WENDELL & THE LEMON
Who's Who
LAWRENCE KRAUSER (writer/director) is author of the novel LEMON, the first novel published by McSweeney's Books and the basis for this film. (A compulsive doodler, he hand-illustrated the first 11,000 book jackets for the first U.S. and Dutch editions.) He also wrote the novels THE DAY IN QUESTION and the upcoming BLOCKHEAD, the found poetry collection THE JOY OF GOOGLE, and many plays. Lawrence wrote and directed and scored the experimental feature film HORRIBLE CHILD (starring Paul Willis, who plays Bill in Wendell and the Lemon, along with Mike Daisey and T. Ryder Smith. Recommended.) He appears as Brother James in Josh Wick's mumblecore masterpiece FRANCIS OF BROOKLYN, earns his keep as a copyeditor of Random House books, and lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Larissa Tokmakova (editor of Wendell and the Lemon), mother-in-law, and four-year-old triplets.
JOSH WICK (producer) is an independent filmmaker from Brooklyn, NY. His feature film work includes: SPYDR (2015), as producer, writer and director; OUT OF MY HAND (2014), as associate producer; FRANCIS OF BROOKLYN (2012), as producer, writer and director; THE ASSASSIN (2007), as producer and co-writer. Mr. Wick was a lead performer in Nameinuse Productions’ WHITE CREEK (2013) and ORPHANED (2012). In addition, Mr. Wick is lead performer on the shorts K and HOLE IN THE SKY and producer of, and performer in, the shorts PSYCH-O-CYSTS and MESHUGGENEH. In 2007 and 2008 Mr. Wick created the media and live video mix for the off-off Broadway documentary theatre production, A PARANOID’S GUIDE TO HISTORY. Mr. Wick is a founding member of the Spectacle Theater film collective in Brooklyn, NY. More information about his work can be found at imperfectfilms.com.
LARISSA TOKMAKOVA (editor/"Michelle 2) grew up and studied painting in Russia and moved to New York in 1991. Her work has been exhibited at Chateau de la Napoule, Columbia University, Deloitte-Touche, Sao Paulo's Secreteria de Turismo i Cultura, Kunstcentrum Sitard, NYBD Budapest, and many other places. She recently had 29 paintings on view in the lobby of The Public Theater in New York – a Tarot-based series commissioned for the month-long Mike Daisey monologue ALL THE FACES OF THE MOON. She has taught painting at Ateliers Fourwinds (France), the Hebei Academy (China), and is a faculty member of the St. Ann’s School in Brooklyn. Last winter Larissa appeared onstage in PS122's production of Kristen Kosmas's THERE, THERE, directed by Paul Willis, which was revived last January at On The Boards in Seattle. Editor of the previous feature film HORRIBLE CHILD, she lives and paints in Bushwick. Her work can be viewed online at www.tokmakova.com.
GIOVANNI FERLITO (DP) I am a freelance Cinematographer and Photographer based in New York City. Born in Munich, Germany from Italian parents, and raised between Munich and Sicily, I soon felt a need for exploring and the curiosity to see what the rest of the world would be like. When I turned eighteen I started traveling and spent the next five years between Germany, England, New York, Brazil, and Australia. Art expression has always been a vital part of my life. For the past few years I have been following my passion as a career and It has taken me on a beautiful journey where I had a chance to meet and work with some great people. I have filmed, directed and edited short films, documentaries, music videos, fashion videos, and more.
MATT PERRY THOMAS (LOCATION SOUND)
TODD D'AMOUR (Wendell) is from New Orleans and went to school at Syracuse University (B.A. Psych) and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. NYC credits: NEW ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGO (The Talking Band), DON CRISTOBAL BILLY CLUB MAN (HERE), THE VERGE (PL115/Ontological), THE CONFIDENCE MAN (Woodshed Collective), ETHER STEEDS (Fringe; Best Ensemble); PRETTY THEFT (FLUX); SPAIN (The Bridge); Matt in WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HATE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS at Theatre Row (4 Chairs), Camillo in THE CENCI at The Ohio Theatre (Hotel Savante/Watermill Cntr), Damien in Syphon in THE AUSTRALIA PROJECT (ChaShama), Orpheus in ORPHEUS and EURYDICE (ChaShama), Jake in LIE OF THE MIND at MTS, Sonny in RUS at HERE, Heracles in WOMEN OF TRACHIS at The Ohio (Target Margin), Stanley in STANLEY at HERE (dir. Lisa D’Amour), Colin Clement in RED TIDE BLOOMING at PS122 (dir. Taylor Mac), Kebob in LENIN’S SHOE at The Lark, Bill in MAJOR BARBARA (Two-Headed Calf – Company won OBIE), Fez in THE WORLD (Gale Gates, Whitney Altria), Mr. Interviewer in NITA AND ZITA at HERE (Play won OBIE). Regional credits include: Stanley in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (SMT), The Man in A PERFECT GANESH (NET), Charlie Chaplin in SILENT LIVES (NET), and the Southern Rep Theatre's productions of VENUS IN FURS and DETROIT; he will also be appearing in Theatreworks production of DETROIT opening this winter in Colorado Springs.
REBECCA HART (Michelle) is an actor and singer/songwriter based in New York. Film: Young Adult (Paramount). New York Theatre: The Civilians' The Great Immensity (Public Theater); Uncle Vanya (Target Margin); Son of a Gun (Theatre Row); Vendetta Chrome (Clubbed Thumb); Dead City (New Georges); STRUCK (New Ohio); Jazz Desert (original solo show, Culture Project); Love Sucks (NYMTF). Regional: O Guru Guru... (37th Humana Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville); A Devil at Noon (35th Humana Festival, Louisville); Son of a Gun (O'Neill Conference); How to Break (Spkrbox Festival, National Theatre of Oslo, Norway). As composer: If Colorado Had an Ocean (La Ma Ma); Uriel Acosta (Target Margin); The Civilians 'Let Me Ascertain You' (Joe's Pub); How To Break (NAMT Festival 2014 & NY Hip Hop Theatre Festival 2012 & Sprkbox Festival, Norway); STRUCK (New Ohio). Associated Artist, The Civilians. http://www.rebeccahart.net
JAY SMITH (CEO Fuller) is an actor based in New York City. Recent theater includes Christina Masciotti’s Vision Disturbance for New York City Players (directed by Richard Maxwell) in NYC, Boston, Italy, France and Croatia. Four world premieres of Richard Foreman’s Ontological-Hysteric plays in New York and Europe (Paradise Hotel; Now That Communism is Dead My Life Feels Empty; King Cowboy Rufus Rules the Universe; and The Gods Are Pounding My Head), Jay Gatsby in Elevator Repair Service’s Gatz work-in-progress, Richard Maxwell’s Showcase. Regional: The Foreigner at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Len Jenkin’s Limbo Tales for the Todd Mountain Theater Project. In New York Jay has also worked with Clubbed Thumb, The Talking Band, Anne Bogart, Kip Fagan and many others. Film includes Rania Ajami’s Asylum Seekers.
APRIL MATTHIS (Candice) is a performer originally from Texarkana, TX. Recent film includes Roxë15 and Blackcard. Ms. Matthis has worked extensively in the experimental downtown theater scene with such companies as Elevator Repair Service, Young Jean Lee, Rude Mechs, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, and The Magic Theatre. She has performed at the Museum of Modern Art, The Walker Art Center, The Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival, Lincoln Center Theater (LCT3), The Sundance Theatre Lab, The Humana Festival, and The Fischer Center for Performing Arts at Bard College. She currently resides in New York City.
PHILIP HAULTCOEUR (Scott)
DANTON STONE (Father) was cited by the Los Angeles "Scenie" Awards as one of the outstanding stage performers of the year in "Daytrader", at the Bootleg Theatre. Also recently in Yasmina Reza's "Art", on tour with Judd Hirsh. and in Lanford Wilson's "Talley's Folly", Richard Dresser's "The Pursuit Of Happiness", and on Broadway, and London's West End, in Steppenwolf Theatre Company's "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest", which won the Tony Award for Best Revival. On film he was in "Series Seven: The Contender", and "Once Around", and "Eight Men Out", by John Sayles. On T.V., he was on "The Sopranos", "thirtysomething", "My So-Called Life", "Roseanne", "Mercy", "ED", and "Oz", by Tom Fontana, as well as "Yesterday", an episode of "Law and Order: Criminal Intent," written by Teresa Reebeck.
ANNE O'SULLIVAN (Mother) celebrates 40 years as a professional working actor with performances on Broadway, off-Broadway and regionally in plays at The McCarter Theatre, Williamstown, Berkshire Theatre Festival, The Old Globe, Bay St. Theatre, Yale Rep, Hartford Stage, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, among others. Ms. O'Sullivan has had roles written for her by Jose Rivera, David Ives, James Still and Keith Alan Benjamin. Films include: 1937; Speed; and The Mirror Has Two Faces. On TV: guest roles on Law & Order (all three), Sex and The City, Third Watch, Cosby, ER, and as a featured regular on Models, Inc. She also plays Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst by William Luce. This winter she will be appearing weekly on Brodway in the one-woman show Becoming Dr. Ruth. Ms. O’Sullivan is a proud member of Actors Equity and SAG-AFTRA.
LIA APRILE (Sally) As an actress, Lia has performed at The Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, Playwright’s Horizons, Primary Stages, and SoHo Rep, among others. She has also performed regionally at: The Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Humana Festival of New American Plays, Geva Theatre Center, The Delaware Theatre Company, and Hartford Stage, also among others. She is currently writing and living in Los Angeles, where she has just finished post-production on a short film, “The All-Nighters,” created and produced with her real-life husband, Paul Willis.
PAUL WILLIS (Bill) is a stage and film director who recently directed the world premieres of Kristen Kosmas’s THERE THERE at PS122/Chocolate Factory in New York and On The Boards in Seattle and Sheila Callaghan’s LASCIVIOUS SOMETHING at Circle X Theatre in Los Angeles. Paul also directed Callaghan’s play CRAWL, FADE TO WHITE for 13p in NYC. Other recent NYC credits include ONE THING I LIKE TO SAY IS by Amy Fox for Clubbed Thumb, Aaron Landsman’s OPEN HOUSE with The Foundry (actor), Kristen Kosmas’s CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS with CSC as well as multiple workshops with SohoRep’s Writer/Director Lab, Culture Project, St. Ann’s Puppet Lab, and The New Group. Paul most recently completed work on the short film THE ALL-NIGHTERS, written by his wife, Lia Aprile.
MIAELA OPRIS (Apple Eater)
JOHN MOLINELLI (Detective Fiorito "Ray" DeBlase / police consultant and technical advisor)
YURI NAUMKIN (Officer "Dillic" Dzerzhinsky) A native of Moscow, Yuri was one of the best of the 1984 graduates of the Lunacharsky State University of Theater Arts (GITIS). While studying, he took part in several major productions at the Ermolova Theater in Moscow. Following graduation, he was invited to join the troop of the Moscow Lenkom Theater where he spent the next six years performing leading roles in the productions including “The Rise and Fall of Joaquin Murrieta”, “The Thief”, “The Revolutionary Etude”, “Where We Were”, “Dictatorship of Conscience” (First Prize in Theatrical Festival in Munich, 1987) and “Juno and Avos” which ran at the New York City Center Theater for five weeks during the winter of 1989-1990 tour. His American theatrical experience began with the Philadelphia Wilma Theater production of “When She Danced”, where he starred as Sergey Esenin. He played several roles in the productions of the Russian-American Musical Theater including Benya Krick in “Moldovanka - Sunset”, Erast in “Poor Liza”, Esenin in “Isadora and Sergey” and others. He appeared in the principal roles on prime time television shows such as “Third Watch” (2002) and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (2003). In 2004 he starred in the Short Film by Tjebbo Penning “Friday Night Fever” (the Film Movement Series). In 2011 he played the role of the Soviet Navy Fire Control Officer in the 20th Century Fox production of “X-Men: First Class” film. He is a veteran of numerous industrials, commercials and voiceovers including “True Crime: New York City” (2005) and the “Grand Theft Auto IV” (2008). Yuri always had a passion for poetry, and has earned a reputation as one of the best poetry readers in the American Russian Community.
GAYLORD RICE YOUNG (Lemon Pricker) studied acting at Sarah Lawrence College, ACT's Summer Training Congress, BATS, & UCB-NY. In San Francisco, she was an ensemble member of Jen Hotchner's Titillation Theatre and acted in several independent films. In New York, she has performed improv with two teams, done performance art, and commercial work. You can find her as the voice of several characters in video games like "Bully", "Vice City", and "Grand Theft Auto IV". She lives with cats and her human family in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. http://alsogaylord.tumblr.com.
JON YOUNG (Stair Climber) Absurdity. Satire. Dada! Dime-a-Dozen. Jon plies this tirade nowadays as a non-linear editor in the video game industry. Post-Modern. He has screened several auteurist shorts in various international film festivals over the past 15 years. Surrealism. For an equal amount of time he was a recording and touring drummer / percussionist in various groups: punk, avant guard, pop and dance, formerly contracted to Sony Music, Japan. Dark. He acts in photo plays as opportunities arise. Dirty. Many projects. Many stages of development. Comedy. http://www.nojour.net
EMILY COFFIN (Monica) holds a degree in voice from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A proud member of both Actor's Equity and SAG-AFTRA, Emily has on camera and stage credits from projects across the country. She is also the Managing Director and Executive Producer of the SEaM Studio, which is releasing their first short film, Waiting for Monique Harlowe, in Spring 2015.
ENZO DELUCCHI
GO MAHAN & MARK BIRKEY
CAROLINE O'MEARA & BRIAN FRALEY
CAROLINE O'MEARA is an actor, writer and alien living in New York. www.cazomeara.com
BRIAN FRALEY is an actor and playwright living in Brooklyn,New York. He is a graduate of Niagara University's theater program. As an actor he has appeared as Jeff Spencer on the cable soap opera Cable Crossings and has acted regionally at Artpark and starred in Best Foot Forward, choreographed by Tony Award winning director Casey Nicolaw at the New London Barn Playhouse. His plays have been produced at the Brick Theatre, Vassar College and the New York Fringe Festival. His play A Cat Named Jack is currently being workshopped for a 2015 production while he is also writing a new play with the working title Everything and the Kitchen Window. Brian is in the early stages of developing a documentary about a woman who hoards horses. He is the founder of the theatre company Peace &Junk Productions and has collaborated with cabaret artist and dear friend Go Mahan. Brian Fraley is very proud to have participated in the film adaptation of Lemon.
ALI JAWAD (Taxi Driver) drives a cab in NYC; a reflective, passionate man.
ROBERT RICE ("Wendell 2") is thrilled to be a part of the production of Lemon. Other credits credits include: Lucky Stiff (Harry Witherspoon), Jeeves and Wooster in America (Cyril, et. al), The 39 Steps (Clown 1), Into the Woods (Jack), Big River (Young Fool, Huck u/s), and The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow). He'd like to thank his his incredibly supportive family, friends, and J.T. for being his rock.
CLARE KAYE (Service Industry Professional) appeared in the independent film, The Franklin Abraham; in student films, including a series of shorts directed by Emmy Award winning producer, Sarah Koch; theater showcases; and on-camera in several hidden camera segments for ABC News, 20/20 as a producer. She's studied acting at The School for Film and Television, the William Esper Studio, and most recently with Seth Barrish of the Barrow Group in a workshop for Directors.
CHRIS LAKER (Nort) is a Comedian, Actor and Writer based in New York City. He’s acted in the feature film “Francis of Brooklyn” and the popular web-series “The Undone Sweaters.” Since making a splash as a NEW FACE at the prestigious Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in 2011, Chris's edgy stand-up has earned him a following in New York's alternative comedy scene. He hosts the stand-up and panel talk show, The Show, every Wednesday at the Creek & The Cave, a favorite of comedians like Ted Alexandro, Nikki Glaser, Gary Gulman, and more. His new podcast Television: The Podcast is part of Stand Up NY Comedy Clubs new "Labs" network. Chris can be heard on the SiriusXM Stars "Wake Up with Taylor", and seen on "The Artie Lange Show" on DirecTV's Audience Network. Recently, Chris has written for the The Howard Stern Show and the Roast of Corey Taylor, heard SiriusXM Howard 101.
DEVIN E. HAQQ (Paint Seller) is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and a graduate of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Professional Actor Training MFA program. He has performed in numerous stage productions, around the regional United States and New York City, most recently appearing Off-Broadway in Epic Theatre Ensemble''s productions of Macbeth and Richard III. Devin also appeared in HBO's award winning ad campaign "Surprise", directed by Sam Mendes, as well as, numerous commercial ad campaigns for Citigroup, Time Warner Cable, Comedy Central, McDonalds, the U.S. Navy, and Verizon, just to name a few.
KIMBERLY HOLLINGSWORTH (Doctor) is a member of SAG-AFTRA and a graduate from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, where she was also a member of the New York Academy Company. Some favorite roles: Maya in Arthur Miller’s, ‘The Archbishop’s Ceiling,” Anna Petrova in Michael Fryn’s “Wiild Honey,” Beverly in Michael Cristofer’s , “The Shadow Box,” and Samantha in Kathleen Tolan’s, “A Weekend Near Madison.” Prior to moving to Europe for work, Kimberly starred in Visnja Clayton’s short film, “Babushka.” This film won the 1996 Bronze Award from the Charleston International Film Festival in the Experimental-Dramatic category. It won best cinematography at the Malescorto film festival in Italy, screened on PBS, and was an official selection at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado. Kimberly earned her B.A. in Social Entrepreneurship/Business and Creative Writing at Antioch University in Los Angeles, and received her ABA approved Attorney Assistant Training Program Certificate in Litigation from the University of California Los Angeles, Extension. Kimberly has published articles, is a photographer and the founder of Humanity Is Us.
LORENZO JOHNSON ("Scott 2" / GRIP / LOCATION PHOTOGRAHER) "I'm a bit stumped on the bios thing. If by that you meant film credentials, the lemon movie was my first run (which I REALLY enjoyed) as a grip. Josh had me take a lot of the stills as well."
RACHEL KRAUSER (Production Manager), with DUSTIN PATRICK, TODD D'AMOUR, GEORGE VASILAKIS.
MICHAEL GOODMAN (original music) is a New York-based songwriter & musician. Some of the instrumental themes that crop up in "Wendell & the Lemon" come from various albums of his, all out of print!
THE MOHO MEMO (original music) The Moho Memo are a loose-knit group of like-minded individuals who have written, recorded, performed and produced various forms of art for at least 50 years, in this case some music for the soundtrack. While somewhat better known in Europe than in the US, their sound has been a quiet but powerful influence among the avant-garde, devant-garde and en garde for decades. Passionate devotees of Martin's Advanced Theory of Transcendent Obscurity, they work diligently to ensure that their every offering is heartfelt and fresh yet timeless, irrespective of its potential popular appeal.
HAZMAT MODINE (music: cover of "I've Been So Lonely," opening credits) "This wild group led by the singer and harmonica player Wade Schuman—they play Blues originals, mostly, that are the product of Schuman’s limitless imagination. His voice, for that matter, appears to be bottomless.” —The New Yorker
ANDROMEDA4 (Evan Harlan, Ima Jonsdottir, Adam Larrabee, Andrew Blickenderfer) was an eclectic and exciting quartet active from 2000-2007. Their original music drew inspiration from Americana, Blues, Nuevo Tango, Balkan, Funk, as well as reinterpretations of music by composers such as Dmitri Shostakovich and John Corigliano. Andromeda4 issued two CDs, one self-titled debut (2001) and "The Reach" (2004), from which Krauser & Co. extracted the track Norweigan Slip for their trailer and the film's "lemon tart" scene. We miss you, Evan. More info and music www.evanharlan.com/music1.html
BIRDSONG AT MORNING ("Roses") (love scene) Music by adults, about being adults. Ambitious, refined, insightful, patient, and often heartbreakingly beautiful, Birdsong At Morning is a singular experience waiting to be had, a happy ending in progress. http://birdsongatmorning.com
LIFE OUT OF BALANCE (closing credits: "Someone's in My Head") is and was and is and was a New York based band that was formed in 1983. The last known cohesion was comprised of: Hubie Poole ( Composer, Singer, Guitars), Dan Roth (Drums), Jaime Scott ( Guitars), Charlie Roth ( Bass Guitar). Original members included such greats as: Ward Regan, Lawrence Krauser, Ted Schreiber, Frank Russell, and Michael Goodman—any one of whom may have participated in the Life Out Of Balance music included in “Wendell and the Lemon." The LOOB album entitled “My Hero” is available on iTunes. www.lifeoutofbalance.com