CAST AND CREW
Steve Auger (Chorus) has been seen in SpeakEasy Stages's productions of Lips Together Teeth Apart and the award winning Jeffery. He also worked for many years at the Triangle and Back Alley Theaters-- alas, both now Boston memories. Last year he was seen in Company One's Fringe Festival in Centre Stages's production of Ballast. Steve also performed in a production of The Seagull in St, Peterburg at the Alexandra Theater. A proud member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (also serving on the Boston SAG Council), he likes to think he was directed by Clint Eastwood in Mystic River because at one point Mr. Eastwood said "Go—what's his name?—Steve? …Go Steve Go." In addition, many nights at Fenway Park yelling "Lets go Red Sox" with Jimmy F allon convinced him of the power of art in the attempt to break a curse. Steve is an Actor/Educator at the Museum Of Science and also tours New England with the Improbable Players. He is very very pleased to be a part of the Terrific cast of Blinders. Also , he encourages everyone to go out and adopt a shelter dog, it will change your life!
 
 Rena Baskin (Chorus) has performed locally with Boston Theater Works, the Nora, Wheelock, the Publick, and the Jewish Theater of New England, and regionally at the New London Barn Playhouse and the Portsmouth Music Hall in New Hampshire. Representative roles: Priva and The Woman Who Tells (Meshuga), Chelsea (On Golden Pond), Desiree (A Little Night Music), Blanche (Brighton Beach Memoirs), and Baroness Elsa (Sound of Music). Rena’s club and cabaret work includes Jacques Brel, the music of Barber, Weil, Gershwin, and Ellington, as well as multi-cultural folk music, and pop tunes. She also works on-camera, and recently played a small principal role in the upcoming FX TV movie “Oilstorm”. Her voice can be heard in narrations, commercials, and other voiceovers on radio and TV. She serves on the local board of the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists and on the local council of the Screen Actors Guild. Rena performed in Pat Gabridge’s ten minute plays, Insomnia, and Den of Iniquity as part of two Boston Theater Marathons here at Boston Playwrights' Theatre, and has had the privilege of participating in staged readings of several of Pat’s plays, including Blinders. Rena recently played the role of Colleen Hughes in the TV movie Oilstorm, which will air later this year on FX.She is happy to be playing a role in producing the premiere of this timely piece of political theater. Her website is www.renabaskin.com
Stephen Cooper (Stack Thompson) makes his debut with the Out of the Blue Theater Company, although he was delighted to work with Melissa Wentworth, Karen Woodward Massey and others in a staged reading for BU’s graduate playwrights’ program in 2003. Other appearances on this stage include as a maniacal Hollywood television producer in Theresa Rebeck’s dark comedy The Family of Mann, produced by the Wellesley Summer Theatre (where he is a member of the company), as well as in numerous Boston Theatre Marathon offerings. Most recent roles include Nick Flanagan (The Guys), Jim Curran (The Weir), Ford Madox Ford (After Mrs. Rochester), and as the lead in a radio play, Alice Dunbar Nelson’s The Stones of the Village, produced for NPR by the Public Media Foundation. This summer, in Marblehead, he will play Toad in the Mugford Street Players’ production of Alan Bennett’s adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. Stephen was fortunate enough to study acting in Los Angeles with the late Susan Peretz, and he dedicates his work to her memory.
Joshua Feldman (Alex) has been a performer since he was seven. His first role, as a pirate in the Feldman family video, Pirates Arghh!, was highly praised by his grandmother. By Junior High he had begun doing spectacle oriented performance art, in the form of drag shows in his public school. At the age of sixteen Josh directed and co-wrote his first show Voices from the Underground. Josh received a BFA from Emerson College in 2003. At Emerson he did a variety of performance including puppet theatre with Doctor John Bell. His first solo performance show, Red Dust, was preformed at Mobius in 2003. In 2004 Josh was in the original cast of Blowing on Embers and played the leading man in the soon to be released film, Part I. Josh freelances at the A.R.T and is a founding member of the Order of the Artists, a multimedia ritualistic performance group. He is honored to be working with such a talented, funny and hardworking group of people.
Alisha Jansky (Chorus) is very excited to be working with Out of the Blue Theater Company again having played Julia (opposite Karen Woodward Massey’s Silvia) in Two Gentleman Of Verona, and to be on stage once again at the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre having performed in their amazing Boston Theater Marathons, numerous staged readings, and as Lila in the premier of Humpin’ Glory Bay and Hilda in the premier of The Silver Coast. Other local theatre companies she has performed with include: Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lyric West, Worcester Forum Theatre, SpeakEasy Stage, Raven Theatrical, Centastage, The Publick Theatre, and Delvena Theatre Company. Some of her favorite roles include Berdine in Psycho Beach Party, Hypatia in Misalliance, Carol in Orpheus Descending, Honey in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Elma in Bus Stop, Marta Towers in Red Scare On Sunset, and Lydia Languish in The Rivals. Alisha has been enjoying working as a voice over narrator for projects at WGBH, Harvard, and B.U. She recently did two short films: The Tinman and Bloodsugar (in which she co-starred with Karen Woodward Massey as a pair of murderous femme fatales). Alisha is a graduate of Emerson College's acting program, and she continues to study with Karen Shepard (to whom she is eternally grateful!). Her love and thanks to Michael Barrett.
 Maureen Keiller (chorus) is happy to be working with such a fine (and fun!) group of people. She has performed with many Boston theatre companies, including Boston Theatre Works, the Huntington Theatre, Wheelock Family Theatre, Lyric Stage of Boston, Lyric West, Speakeasy Stage and Raven Theatrical. She was nominated for in 1998 for a best supporting actress IRNE for her work in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Wasted Talent Theatre Company) and later won the 2002 IRNE for Frankie and Johnny in the Clare de Lune (Lyric West) and The Wild Party (Speakeasy Stage). Maureen can be seen in the PBS series They Made America as a bra model for the creator of Maidenform (ooh la la). She has been in many local and national commercials and industrial films. Her voice can be heard as the evil Lady Elizabeth on Thief 3-Deadly Shadows (an X-Box game, which makes her way cool with the nephew.) Maureen can be seen in the spring as Viv Belnap in the Farrelly Brothers/20th Century Fox film, Fever Pitch, starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. Maureen wishes to thank Pat Gabridge and all the gang at Rhombus for creating such wonderful work and Karen for her boundless enthusiasm. And of course, Patrick, Bonnie and Wilbur, who are everything.
 
 Karen Woodward Massey (Karen Sayer) is completely gaga with joy to have the honor to hone her skills with such a phenomenal group of people. She idolizes Melissa and Pat and hopes someday to aspire to half the level of proficiency, experience and creativity they already possess. After founding Out of the Blue Theater Company with Melissa Wentworth and being involved as actor, producer, and (once) director for four seasons, she went on to act in a few other places (such as Underground Railway Theater, Worcester Foothills Theater, the Lyric Stage, the Publick Theater, the Sugan Theater Company, Boston Theater Works and Merrimack Repertory Theater). She is a proud member of StageSource, Actors Equity Association, the Screen Actor's Guild (Boston Vice President), and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. To support her theater addiction, Karen does frequent on-camera and voiceover work—latest projects include a McDonald’s radio commercial and the two short films The Tinman and Bloodsugar. Her “right" brain also keeps busy helping astronomers get and spend grant funding at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Occasionally she can also be found working as an associate producer or sound guy with Rob Massey at Pulse Media—or just giving Rob a hard time. Latest updates on her life and work can always be found at www.karenwoodward.com
 
 Joseph Zamparelli, Jr, (Chris) is a professional actor, director and producer. A graduate of Boston College (Psychology/Theater Arts) he went on to the professional training program at Circle in the Square Theater School in NYC. He is Producing/Artistic Director of BostonAlive, soon to be presenting living history land and sea tours of downtown Boston and is co-founder of Daas Theatricals which is currently producing Barrymore, William Luce's play on the life of John Barrymore. In addition to commercial film and television work he is co-directing, with Teja Arboleda, and acting in Imperfectly for Entertaining Diversity Films and co-stars in the just released award-winning animated short Unspoken for T-Time Productions, headed by Academy Award© winning animator Temah Nelson. Mr. Zamparelli is currently directing a selection of scenes from the works of Eugene O'Neill for the Delvena Theater Co., as "edutainment" for mental health professionals. He has performed with the Huntington Theater Co., Vineyard Playhouse Theater Co., Súgán Theater, Boston Theater Works, N.E. Aquarium, and is a regular performer with The Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air. Mr. Zamparelli has collaborated with OOTB before, most recently in Playwright Gabridge's Den of Iniquity and is very happy to be back again with this talented ensemble. He is also a registered Libertarian. www.zamparelli.net
Patrick Gabridge (Playwright) has worked in the Boston area with Out of the Blue Theater Company (Insomnia and Den of Iniquity in the Boston Theater Marathon), CentaStage (Xmas Files and a workshop of Hearing Voices), Arlington Friends of the Drama, Devanaughn Theatre, South City Theatre, Hit & Run Theatre, the Herring Run Arts Festival, and the Rough and Tumble Theatre (a workshop of God’s Voice).  His play, Pieces of Whitey, a comedy about well-meaning white people, will be produced in June at the Boston Center for the Arts by the Rough and Tumble Theater Company.  His novel, Tornado Siren, will be published this fall by Behler Publications.  He co-founded the Rhombus writers’ group in 2003.  Awards include first place in the Festival of Emerging American Theatre, the New American Theatre Festival, and the Market House Theatre One-Act Play Award.  His plays are published by Brooklyn Publishers, Smith & Kraus, and Volcano Quarterly.  He is a member of the Dramatists Guild. His website can be found at www.gabridge.com.
Melissa J. Wentworth (Director and Dramaturge) received her MFA in Directing from Brooklyn College before founding Out of the Blue Theater Company (OOTB) with Karen Woodward Massey in 1992. She is a union member of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. She has directed the gamut from Greek tragedy to childrens’ shows and loves it all. Working with local playwrights on the development and production of new plays is an interest.  Premiers directed by Melissa have appeared at the BCA, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, the Summerville Summer Theatre Project, The Mid-Town Manhattan Festival and the NYC Fringe Festival.  Her direction often appears in the Boston Theater Marathon. An avid outdoors and backwoods woman, Melissa’s recent and exciting personal exploration is learning to lead a dog sled team. In her other life, Melissa is owner of Repose Massage Therapy and Acupuncture Center in Boston.
Pat Burke (Sound Design) has worked as an engineer, technical director, and operations manager in major markets including Boston, New York and Los Angeles. In addition to his technical training, Pat also enjoys being in the production environment, having worked on many corporate events, large and small, and also on spot news. Pat has engineered and built television and audio facilities from small project studios and edit rooms to large production facilities. As a performing musician, Pat enjoys making music and working with other talented singers and songwriters in his own home project recording studio.
Paula Dion (Makeup) is a licensed makeup artist and hairstylist who has been working in the commercial, advertising, beauty, and fashion industry since 1988. Paula is a location stylist currently working in Boston and New York with advertising and modeling agencies, photographers, video/film production houses, and theatre. Paula offers makeup and hair services for on-site brides and wedding parties, special occasions and public appearances. Paula's website is www.dionstyles.com.
Michael Filisky (Press Director) has been a director, stage manager, actor, mime, performance artist, fool, production manager, and a teacher of mime and theatre movement in New York, New England, several sites in the Midwest, Amsterdam and Rotterdam (Netherlands), and on national tours of colleges and schools. Since 1981 he has worked in science education as a museum educator, researcher, teacher educator, science writer, and author of children’s books. During that time he has also organized symposia on Art and Science (“Parallels in Creativity”), on Science and Journalism (“Covering Controversies in Science”), and has directed staged readings of plays about science.
Jeanne MacLeman (Projection Designer) graduated from Endicott College with a BS in Radio/TV/Film Production and Graphic/Web Design. She works as a help desk technician at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics during the day and an freelance graphic designer at night. Jeanne has completed many posters for rock bands and theatrical productions in the Boston/Cambridge area. When Jeanne is not being graphically creative, she enjoys watching movies, dancing, exploring the city, and supporting the local music scene. Jeanne is thrilled to be collaborating with such talented people and hopes that her work on Blinders will be the first of many projects of this nature. Examples of her other work can be found at lunaticflyer.diaryland.com
Rob Massey (Technical Advisor) is president and director of photography at Pulse Media in Watertown. He has been a major player in Boston television production for over twenty years, earning Pulse a solid nationwide reputation. His diverse credits include CNN, ABC News, MTV Networks, NBC News & Sports, extensive corporate work, and the national program Real Stories of the Highway Patrol. Rob prides himself on his creativity, and flexibility. He is a member of MMA-I, NABET and IBEW. He is a proud daddy to Seamus Finnegan (the Blinders Feline Mascot) also enjoys giving Karen a hard time whenever she lets him.
Celeste McClain (Stage Manager) is an actor, but is currently asking herself “what was I thinking?”. She is nonetheless relishing the power she wields as stage manager over her thespian charges (who, thankfully, are her friends, and who patiently indulge her fantasies of world stage domination). Her regional acting credits include Lucky Stiff, at Worcester Foothills Theatre; Pygmalion at the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Man of La Mancha and A Christmas Carol at Stoneham Theatre, Dear Nel in the 2003 Boston Theatre Marathon, and work for American Stage Festival, the Sugan Theatre Company, Centastage, Worcester Forum, and in Newburyport’s Firehouse Theatre and Harbor Theatre Festival. She has also worked on numerous commercials and voiceovers. Love and gratitude to the entire Blinders cast and crew, John, Sasha, and Tzeitl.
John McClain (Assistant Stage Manager/Light & Sound Op) has been trying to heed the advice of his acting coach to “go into a dark place.” How convenient that Blinders provided the opportunity to do just that by having him run light and sound from a cramped, dark, corner of the theater. Not sure if it’s what Kate Caffery had in mind, but it’ll have to do in the short term. John has appeared in roles with Theater Co-op, the Nora Theater (with the greatly missed Women on Top Festival), and various commercials and educational venues. Favorite roles include Moon Mannering in Middle Age White Guys, and Chris in All my Sons. Behind the scenes, he’s done stage design, sound, and lights for Longy School of Music opera productions, as well as Equity Actors’ Showcases. He’s married to the delightful and talented Celeste (the Stage Manger - all charges of nepotism are totally justified). They live in Quincy at the beck and call of two very demanding Maine Coon cats who grudgingly allow them to live there in exchange for food, treats, and the foot of the bed.
Tony Kudner (Lighting Designer) is a first year M.F.A. Candidate in Lighting Design at Boston University. He was the Lighting Designer for Matter Familias at Boston Playwrights’ earlier this year. Other credits include Measure for Measure at Boston University, Assistant Designer to Frances Aronson for Sonia Flew at the Huntington Theater Company, Assistant Designer to Steve Ross for I Puritani at the Palm Beach Opera, and Designer for Sweet Charity and Translations at Syracuse University. Prior to coming to Boston University, Tony worked for two years as the Lead Rigger and Fly Control Operator for the National Tour of Disney on Ice.
Loann West (Set, Costume, & Prop Design) is a current Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) nominee for her costumes in Zeitgeist Stage's production of Far Away. She has also designed for EssayonsTheatre Company, TheatreCoop, TheatreZone and Centastage. As an actress she was in Delvena Theater Company's critically acclaimed production of Piece of My Heart and played a computer virus for Essayons. She is currently rehearsing scenes from Eugene O'Neill with Lynne Moulton of Delvena under the amazing direction of Joseph Zamparelli. Oddly enough that connection had nothing to do with her getting this gig. She is excited to be working with Melissa Wentworth and Karen Woodward Massey and all of the great cast and crew here at OOTB, and she wants to thank Pat Gabridge for writing such a funny play. She especially admires his non-partisan treatment (read "criticizing everyone") of this timely subject, but more his ability to write realistic and moving characters in the midst of the satire. Thanks and love, always, to Nick.
"Fair is whatever God wants to do" --Leif Enger, Peace Like a River