  She was also a cast member on Salvese Quien Pueda, a Spanish version of SNL, on the Telemundo network.

 

Santiago Torres – Cesar Arguelles is excited to play the role of the patriotic patriarch of the Torres family, Santiago. Cesar is the VP and Aventura Branch Manager of Coconut Grove Bank and has a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University in the City of New York. He has forever had a passion for theatre and Diego & Drew Say I Do marks his professional theatrical stage debut. As a child, he was always in the school plays and was chosen to attend acting school in Manhattan. Now that one of his daughters is actively involved in her drama class and drama club at FLLHS, he has been re-bitten by the acting bug and has begun studying with Lori Wyman. He participated in the first reading and workshop of Diego & Drew Say I Do, and is extremely honored and excited to have been given the opportunity to play the part of Santiago in the show this spring.

Maximiliano de la Cruz Torres (Max) – Dominic Smith is a senior theatre major at Barry University where he recently starred as Tom, Phyllis, & Leslie in Sylvia; Adam in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged); and Freddy in Picasso at the Lapin Agile. He also performed as Steve, Phil, and Dave in Almost, Maine at Pelican Playhouse. He has designed lights for The Alliance Theatre Lab‘s production of The Aliens and has done staged readings for Mad Cat Theatre Company, Inc., Banned/New reading series, as well as the 2015 Dana Plays.

 

Tia Maria – Vanessa Elise holds a BFA in Theatre from New World School of the Arts. Previous stage credits include: Waiting For Waiting For Godot at Thinking Cap Theatre (Laura), Rock Odyssey (Circe), Reality Sucks (Roxy) and Women Playing Hamlet at New Theatre (Lord Derby/Bartender/Gilda); Clark Gable Slept Here at Zoetic Stage (Estella); Church (Reverend Vanessa), Get Hit (Jill) , Fifi and Lybia (Lybia), Real Women Have Curves (Ana), and Suddenly, Last Summer (Mrs. Venable). She has participated in multiple festivals and readings across South Florida, as well directed various projects. Her original one woman show, Noise: An Interruption (Amaya) was chosen for inclusion in New York’s United Solo Theatre Festival on Theatre Row in November 2015 and later in The Alliance Theatre Lab‘s first Originals Festival. Elise was honored this year with a Silver Palm Award for Outstanding New Talent, and a Carbonell Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Clark Gable Slept Here. She is the Artistic Director of the Fort Lauderdale Fringe Festival based in Broward College‘s Downtown Center.

 

Others

Bo – Cannon Starnes is thrilled to be part of this “Entertaining & Downright FUN” production. He is also “PROUD to be a part of a theatrical experience that is giving back directly to our community as certain proceeds will benefit local charities yet to be announced.” He feels it an “honor to join this cast and production staff as we bring some laughs and enlightenment to a new day and age of equality.” Cannon has appeared as The Naked Maid in Naked Boys Singing (Off Broadway) and Buddy Keno Walsh in The Full Monty (Broadway Natl. Tour). Regionally, he recently appeared as Phil Davis in White Christmas at The Wick Theatre, and at Actors’ Playhouse, Lyle in Footloose, Nicole in La Cage Aux Folles, and The Monk in Monty Python’s Spamalot. Other favorite roles include Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Emcee in Cabaret, Hero in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Miss Great Plains in Pageant, Wyatt in Crazy For You, Gregory Gardner in A Chorus Line, and countless more! “LIVE LIKE IT’S THE LAST DAY OF YOUR LIFE!”

 

Shelby Roberts – Danielle Tabino studied acting at the The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in NYC and has been performing throughout South Florida for over 15 years. Her favorite roles include Stop Kiss at Infinite Abyss Productions, Wait Until Dark at Delray Beach Playhouse and Steel Magnolias at Stage Door Theatre. She was featured in the title role of Snow White Trash at Infinite Abyss, appeared recently in Last of the Red Hot Lovers at The Delray Beach Playhouse, and has performed across the US and internationally with Cirque Dreams.

 

Raven Evermore – R. Kent Wilson has a varied theatrical background with experience as an actor, stage manager, assistant director, producer, sound designer, dramaturg, and playwright. He is on the Ambassadors Council for the National New Play Network, a board member for The South Florida Theatre League, a judge for the Carbonell Awards, and a company member of two South Florida theater companies (Lost Girls Theatre and New Theatre). His most recent role was Jonathan in the New Theatre’s production of Two Weekends and a Day.

 

Vance Treble – Mike Westrich studied Musical Theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan. He is the recipient of two Silver Palm Awards for his performances in tick, tick…BOOM! (Jon, Outre Theatre Company), and Stars of David (Man 1, Daryl Roth Productions) & Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour, Slow Burn Theatre Company) respectively. He also received a Carbonell Award nomination for his portrayal of murderer Nathan Leopold in Outre’s production of Thrill Me. He recently appeared in Slow Burn’s production of Dogfight at Broward Center for the Performing Arts & Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, and reprised his role of Nathan in Thrill Me, followed by Romance, Romance, once again with Slow Burn. Other recent credits include RENT (Mark, Slow Burn), Mommie Queerest (Greg and others, Empire Stage), Fugitive Songs (Gavin, Theatre Lab), Pippin (Pippin, Boca Raton Theatre Guild), The Timekeepers (Hans, Island City Stage), and The Rocky Horror Show (Dr. Frank-N-Furter, The Crest Theatre at Old School Square).

 

Stacy Nicole Masters – Meagan Nagy is thrilled to be part of this amazing production as well as having the opportunity to be part of multiple upcoming productions this season at Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Slow Burn Theatre Company‘s Big Fish and Heathers. Last year, Meagan returned from sailing the Mediterranean on Norwegian Cruise Line‘s “Jade” as a Production Cast Principle and opened her own business, TMHStudios, offering classes/private dance lessons. Past credits include: Spring Awakening (Martha), The Rocky Horror Show (Columbia), RESPECT the Musical (Swing), Falsettos (Jason), and Sweet Charity (Nicki). She has also worked for Busch Gardens as a singer and dancer. www.TMHStudios.com

 

Chauncey Davenport – Jeffrey Bruce was raised in Fresh Meadows, Queens, and has been a professional actor for too many decades to recount, having performed in 9 national tours including: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Finch), Camelot (Mordred), The Boys in the Band (Harold), The Music Man (Tommy Djilas) and Flower Drum Song (Wang San). Locally, Jeff has appeared at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre: Amadeus (Kappelmeister Bonno) and Joseph/Dreamcoat (Potiphar/Jacob), the The Wick Theatre: The Sound of Music (Max), 42nd Street (Bert), and Mame opposite Leslie Uggams (Mr. Babcock). The Island City Stage has seen him in the world premiere of Poz as well as Who Killed Joan Crawford. Regionally, he has been lucky enough to have performed the entire Neil Simon catalogue. Jeff teaches two weekly master classes in Acting, in Boca Raton, where he resides, as well as in Boynton Beach. He has also segued into directing The Subject Was Roses, Gypsy, and Young Frankenstein which have proven to be an absolute joy!

 

WITH SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY MEMBERS OF FORT LAUDERDALE GAY MEN’S CHORUS – The Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus (FTLGMC) is the oldest gay arts organization in Florida and is celebrating its 30th season this year. Under the direction once again of its founder, Dr. Gary Keating, the chorus strives to unite the community through music. Don’t miss their upcoming Spring Fundraiser April 17. More information on the chorus may be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1069510603069919/

Behind the Scenes . . .

 

Lighting Designer – Jamie Cooper has been actively working as a lighting designer and production manager in South Florida for over twenty years.  Originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, she came to Florida to attend the University of Miami where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Education.  Jamie has stage managed and served as technical director for numerous musicals and revues for corporate events including Motorola, Hewlett Packard, The Florida Sterling Awards, and The Nevada Governor’s Council.  Some of her musical theatre credits include La Cage Aux Folles, Zero Hour, The Life, Perfect Harmony, Jim Bailey as Barbra Streisand, The Kid From Brooklyn, and Groucho starring Gabe Kaplan.  She recently has worked as the production manager and lighting designer for Laffing Matterz at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and is currently stage managing theatrical productions at Arts Garage in Delray Beach.  Jamie has also served as tour director / company manager for over 30 Florida touring productions.  She has also worked extensively as a choreographer and lighting designer all over the world.  Her International credits include production shows at The Theatre Variete, Palais Montcalm, and The Shawinigan Theatre in Canada,  Minakami, Dogashima, and Inatori Resorts in Japan, and The Atlantis Resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas.

 

Stage Manager – Carey Brianna Hart is a native Floridian born in Miami. She graduated from the New World School of the Arts. She continued her theatrical education studying Acting, Playwriting, and Directing in Chicago, Illinois at the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatrical Studies. Carey has worked on stage and backstage in South Florida theatre since 1993 in productions by the African American Performing Arts Community Theatre, Area Stage Company, GableStage, Lost Girls Theatre, The M Ensemble Theater Company, Mad Cat Theatre Company, Inc., New Theatre, Thinking Cap Theatre, the Vinnette Carroll Theater & Repertory and the Women’s Theatre Project. She is a member of the South Florida Theatre League and the SAG-AFTRA. Carey seeks to continue contributing to the artistic landscape of South Florida.

 

Wardrobe Supervisor – India C. Davison is a senior at Barry University. While at Barry, she has worked on Sussical, Sylvia, Picasso, Romeo and Juliet, and The Serpent. She is delighted to be working with this talented group in Diego and Drew Say I Do. She also wants to give a special thanks to John Manzelli for giving her this opportunity.

 

*The above is the cast  & crew for the world premiere production at the
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, in Fort Lauderdale, FL
from March 31 – April 10, 2016.