UPDATE: Due to a last minute change in travel schedule for one of the guests scheduled to participate of this interview, it has been postponed to May 4, 2012. We are sorry for any inconvenience they may cause.
It is with excited pleasure that I announce that some of the cast and crew of Sparklepuff Lazerium, featured here on Geeky Pleasures, will be joining me on the Geeky Pleasures Radio Show at The Look 24/7 (@TheLook247) on Friday, April 20, 2012 May 4, 2012 at 7 pm PT/ 10 pm ET/ 3 am (Saturday) in the UK. These cast and crew would be writer and star Lesli Marghertia, director Lauren Bass, and, if their filming schedule permits, actor Tom Lenk (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, “Angel”, Cabin in the Woods, Transformers) and actor Ethan Phillips (Star Trek: Voyager).
If have any questions for Lesli, Lauren, Tom and Ethan, and are unable to tune-in live, then you can e-mail your questions to jules@thelook247.com. Please e-mail them by 12 pm PT/ 3 pm ET/ 8 pm UK time on Friday, April 20, 2012 Friday, May 4, 2012. If you are able to join us live, then tune-in here and join us in chat here, so that you can participate in the conversation.
And now, a bit about each of them:
LESLI MARGHERITA won the 2009 Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in ZORRO THE MUSICAL, on the west end in London. In 2011, she won the Ovation Award for best actress in a musical for her role as Lilli Vanessi/Kate in Kiss Me Kate at reprise!
Born and raised in California, Lesli trained at UCLA, and was soon after chosen to star in MGM’s television series “Fame LA“, directed by Kenny Ortega. She has gone on to star and recur on numerous us television shows and pilots including “The Suite Life On Deck“, “Charmed“, “NYPD Blue”, “The District“, “The King of Queens“, “Thieves“, “JAG“, “Fighting Fitzgeralds“, “Nikki,” “Kristin“, and “On The Lot“, produced by Steven Spielberg.
Film credits include: Joel Schumacher’s ‘The Number 23‘ and the Sam Raimi produced horror film ‘Boogeyman 2‘. Lesli can also be heard on several animated films and tv shows, most recently Disney’s ‘Cinderella 3‘ and “Sponge Bob Squarepants“.
She can currently be seen as aldonza in MTW’s Man Of La Mancha opposite Davis Gaines.
Recently, she starred as Julie in Showboat at The Goodspeed Opera House in CT, opposite Tom Hewitt as Kate in Kiss Me Kate at Reprise! (ovation award, la drama critics nomination) and as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors for La Mirada/McCoy-Rigby.
Other credits include Lady of the Lake in Spamalot opposite Gary Beach (Sacramento Music Circus), Ilona in She Loves Me (CLOSBC), the West coast premiere of Michael John Lachiusa’s See What I Wanna See (The Blank), Rated RSO (Boston Court Performing Arts Center), and Gloria in Jason Alexander’s production of Damn Yankees (Reprise) .
Performing since childhood, Lesli has an extensive resume of national tour, Los Angeles company and regional theater credits. Favorite roles include: Aida (Amneris), Kiss Me Kate (Bianca), Man Of La Mancha (Aldonza), Beehive (Connie), Anything Goes (Erma), West Side Story (Anita), Zorba (Widow), Reefer Madness (Mae), Grease (Rizzo), A Chorus Line (Diana), Gypsy (Louise), and Dames At Sea (Ruby).
HER CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NIGHTCLUB ACT ALL HAIL THE QUEEN DEBUTED TO SOLD OUT CROWDS IN NYC THIS SUMMER AND CONTINUES TO PLAY IN AND AROUND LOS ANGELES.
LAUREN BASS has been producing theater in Los Angeles and New York for over a decade, both independently and as Producing Director of the multiple award-winning Echo Theater Company.
Current projects include the hit nightclub act All Hail The Queen: Hail Yes! starring Olivier Award Winner Lesli Margherita which will be touring later this year and the recent West Coast Premiere of Mark Schultz’ Everything Will Be Different. Past productions: West Coast/World Premieres of Jessica Goldberg’s Body Politic (Ovation nom. Best Play & Best Ensemble), Kate Robin’s Anon, Adam Bock’s Thursday, Sarah Ruhl’s Melancholy Play, and the Ovation Award winning War Music by Bryan Davidson.
Other credits include the solo shows A Series of Comedic Lectures by John Lehr (Zipper Theatre, NY / Powerhouse, LA), Gorgeous! (Room 5), Tom Lenk’s: Will You Be My Special Friend? (Acme Comedy), and the premieres of Save Me From Sister (Hudson Backstage), Michael John LaChiusa’s First Lady Suite (The Blank), and The Grave White Way (Lambs, NY / Hudson Backstage, LA).
Additionally, Lauren is a founding partner of bass/casting, a bi-coastal feature film, tv, and theatrical casting company.
TOM LENK (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Transformers, Broadway’s Rock of Ages), has appeared in episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (27 episodes), Angel,[2] NBC’s Joey, House, Six Feet Under, Eli Stone and How I Met Your Mother. He has also had small parts in the films Date Movie, The Number 23, and Transformers. In 2009 Lenk appeared as a guest star on Nip/Tuck.
Besides acting, Lenk is a singer and playwright. He has toured with the European cast of Grease and has written three plays.
He appeared in commercials for Pepsi Max. Lenk took over the role of Franz in the Broadway musical Rock of Ages in of September 14, 2009, having originated the role in the Las Vegas and Los Angeles productions in 2006.
Lenk also appeared in an episode of Psych that poked fun at Buffy the Vampire Slayer (original Buffy actress Kristy Swanson appears in the episode).
ETHAN PHILLIPS was raised in Long Island, New York, the only boy of six children. His dad loved to say “I’ve got five daughters and an actor!” It was while attending a Jesuit prep school in Brooklyn that Ethan decided to pursue theatre when a priest told him he had talent, and cast him in MACBETH. Ethan earned a BA in English Literature from Boston University and received an MFA from Cornell University. From there he went to New York City and worked steadily on stage, playing lead and supporting roles both on and off Broadway in shows such as MY FAVORITE YEAR at Lincoln Center, LIPS TOGETHER TEETH APART at the Lucille Lortel, MODIGLIANNI at the Astor Place, ONLY KIDDING for the American Jewish Theatre, and in MEASURE FOR MEASURE with Kevin Kline, at the NY Shakespeare Festival in Central Park , as well as work for the Ensemble Studio Theatre, Hudson Guild Theatre, Chelsea Theatre Center, and Playwrights Horizons.
Regionally, he has acted in many of the major theatres across the country. At Seattle Rep, he worked with Daniel Sullivan to help develop and act in the comedy INSPECTING CAROL. He co-starred with Mary-Louise Parker in the premier of Terence McNally’s UP IN SARATOGA for San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre and with Delroy Lindo in the premier of MS. EVER’S BOYS at Baltimore’s Center Stage. He repeated his performance in LIPS TOGETHER TEETH APART with Andrea Martin at LA’s Mark Taper Forum as well as acting in the Los Angles premier of THE DINING ROOM for the Coronet Theatre. At Actors’ Theatre of Louisville he was a part of the twelfth Humana Festival of New American Plays. For the Boston Shakespeare Co. Ethan played the role of Edgar in KING LEAR, he played Dromio of Ephesus in COMEDY OF ERRORS at Princeton’s McCarter Theatre, at Alaska Repertory Theatre he play Toby Belch in TWELFTH NIGHT. For the Salt Lake Acting Co., Ethan received the Best Comic Actor of the year award for his starring role in THE FOREIGNER. He appeared in HARVEY with Beth Berridge for the Westport Country Playhouse, and recently he played in the Los Angeles premier of SIDEMAN with Mare Winningham for the Pasadena Playhouse. John Delancie directed him in Moliere’s THE BOURGEOISE GENTLEMAN which premiered at the Pasadena Symphony, and moved to the Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Symphony. Ethan played Polonius in HAMLET at LA’s Court Theatre. Most recent theatre credits include YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU at the Geffen with Roy Dotrice, and David Mamet’s NOVEMBER with Nathan Lane at the Barrymore theatre on Broadway.
In television he spent five seasons playing Pete in the sitcom BENSON, and has guest starred on scores of other shows, most recently ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, LAW AND ORDER, CRIMINAL MINDS, BONES, NUMB3RS, ELI STONE, and BOSTON LEGAL. He appeared for seven seasons in STAR TREK: VOYAGER as Neelix, the ship’s chef and morale officer and guest starred on the newest Startrek show ENTERPRISE. In film, Ethan’s credits include roles in FOR RICHER OR POORER, STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, GREENCARD, JEFFREY, MAN WITHOUT A FACE, THE SHADOW, CRITTERS, RAIN WITHOUT THUNDER, WAGONS EAST, RAGTIME, LEAN ON ME, and ENDSVILLE. More recent films include FAMILY TREE, BAD SANTA, CHESTNUT: HERO OF CENTRAL PARK, THE BABYSITTERS, THE ISLAND, HALLOWED GROUND, OUT OF OMAHA, KEITH, and BIG GAME.
Ethan has had a long association with Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute, having spent ten summers there as part of the Playwrights Lab, both as an actor, and as a writer. He is also a participant in Brave New Works, the Emory University new play development festival where he recently worked on Pulitzer winner Robert Schenkkan’s LEWIS AND CLARK REACH THE EUPHRATES. His play PENGUIN BLUES is published by Samuel French and has had hundreds of productions in the U.S. and in Canada. Ethan is a co-founder of Hollywood’s First Stage, a playwright’s group based on principles developed at Sundance, and he is on the board of The WordBRIDGE Playwrights Laboratory, which helps young playwrights get their dreams realized.
We hope to see you next Friday!
