CAST BIOS

Stewart comes from small town USA - and has been living in Los Angeles for almost 3 years. He studied at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago where he worked on Carlos Murillo's DARK PLAY OR STORIES FOR BOYS - and then starred in the West Coast premiere at The Theatre @ Boston Court - (Garland Award Honorable Mention, LA Weekly Nomination leading male performance.) Stewart's other LA stage credits include THRILL ME (Havok Theatre Company, Garland Award - Best Ensemble) HOW CISSY GREW (Sea Glass Theatre Company, LA Weekly Nomination - best supporting actor) and recently played Charles Wallace in John Glore's adaptation of A WRINKLE IN TIME (South Coast Rep.) Film and Television credits include the web series IN2UITION (Take180.com), DANNY (short), YOU, ONLY BETTER, and THE EVES.

DENISE DOWSE (IMDB, Facebook)

Originally from Honolulu Hawaii the daughter of US Naval Officer, graduated from Norfolk State University with a BA in English/Theatre. Denise is best known for her role as Mrs. Teasley on BEVERLY HILLS 90210. She's guest starred on shows such as HOUSE, MONK, SAVING GRACE, THE MENTALIST, LAW & ORDER, CHARMED, THE GUARDIAN, WITHOUT A TRACE, and THE WEST WING. Her Film work includes RAY, COACH CARTER, REIGN OVER ME, and REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.

In 1995 Denise directed LONG TIME SINCE YESTERDAY by P.J Gibson, for which she received the 1995 NAACP Image Award for Best Director. She then followed that up with THE CHEST by Angela de Joseph receiving a 1996 NAACP Image Award - Best Director. In 2008 Denise received her 3rd NAACP Image Award - Best Director for a Musical for Malcolm Jamal-Warner's One Man Show; LOVE & OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES.

Denise is a private audition coach, teaches adult acting classes and is the Co-Artistic Director and Resident Director at Amazing Grace Conservatory, (AGC) a Performing Arts School for youth, directing shows like BEAUTY & THE BEAST, DREAMGIRLS, THE WIZ, WEST SIDE STORY and SARAFINA.

This show is dedicated to Susan Rubin who gave me the opportunity to play and to all those artists who dare to dream. May peace be with you!

HEATHER MARIE MARSDEN (Website, IMDB, Facebook)

Stage: MASK (Zephyr; World Premiere, Dir.: Tony Award winner Richard Maltby, Jr.), THE BEASTLY BOMBING (Elyssa; winner “Musical of the Year” LAWeekly Awards, “Best Musical” Ovation nom.), IT CAME FROM BEYOND (Becky; 6 Ovation noms.), SWEET CHARITY (Rosie; Nat’l Tour), A CHORUS LINE (Val; Dir. Baayork Lee), ANYTHING GOES (Bonnie), GREASE (Marty). Film includes: the upcoming LUCKY (dir. by Gil Cates, Jr.), TERROR TRAP, AMERICAN SUMMER, HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A WOMAN, BLINDERS (“Best Actress” nom., Hollywood DV Festival), Tim Hunter’s THE FAILURES, AUSTIN POWERS. Over 30 TV credits including: Spike TV’s CRASH AND BURN, DRAKE & JOSH, CHARMED, CENTURY CITY. She is the voice of Sarah Lyons in the award winning game, FALLOUT 3, and her songs and recordings have been featured on: MELROSE PLACE 2.0, LAW & ORDER: CI, DICKHOUSE'S WILD...WHITES OF W. VIRGINIA, MISS TEEN USA. Albums: SO, THIS IS LOVE, Billboard hit VENICE FREAK, THE HARRATT SESSIONS, PIECES OF SKYE.

NICK MENNELL (IMDB)

Nick was born in Ecuador to a British father and a Spanish/Italian mother, but hails from New York City where in 2005 he graduated from The Juilliard School of Drama. In 2004, he was awarded an additional scholarship to train in Oxford, England under the auspices of teachers from London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as other renowned professionals of English stage and film.

Some of Mr. Mennell’s favorite New York stage credits include A MEMORY OF TWO MONDAYS, THREE SISTERS, HAMLET, MACBETH and the world premieres of AMERICAN OCCUPATON and THE ODYSSEY.

This is Mr. Mennell’s second play of Susan Rubin’s at the Bootleg. The first was BITCH (for which he was awarded the Los Angeles Theater Audience Award for Best Actor in 2007). He was most recently seen in Kenneth Lonnergan’s LOBBY HERO at Pacific Stages as well as George Bernard Shaw’s MISALLIANCE at The Odyssey Theater. And this past fall he played the role of Jack Worthing in Oscar Wilde’s IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at the world renowned Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

Mr. Mennell recently played the love interest of the gay cop on the new hit drama SOUTHLAND and had guest shot on NUMBERS. In addition to appearing in two of the most popular horror film remakes FRIDAY THE 13TH and HALLOWEEN.

JASON STUART (Website, IMDB, Facebook)

Jason Stuart is thrilled to return to the theatre. He was last seen on the stage in BIKING WITH ANDREW SCOTT and QUESTIONS & ANSWERS with The Dillon Street Players. Jason was also apart of the critically acclaimed anti-Lyndon LaRouche play P.A.N.I.C IN GRIFFITH PARK and CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE at The LACC. He acted on stage in productions of SCENES OF MY LOVE LIFE, FUNNY BUSINESS, MISTER ROBERTS, NIGHT OF JANUARY 16TH, CHILDS PLAY and THE SAND CASTLE.

Although his semi-celebrity came via stand-up comedy, Jason’s first love is acting and has guested on some of the most popular TV shows including THE CLOSER, ITS ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS, HOUSE, CHARMED, GEORGE LOPEZ, WILL & GRACE, STRONG MEDICINE, DREW CAREY SHOW and even MURDER, SHE WROTE to name a few. He is best known playing “Dr. Thomas”, the therapist on MY WIFE & KIDS starring Daman Wayans.

Jason has become a major player in the independent film world after being nominated for a gay International film award for best supporting actor in COFFEE DATE. Proving that he is more than just an actor and comedian, Jason also produced and starred in his own totally improvised independent film 10 ATTITUDES. This award winning romantic comedy proved to be a huge success both in the U.S. and abroad. Jason was also featured in the comedy hits A DAY WITHOUT A MEXICAN and PING PONG PLAYA. Among the big studio pictures he appeared in, KINDERGARTEN COP, VEGAS VACATION, PUFF PUFF PASS and the HBO award winning drama GIA with Angelina Jolie, are all favorites with TV fans. Recently he appeared in the remake of Edgar Allan Poe’s horror film, THE PIT & THE PENDULUM. He was cast as the villain “Father Divay”, played by Vincent Price in the original film.

Jason has become one of the top openly gay comics and has performed at all of the best comedy clubs & comedy festivals and hundreds of gay events & prides, colleges & universities, and even on Broadway. He has appeared all over TV as a stand up and celebrity panelist on Comedy Central's OUT THERE, Showtime, Comedy Network, COMICS UNLEASHED, and on Logo in ONE NIGHT STAND UP and WISECRACK, among many more. Jason released his stand-up comedy CD, JASON STUART: GAY COMEDY WITHOUT A DRESS with great success and his first solo stand-up comedy special, JASON STUART: MAKING IT TO THE MIDDLE is currently on Here! TV and now available on DVD.

Jason uses his notoriety as an actor and comedian to support the community by performing at countless benefits for issues from AIDS to the homeless. Jason is the chairman of the first ever SAG LGBT Committee. He also chairs an annual comedy benefit for lifeworksLA.org, a mentoring program for gay youth at his home comedy club, The Laugh Factory.