Ivan Ewert, Tod Kent*, & James Turano

About Jim Turano
From 2007-2014, Turano was the sidekick with Radio Hall of Famer, Garry Meier, on “The Garry Meier Show,” first on WCKG-FM 105.9 in 2007, and then moving to WGN-AM 720 in 2009 in the midday shift,  In 2010, the show moved to the afternoon drive shift, where we had the number one afternoon drive talk show in Chicago from 2010 – 2014.  Because of his longtime and “intense” fandom of Elton John, Turano adopted the moniker “Elton Jim” on the radio, and continues to work on WGN, filling in and making regular appearances on several WGN shows .  Turano also does a weekly, one-hour, WGN podcast called “Elton Jim” Turano’s “Captain Pod-tastic” which appears on WGNPlus.com.

Cast of “ART” Ivan Ewert, Tod Kent, & Jim Turano.

Ivan Ewert (Yvan) most recently appeared in DEATH OF A SALESMAN with WSRep. He has also appeared in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE as well as the one-man shows THE AGONY AND ECSTASY OF STEVE JOBS and THE SANTALAND DIARIES with WSRep. He is a regular performer with WSRep’s GET LIT(ERARY) program. Ivan would like to thank his wife, Leanne, for her patience with the rehearsal schedule – and for the past eighteen years.

Tod Kent* (Serge) is thrilled to be making his Chicago area stage debut at WSR. NYC theatre: Love Creek Rep, Village Gate, Access Theatre, New Dramatists. Regional theatre: Yale Rep, Isis Theatre Company, Palm Canyon Theatre, McCallum Theatre, LaQuinta Playhouse, Carousel Dinner Theatre. Film: SHAKESPEARE’S CAT. Training/background: MFA – Yale School of Drama, Michael Howard Studios (NYC), The Green Room (CHI), Second City (CHI), The Groundlings (LA), School for Film & Television (NYC). Tod has been a proud member of Equity for over 20 years.

James Turano (Marc) is excited to make his debut with the WSR, and collaborating with a talented director, cast, and crew.  Recent productions: WAIT UNTIL DARK (Mr. Roat) Elgin Theatre Company; GOD OF CARNAGE (Michael) Steel Beam Theatre; WAITING FOR GODOT (Pozzo) Triton College; AMADEUS (Salieri) Steel Beam Theatre; BUDDY: THE MUSICAL (The Big Bopper) Chicago’s Mercury Theater; DEATHTRAP (Sidney Bruhl) Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. Turano is also a Chicago radio personality, recently on WGN-AM 720 — known as “Elton Jim” on “The Garry Meier Show.” He is still heard on WGN and has a podcast at www.wgnplus.com. James dedicates this show to his late mother, Lorraine, “Now she’s in me, always with me.”

Michele Vazquez (Director, ART) is an actor, director, writer and teaching artist and joined WSR’s ensemble in 2015. Michele has a strong background in new play development. She served as a director with NYU’s Dept of Dramatic Writing from 2008-2012 and was a guest artist and director with the WordBRIDGE Playwrights Laboratory from 2007- 2012.  Other directing credits include MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), ROMEO & JULIET, TWELFTH NIGHT and THE TEMPEST (Aquila Theatre, Shakespeare Leaders Program). As an actor, Michele has appeared on-stage at theaters all over the country including; Pearl Theatre Co, Cherry Lane, Aquila Theatre (NYC), The Old Globe, A.C.T (SF), Arena Stage (DC), Cincinnati Playhouse, Orlando Shakespeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre Co. (SLC), Philadelphia Theatre Co, and many others. TV/Film: A GIFTED MAN, AS THE WORLD TURNS, TARZAN. Training: BA, Univ. of NC at Chapel Hill; MFA: The Old Globe Theatre (San Diego). Michele is a proud member of Actors Equity Assoc. & SAG/AFTRA.  www.michelevazquez.com