TAKING SIDES CAST
JAMES SHARPE* (Major Steve Arnold) - recent television and film credits include: COLD CASE, THE UNIT and KIDS IN AMERICA. He began his career on Madison Avenue in NYC, in advertising, and has served in senior-level marketing positions with two major telecom companies; he has also served in the US Navy and US Army Reserve.
BENTON JENNINGS*(Wilhelm Furtwångler) - Previously seen in SkyPilot's REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT originally as "Doc" then stepped into the Lead Role of "Maish Resnick"...with barely 5 days notice and 70 pages of dialog to learn. First performed with SkyPilot in HELLCAB. Other theatre nationally and internationally of over 100 roles includes Shakespeare, Sketch Comedy, Musicals, National Tours, Theater for Young Audiences, Burlesque, Camp Comedy, High Comedy, Comedia de l'art, High Drama, Melodrama, and over 6000 Comedy Gunfight Shows.
Feature film principal roles include IN HER SHOES opposite Cameron Diaz, MR. & MRS. SMITH opposite Brad & Angie, SAN SABA opposite Angus Macfayden, LAST OF THE MOHICANS, WINNING LONDON with the Olsen Twins, and lead roles in indies HOW HENRI CAME TO STAY with Rick Warden (HBO's "Rome"), HIGHWAY TO HELL, and MACON COUNTY WAR with Dan Haggerty.
TV roles include HEARTLAND opposite Kari Matchett, SCRUBS, DEXTER, WITHOUT A TRACE, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, STRONG MEDICINE, CHARMED, JAG, DREW CAREY, ARLI$$, FAMILY LAW, PROFILER, sketches on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE, numerous commercials, and in an odd analogy to this production of TAKING SIDES on NBC's PASSIONS portrayed Adolf Hitler.
Training includes London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art, BFA-Theatre from TCU, AFI, Film Actors Lab, and voice-over with Bob Bergen (the voice of Porky Pig!).
Represented by Hervey-Grimes Talent Agency.
Infamous trivia: his Dad appeared in the 1966 cult film favorite MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE. Benton dedicates this performance to his late father William Bryan Jennings: amateur actor and opera singer, attorney, and WW2 US Navy aviator.
Benton is a proud member of Actor's Equity, SAG, and AFTRA.
For more inormation and photos please visit www.bentonjennings.com and also look Benton up on www.imdb.com
ENCI (Emmi Straube) was born and raised in Hungary and graduated High School in Germany. She traveled extensively through Europe before moving to the United States. Enci has worked in New York and Los Angeles, appearing in print campaigns, in commercials, on stage, and in films. She is serving on the Board of Directors for Women In Theatre and on the SAG Conservatory Committee. Enci is car-free and a bicycle activist and she promotes Art, Culture, and Lifestyle in L.A. (www.illuminateLA.com.) To view Enci's reel, photos, and credits, go to www.imdb.com or visit her website www.EnciPerforms.com.
BRIAN LENNON (Lieutenant David Wills) graduated from Sarah Lawrence College 7 years ago. He spent a year in New York, performing in plays and as a Stand-Up Comedian at The Comedy Cellar, Gotham Comedy Club and Stand-Up New York, among others. He has appeared in numerous plays around LA and had several produced as a writer and director. Brian has appeared on the Soap Opera PASSIONS and in CSI NEW YORK. His production company will produce a feature film in January 2008, with Brian as writer and director. He is grateful to be a part of a production that deals with musicians and subject matter so close to his heart.
ERIC JOHNSON* (Helmut Rode) - A Chicago native, Eric Johnson has performed at theaters around the country, including Steppenwolf, Laguna Playhouse, and the Williamstown Theater Festival. In 2001, he received Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Citation for Supporting Actor for his work in Lebensraum at Trap Door Theater. He recently appeared as Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night at Lodestone Theater, and then as Templeton the Rat in Charlotte's Web at Mainstreet Theater Company. Last Christmas, he directed Skypilot's critically-acclaimed production of Hellcab. He also produced and acted in the short film Exit, Clowny!, which premiered at the LA International Short Film Festival in 2005.
ROB TEPPER (Lieutenant David Wills)
BONNIE LEIGH (Tamara Sachs) has been acting on the stage for almost twenty years in the great classics from Shakespeare to Williams as well as brilliant new works from Romulus Linney to Mac Wellman, first in Philadelphia, then the Big Apple, and now Los Angeles. She is elated to get back to it after a long hiatus with two excellent projects, first, Goneril in KING LEAR at the Strasberg Institute and now her role in SkyPilot’s production of another great play, TAKING SIDES. She is a proud lifetime member of the Actors Studio and an even prouder mother of her amazing son, Max.
PATRICK GWALTNEY (Helmut Rode) is appearing for the first time at SkyPilot. He is an Actor, Director, and founding board member of STAGEStheatre, Orange County’s longest running storefront theater. He has been nominated twice for best actor, three times for direction, and has been awarded twice for best ensemble by the OC Weekly. Some of his most memorable roles include Lee in Sam Sheppard’s True West, Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing, Torvald in A Dolls House, and Charlie Fox in David Mammet’s Speed the Plow. He is also a member of LTG in Geneva, Switzerland. LTG is an English-speaking theater company founded, almost a century ago, by George Bernard Shaw. While at LTG, Patrick directed and played the title role in Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Currently, Patrick is developing a TV series, based on Joel Beers’s award winning play RUBE, about Baseball’s unexplainable phenomenon Rube Waddell. Patrick is glad to be working again with Mike and Danuta, old friends and progressive artists.
CREW
MICHAEL BRAINARD (Director) is an actor and furniture maker. Occasionally, when these two worlds collide, Michael will design and/or build theater and film sets. His set work includes: The Laurelgrove Theater company (’Witness‘, “Necropolis”, And “Choice Words“) The Wooden Leg Theater Company (“He Who Gets Slapped”), Stages Theater of Fullerton (“A Murder Of Crows”, by Michael Brainard), among others. His most recent set design was for Friends and Artists at The Sidewalk Studio Theater, “The White Whore And The Bit Player.“ As an actor, Michael is best known for his roles on “All My Children” and “Santa Barbara,” and is currently a cast member of “American Heiress,“ Wednesday nights on MyNetworkTV. Michael also writes and has had two of his plays produced by Stages Theater of Fullerton. Michael wishes to thank Danuta Tomzynski for her beautiful insight and design.
CHARMAINE COLVIN* (Stage Manager) - a San Francisco transplant, has been Stage Managing for over 14 years. She has worked for TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, and 42nd Street Moon, among others. After a brief hiatus, where she spent her time traveling and getting caught up on life (and sleep), she returned to the theatre one year ago with Sky Pilot's production of Hellcab. She was quickly sucked into the whirling vortex of local theatre. She also works in the film industry time and dabbles in voice over as well. She sends a shout out to Gimp and The Nut.
FABIOLA LEDESMA (Custume Designer) studied History of Costume at Brooks College in Long Beach, CA. years ago and decided to follow her dreams and passion in costuming. While attending P.C.C and graduating this December with an A.A. in fashion, Fabiola would like to thank TAKING SIDES for giving her the opportunity to do what she does best - wardrobe styling.
* Members of Actors Equity Association