Picasso at the Lapin Agile

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Director's Note

Years ago, as a young actor, I got involved with brooklynONE by way of an invite to play a small role in a play in their first ever one act festival "A Playwrite Grows in Brooklyn." This invitation came by way of my association with BKONE co-founder, Tom Kane. Words cannot express how honored I am to be directing the first full play in BKONE's new home, "The Tom Kane Theater." Having worked with Anthony many times since then, my role had unknowingly transformed into helping keep one of Tom's key ideas in mind, that while original works are the lifeblood of brooklyONE, there is still new creativity to be found in previously established works. After co-directing "Godspell" in an actual working church, I knew that, while working within the company's mission of keeping things unconventional, there was a way to help push the limits of what a "book show" at BKOne could be. So clearly, when Anthony approached me to take on the role of "Director of Theatrical Productions" and to kick that off with a production of Picasso (a show that we've both dreamed of working on over the years) the answer was yes.

From a young age, my comedic muse has always been Steve Martin (my confirmation name would prove that) so when I heard, years ago, that he had written a play, I knew that I had to see what sort of uproarious genius it contained. To my surprise, at first glance, it wasn't all that funny at all. It was creative and smart of course, but not at all what I would have expected from the same man who wrote the line "somebody hates these cans!" But as time went on, I found that I always went back to Picasso, something about it stuck with me. Something told me that there was more than meets the eye and I hope that this production will show that to you as well. This show is profound and thoughtful and smart and most of all, hilarious, if you're willing to listen. 

That said, this was not an easy road. Four weeks to put together a show like this is almost laughable so I HAVE to say a few quick thanks. To Anthony and BkOne of course, but you know that, his name is on the bill. To my wife Danielle who pushed me to think further and designed our set. A set that is as imaginative and unique as the show itself. To Bruno, Dana, Tony and Frank who provided us with that set by taking their time to help out a friend. To our friends at The Rockaway Theatre Company who truly put the "community" in "community theater." And most importantly to my cast (and Zoe!) who did something that I honestly thought might be unachievable. They brought this show to life and drew out every level of comedy and profoundness in a wildly short amount of time. 

A director's note is supposed to inform you upon my vision of what this show is supposed to be.. I used mine to thank people. That's not mistake. All of the people I just named, and more, have put their time and effort into making this show possible so that you might have the opportunity to decide for YOURSELF what it's supposed to be.

Open your eyes, open your ears and open your mind.

-John

Cast

Creative Team

Meet the Company

Sean Dorso

Freddy

Sean is a lover of the arts and an experienced actor who has performed in multiple productions at St. Joseph’s University Brooklyn including Twelfth Night, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Little Shop of Horrors. After a 12 year hiatus, he’s very excited to be back on stage in his first show with BrooklynOne Productions. Sean would like to give a special thank you to his wife Maddie(thank you for always being my biggest fan), family, friends, fellow cast members and especially John Panepinto for the incredible opportunity to bring acting back into his life.

Jose Velez

Gaston

This is Jose‘s first appearance in a brooklynOne production and he’s very excited about it! Jose has also appeared with the Rockaway Theater Company in various roles including George Wilson in “The Great Gatsby”, Chief Bromden in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, Big Jule in “Guys and Dolls” and Wally Womper in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”, as well as ensemble roles in “Damn Yankees”, “Annie Get Your Gun”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way To the Forum”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat”, “Rumors”, “The Producers”, and “Newsies”.

Helora Danna

Germaine

Helora is so excited and honored to be in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, this is her first show with brooklynONE, and before this she has appeared off-broadway in A Christmas Carol, and Sleepy Hollow the musical. Other work includes The Baker’s Wife in Into the woods, Margot in Legally Blonde, and Chris in Carrie the musical. Much love to all her friends and family, her Loving husband and also her fluffy dog.

Brendan Catan

Albert Einstein

Brendan is an actor from Portland, OR, that has lived in New York for 6 years. He attended acting school at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, and is currently represented under CPM Management. Brendan has appeared in multiple award-winning shorts, such as Mr. Peterson and Here She Goes. He has also performed many Shakespeare characters, his most recent as Romeo in BkOne’s production of Romeo & Juliet last year. He is thrilled and honored to work with the BkOne team again.

Courtney Sanello

Suzanne/Countess/Female Admirer

Courtney is a multi-faceted performer and Meisner Technique William Esper Graduate from New York City. She is the 2023 recipient of the Women in Film Award, having her directorial debut, First Refusal, premiering at the Shawna Shea Film Festival on September 23, 2023. www.courtneysanello.com @courtneysanello @firstrefusal

Victor Gorlach

Sagot

Victor is ecstatic to debut his french accent and first play on the BkOne stage. He’s played Bernarda in a Brazilian production of Garcia Lorca’s “The House of Bernarda Alba” and Hovstad in Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People”, staged in Rio de Janeiro. Now he’s your household name in the early twentieth century parisian art scene. Grab a drink, light your (imaginary) cigarette and sit with us as we witness a wonderfully involving evening.

Gabe Calleja

Pablo Picasso

Gabe is overjoyed to be making his debut with brooklynONE productions while paying homage to an artistic visionary and one of his cultural icons. A New York City native, Gabe attended Bucknell University where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering, but don’t let that fool you.While there, he spent most of his time on the stage starring in shows such as The Lovesong of J. Robert Oppenheimer (J. Robert Oppenheimer), Black Comedy (Brindsley), and Radium Girls (Arthur). Unable to resist the call to a life on stage, Gabe moved back home where he began pursuing acting full time. His most recent New York stage credits include R.U.R. (Domin), Anne Frank Lives (Peter/Frank), and Buscando a Copi (Didier), where he had his theater debut in Spanish and won the Fuerzafest award for best supporting actor.

Steven Fazzolari

Charles Dabernow Schmendiman

Steven is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz with a BA in Theater Arts with a concentration in Performance. The first show that he did in High School happened to be this same show where he played Albert Einstein and fell in love with the material from that moment. He’s very happy to be back with BrooklynOne Productions and trying out a new perspective of this show as Schmendiman. Steven looks forward to pursuing his lifelong dream of performing and sharing his talents across many different mediums. A big shout out to John and the cast for one heck of a run, and of course to brooklynONE and Industry city for this opportunity to perform!

Paul Ingrisano

The Visitor

This is Paul’s first show with brooklynONE. When he is not acting he enjoys painting and making art. Paul's previous performances include Dr Jekyll in "Jekyll and Hyde", Bernardo in "West Side Story", Danny Zuko in "Grease" and most recently, Big Julie in The Heights Players production of "Guys and Dolls."

John Paul Panepinto

Director

A long time staple in the illustrious "Brooklyn Theater World", John has had the pleasure of performing and directing with almost every production company across Brooklyn and Queens. Most prominent performance productions include "Les Miserables", "Urinetown", "How to Succeed in Business...", "Nunsense: Amen", "The Producers", "Guys and Dolls" and most recently "Cabaret" at the Rockaway Theatre Company. He also has been on the directorial team for such shows as "Harspray", "Godspell", "The Great Gatsby", "Honeymoon in Vegas" and "What the Rabbi Saw." He is thrilled to be back working with long time collaborator, brooklynONE and can't want to see whats next in their partnership. Big time thanks to the cast, the crew and as always his family, friends and his two best girls, who he can't wait to come home to every day, Danielle and Daisy!

Zoe Gilfix

Stage Manager

Zoe is thrilled to be working on Picasso at the Lapin Agile with brooklynONE. Though it's her first time working with bkONE, Zoe wears many hats over at The Rockaway Theatre Company and has worked as a stage manager on such productions as Regrets Only, and James and the Giant Peach. She also records and edits many of the RTC video productions including: Regrets Only, Cabaret, Raise Your Voice, Mostly Motown by The Rhapsody Players, and A Few Good Men. She loves working in theater and film both on and off stage and will be the stage manager for two upcoming productions: Shakespeare at the Beach: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and RTC’s The Miracle Worker.

Danielle Rose Fisher

Set/Graphic Design

Danielle is so excited to be a part of BK1's first production at Industry City! As one of the leading "behind the scenes" crew members at community theaters throughout Brooklyn and Queens, Danielle can often be found painting sets and creating projections for various productions. By day, she is a NYC based illustrator & experience designer who creates things that are beautiful, useful, and above all, meaningful. www.daniellerosefisher.com

Anthony Marino

Producer

Started working in the arts at a young age, Anthony graduated with his degree in Theatre performance from Wagner College in 2004. He has worked with many Brooklyn theatre companies over the last 30 years. In 2006, Anthony founded brooklynONE productions with friend Tom Kane, and since then has produced countless shows, movies, events and more. With brooklynONE, he has continued to act as well, in their annual ONE/act Festivals, Nunsense A-Men, and original comedy The Heavens of Hell, as well as other countless performances. In 2009 the company expanded into film producing the feature length film The Way it Went Down, which Anthony also starred. Anthony is an original member of the singing group The Rhapsody Players, and organization that performers Hits from the 50’s – 80’s. When not working with bkONE, Anthony is a proud actor & member of the NYC based punk rock theatre collective Dialogue with Three Chords. Anthony also produces and enjoys hosting podcasts with Cultural Compulsive Disorder. Anthony began producing and directing an annual Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival with bkONE starting in 2013 in Brooklyn. Anthony taught theatre in NYC public schools for nearly a decade before moving on to his career in Real Estate. In 2022, Anthony returned to producing educational theatre, and has directed shows in schools across the South Brooklyn area.

Multimedia

PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE Comes To Brooklyn in July

brooklynONE productions has announced their highly anticipated upcoming theatrical production of "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" by Steve Martin. The play promises to be an unforgettable experience that merges art, science, and comedy in a delightful and thought-provoking way. This production is the first to play at bkONE's new the Tom Kane Theatre, located at Industry City. Named in honor of the bkONE co-founder who passed in 2011.

"Picasso at the Lapin Agile" is an imaginative and humorous exploration of a fictional meeting between two of the greatest minds of the 20th century - the renowned artist Pablo Picasso and the brilliant physicist Albert Einstein. Set in the legendary Parisian bar, Lapin Agile, the play delves into the parallels of creativity, genius, and the evolving world around them. Steve Martin's clever dialogue and inventive storytelling bring these historical figures to life in a manner that is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating.

Under the artistic direction of bkONE's co-founder, Anthony Marino, the company is known for its commitment to producing innovative and thought-provoking works. "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" aligns perfectly with the company's vision of presenting unique and engaging productions that challenge and inspire audiences.

"Steve Martin's 'Picasso at the Lapin Agile' is a show we have had on our radar for the longest time," said Anthony Marino. "It made sense to kick off The Tom Kane Theatre with a show he and I always wanted to do"

The show is directed by bkONE Productions Director, John Paul Panepinto. "Directing Picasso at the Lapin Agile for brooklynONE productions presented an opportunity to meld creativity, intellect, and comedy by bringing the words of a personal hero, Steve Martin, to life on stage," said director Panepinto. "We crafted a captivating tapestry that celebrates the power of artistic expression and the beauty of human connection."

The production stars Sean Dorso, Jose Velez, Helora Danna, Brendan Catan, Courtney Sanello, Victor Gorlach, Gabe Calleja, Steven Fazzolari and Paul Ingrisano. Production Stage Manager Zoe Gilfix.

brooklynONE productions presentation of "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" will run July 7,8, 14,15 at 8pm and 9 and 16 at 3pm at bkONE's Tom Kane theatre. Industry City 51 35th Street Building 5 Brooklyn NY 11232. The theatre's intimate setting will create an immersive experience for the audience, allowing them to feel a deeper connection to the characters and the world they inhabit.

Tickets for this much-anticipated production are available now at www.bkONE.org. Given the high demand and limited seating capacity, theatergoers are encouraged to secure their tickets early to guarantee their seats.

brooklynONE productions (bkONE) was established in 2006 as a haven for emerging artists. Based in the heart of Brooklyn, the company cultivates innovative & experimental performances of both original and established works. They maintain a strong relationship with the arts in their community and are committed to the continued expansion and creation of opportunities for artists across the New York City area. bkONE focuses on theatre, film, music, mixed media projects and more. brooklynONE productions was founded by Anthony Marino & Tom Kane.

Special Thanks

Albert Cohen

Anthony Homsey

Frank Caiati

Dana DiAngelo

Bruno Silva

The Rockaway Theatre Company

Susan Jasper

Adele Wendt

Ashley Chico

Billy Ulrich

Materials For the Arts

Frying Pan Brooklyn

Industry City

Nicole Ferguson-Rodriguez

Rob Martin

Caitlin McMullen

Eamon McMullen

Vinny Iannelli

Stephen Gracia