 SHANA
ABORN (Carla Maxwell) has
been involved in so many Parkside productions since 1986 that she has
officially lost count. However, she does have a vague memory of playing
such roles as Rosemary in Picnic, Lola in Come Back, Little
Sheba, Sheila in Jake’s Women and Cutiepie in Nobody Knows
I’m a Dog. She has also developed something of a reputation for
being a theatrical pinch-hitter, having performed leading roles three
times in emergency situations with less than a week’s preparation.
(Thankfully, this is not one of those situations.) In college, she once
shared the stage with veteran character actress Mary Wickes, so she can
also brag of being 4 degrees from Kevin Bacon. Offstage, Shana is the
author of 30 Days to a More Spiritual Life, available in the
remainder bin of a bookstore near you. She thanks Alan, Diane, Genny and
Ann for allowing her the honor of being a part of this premiere
production, wishes all the best to her wonderful fellow Bananas, and sends
love always to J.
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 KEN
ANDERS (Rex Rogers): On a
dark stormy night 11 years ago, Ken auditioned for his first show here at
Parkside. From playing Lancelot in Camelot, he progressed to
Superman/Clark Kent in It’s a Bird... It’s a Plane..., Miles
Gloriosus in ...Forum and Phyllis in Nobody Knows I’m a Dog,
also by the playwright of tonight’s show. He also directed Parkside’s
production of Heaven Can Wait. In the meantime, he has done The
Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Pseudolus in ...Forum,
Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, Count Carl Magnus in A Little
Night Music and Catesby in Richard III, among other roles. He
is happy to return to the Parkside boards for this show.
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 RAY BONÉTT (Ken Pritchett) is proud to be
associated with his third original Alan Perkins production after Nobody
Knows I’m a Dog and In God’s Country. Parkside audiences
have also seen Ray in Charley’s Aunt, Under the Yum-Yum Tree, The
Taming of the Shrew, Witness for the Prosecution, Beau Jest, The
Fantasticks, ...Superman and A Few Good Men. He has also
directed our productions of Play it Again, Sam, Same Time, Next Year,
California Suite, Fools and Veronica’s Room. He dedicates
this show to his fellow "Second Bananas," as well as to Second
Bananas the world over, but especially to Terri - the true meaning of the
word "friend." Thank you for being there when I needed you. |
 BERNARD BOSIO (Il Papa) Some-a time, he’s-a do
a show. Some-a time, he’s-a no do a show. He’s-a no do a show at-a
Park-a-side, oh, many, many long-a time. Today, he’s-a do a show, and
is-a molto happy to work-a with these-a nice-a peoples. Bernie last
performed at Parkside as Dr. Zubritsky in Fools. Other shows
at Parkside include The Imaginary Invalid, It's a Bird...It's a
Plane...It's Superman and California Suite. Elsewhere, roles
include: Ziggy in Side Man, James Daley in That Championship
Season, Duke Mantee in The Petrified Forest, Danny in Danny
and the Deep Blue Sea, Azolan in Les Liaisons Dangereuses,
Martin in Fool for Love, Agate Keller in Waiting for Lefty,
various roles in All In the Timing, Prof. Van Helsing in Dracula,
Barnaby in Babes in Toyland and Dr. Einstein, Teddy, and Officer
O’Hara in Arsenic and Old Lace (though not in the same
production). Bernie would like to thank the producers and Alan and John
for this opportunity to work with the wonderful cast and crew they have
assembled. He has had the pleasure of working with many of these talented
folks in the past, and hopes to have the opportunity again in the future.
"You make-a the good-a show, eh?" |
 NICK DE CESARE (Abner Clark) A veteran of the
Queens community theater circuit, Nick is thrilled to make his debut at
Parkside in the multitalented role of Abner Clark. You can see him next in
April as the mysterious Paravicini in Theatre a la Carte’s production of
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (with a different accent!). As
always, thanks to Rich for his constant support and inspiration - I
couldn’t do it without you!
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 VERA D’ELISA (Laine Mencken)
is thrilled to be making her debut with the Parkside Players as Laine
Mencken in Second Bananas. Vera recently appeared as Peggy Evans in
the LFB production of Neil Simon’s Come Blow Your Horn. She has
studied acting at NYU and has performed in a series of short scenes at the
Producers Club on West 44th Street in Manhattan with the Fourth Wall
Theatre Company. She got her start as a stage manager for the Little
Marathon Theatre Group’s production of Crazy for You in the
winter of 2001 and hasn’t been able to stay off the stage since! She
would like to thank all the people in her life who believed in her and who
gave her the strength and courage to believe in herself.
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 MIRIAM P. DENU (Lydia Rubino) Miriam’s theater
roots go back to 1975, when she started working with parish groups at St.
Mathias and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. She is most proud of the
fact that she has been a member of Parkside Players for 20 years. She has
filled a number of roles for Parkside including board member, producer,
choreographer, prop mistress, costumer, house manager, kitchen staff and
even occasionally lighting and sound. On the Parkside stage she has been
seen as Kitty in Charley’s Aunt, Gwen in The Odd Couple,
Greta in Witness for the Prosecution and, most recently, playing
kazoo and generally mugging as the silent "Lennon" in Neil
Simon’s Fools. She also played the dotty Mrs. Wallworth in
Theatre a la Carte’s production of Speaking of Murder. She
presently teaches social studies and drama for the New York City public
school system. She would like to publicly say that she is very proud of
her husband, Alan David Perkins, who wrote and directed Second Bananas.
This may be a premiere for Bananas, but may it be performed around
the world like many of your other plays.
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 KED FERRUZZA (Sidney Cohen) Born
10/2/30, Brooklyn -- what part? "All of me." Who says you
can’t go home again? The time: winter of ‘98. The place: Parkside
Players. The show: Fools. Those of us who were there know it was
the right time and place for a show like that. Since then, I’ve been on
stage in Brooklyn, Manhattan and other parts of Queens in shows such as Guys
and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, The Time of Your Life, Arsenic and Old
Lace ... you get the picture -- a working actor. But to be able to
"come home" again, and in a show like this... To Alan and all of
the other "Bananas" in the bunch, thanks for Second Bananas
and all its a-peel. "Talk to the hand!".
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 JOHN C. SNYDER (Randall Gardner) is happy to be
returning to the Parkside stage and to be able to be a part of Alan's work
again. Having directed Nobody Knows I’m a Dog, John is familiar
with Alan’s wit and style and enjoys the collaboration. He’s also
excited about working with this cast of new and veteran members. His
credits at Parkside include appearances in It’s a Bird ... It’s a
Plane ... It’s Superman and A Few Good Men, as well as
directing ...Dog and Jake’s Women. He has also appeared
with the Heights Players in 42nd Street, Mame and The Petrified
Forest. As always, his per-formance here is dedicated to his father. |
 PETER WALTER VRANKOVIC (Joey Baggio) would like to thank
Parkside for the opportunity to escape from reality for a while. Youse
guys are da best! Fuggedaboutit! As always, all my love to Logan, Ranka
and the parental units. |
 RICHARD WEYHAUSEN (Leonard Sedgwick) This is
Rich’s third spin with Parkside and his 77th community theater
production. What a blast to be reunited with Bernie, John, Peter and, of
course, Nick! In April, he will be directing and performing in The
Mousetrap at Theatre a la Carte in Douglaston.
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