More About Marcello Rollando
Marcello Rollando is both seasoned political commentator and critically acclaimed Performing Arts Director. Taking a sabbatical from his beloved NYC to work on a number of political campaigns as communications director and/or consultant in 2008, he remained in the DC area for the mid-term elections in 2010. He now lives in our nation's capital and is currently radio news anchor and producer for Charlottesville's Monticello Media. This is just the latest addition in a series of hats worn with distinction in his thirty year career that embraces Media, Communications, Politics, Theatre and Edutainment Education.
Owing a great deal of its inception to America's reactions to September 11, 2001, Marcello became the voice of The Reasonable Voice LLC, serving as Head writer, Creative Director and on camera spokesman for this American organization with an international mission. The Reasonable Voice is a passionately independent and well balanced group of culturally diverse, Media, Political and Artistic Advocates whose mission is to herald, promote educate and inspire "We The People" to embrace a Renaissance of Freedom, Honesty and Rule of Law, through the power of their right to vote and to receive the highest and best education possible. The responsibility of all members of The Reasonable Voice is to convince all Americans of their limitless value & potential via Education, Informed Political Participation and the Arts.
As the primary media arm of TRV, The MBR Group is a team of artists and writers who are the multi-cultural community outreach voice of hands on Advocates/Activists/Consultants for Political Public Relations & Events as well as Media/Performing Arts Productions. The MBR group both produces and helps others to produce the highest & best quality of meaningful, timely, thought provoking and uplifting Live & On Camera Performances, as well as Political events. In 1990 the MBR Group bought New York's Show-People in order to add a specialization in the discovery & development of new/unpublished/unknown playwrights, resulting in the production of their original/new works. Through The MBR Group, The Reasonable Voice chooses to produce, most often, projects that emphasize and provoke political involvement and encourage a hunger in American audiences for education & historical truth.
The mission of The Reasonable Voice and the community outreach work of The MBR Group have involved Marcello in many meaningful joint ventures with a wide spectrum of political and artistic organizations, even if it means performing on stage to bring focus to the mission of The Reasonable Voice. For example, although, a Director of Theatre from NYC, to Philadelphia, to Washington DC and West Palm Beach Florida, at the request of good friend and Artistic Director of Heritage Theatre Festival Bob Chapel, Marcello accepted, and performed to critical acclaim the Charles Boyer role of Victor Velasco in Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park," for the UVa Summer 2010 season.
Just prior to this rare exception to his preferred on camera career, Marcello Directed a revival of "NIXON's NIXON" at The Hamner Theater in Nelson County, for the Walton's Mountain Theatre audience. In 1993 American Playwright Lanford Wilson asked Marcello to direct the play's premiere, then titled "Nixon and Kissinger" at the Talley plays legend's NYC Circle Rep Theater in lower Manhattan. This masterpiece script by Russell Lees was then optioned and published, in large part due to the original Wilson and Rollando collaboration, a direct consequence of The MBR Group's mission.
As both Writer & Director, Rollando has been commissioned to transform an interactive operatic school presentation, into a Multi-media, One Woman Musical on the life of Marian Anderson, which involves much productive travel and artistic collaboration between NYC TV associates and Baltimore and DC Opera friends reigniting working relationships that were launched both in his vocal student days at The Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he was also the assistant stage director for the renowned institution's Opera Department, and also his tenure as the Director of the Rehearsal Department of The Juilliard School's American Opera Center.
Although as a performing talent, he prefers on camera work, his signature piece of Victor Velasco was only his most recent trek on the boards. In 2007 he agreed to take a break from teaching on camera talent in New York to winter in Washington DC, playing the combined roles of Cardinal and Bishop in Shakespeare's Richard III at the famed Shakespeare Theatre just blocks away from the Capitol building. With the close of RICHARD III, he immediately stepped in to cover TV actor Denis Arndt at The Studio Theater as the twisted Colombo like detective in The Pillowman.
Now, after an NBC and ABC daytime drama career that spanned the better part of three decades, Marcello spends most days consulting with and writing for political organizations, their policy makers and political candidates in the Mid-Atlantic region of the country, with no thoughts of retiring ever, his mission is to help put America back together again.
SKILLS:
Video, Television, Theatre, and Film: Specialist, Director, Educator, Actor, Public Speaker, Opera Singer, Print Model, Writer of Educational Videos, Speeches, TV News, Commercial Copy, Script Doctor, & Captions. ALSO: Narrator, Host, Voice Over, Producer, Editor (Video and Print), Critic, Anchor, Reporter, Production Assistant.
POLITICAL WRITER and PUBLIC SPEAKER:
Marcello is the voice of The Reasonable Voice. This New, National (with an International Mission), Independent and Well Balanced Group of Culturally Diverse, Media, Political and Artistic Advocates heralds, promotes, educates and inspires "We The People" to embrace a Renaissance of Freedom, Honesty and Rule of Law, through the power of their right to vote. Thus the Mission of The Reasonable Voice.com is to convince all Americans of their limitless value & potential via Education, Informed Political Participation and the Arts.
ARTISTIC and CREATIVE DIRECTOR:
The MBR Group continues to be a company of hands on Advocates/Activists/Consultants for Political Public Relations & Events as well as Media/Performing Arts Productions. It both produces and helps others to produce the highest & best quality of meaningful, timely, thought provoking and uplifting Live & On Camera Performances, as well as Political events. In 1990 the MBR Group bought New York’s Show-People in order to add a specialization in the discovery & development of new/unpublished/unknown playwrights, resulting in the production of their original/new works. Its projects emphasize, but are not limited to, works/productions/events that provoke political involvement and encourage a hunger for education & historical truth.
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY/EXPERIENCE:
Personal Attributes:
• Educated in Performing and Media Arts; well versed in the application of both on-camera and on stage production objectives, various disciplines, and their application to entertainment, education and inspiration.
• Highly competent, result driven with exceptional organizational skills.
• Extraordinarily responsive, attentive and precise communication with students and peers.
• Excellent references and recommendations by Department Chairs, students and colleagues.
• Experienced in both professional and educational Performing & Media Arts preparation, rehearsals, classroom and final production, with a proven strong understanding of working with many different personalities, multi-cultural casts/students and has united all in workable solutions to their individual success.
• Real-life current management experience in Talent Discovery, Development, Consulting, Management and Marketing, including Education at every level from Middle School to Graduate School, and the adult professional.
• Proactive; concerned with student education, understanding and responsive to the balance between the needs of students, department and audience/public.
• Political Writer for The Reasonable Voice LLC and other online publications.
Teaching Overview:
With over twenty years of professional management experience as a Director & Producer of talented performers and writers, Marcello is an energetic educational professional with teaching & tutoring experience in History & English as well as Performing and Media Arts courses, private lessons, career consulting, curriculum development and both launching Theatre Companies and resurrecting Theaters. Because of his natural desire to assist in all human development through the Arts, his patient yet result oriented approach enables any who wish to learn to do so with a practical world view that nurtures a great appreciation of themselves and all of human kind. As a Performing/Media Specialist, he exudes excellent people skills that create a comfortable learning environment while inspiring each student to fulfill their highest potential, and he does this both online and in the classroom. He is a professional Director, mentor, coach, consultant and educator with numerous success stories from NYC to DC to WPB. His experience provides a solid background and firm understanding of how to ascertain where student/talent is, and how to specialize & individualize a path that propels them toward the achievement of their ultimate goals.
DIRECTOR:
Pearl Productions, Royal Palm Beach, Florida June — August 2003I Directed and Edited series pilot of after school special, scheduled to air on PAX-TV, supervising also, all pre-production and script rewrites, as well as serving as Videographer for a cast of seven and production crew of five, on three interior sets and five exterior locations in this thirty minute series pilot.
CHAIR for ALL MEDIA & PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS:
At The Cooper School, McLean, Virginia, (Sept 2000--June 2003), Marcello developed all TV & Theatre programs and served as the Creative Director, Producer and Head Writer for the original morning News program: “Global View.” In addition, as Performing Arts Director, he supervised & coordinated all TV, Theatre, Vocal Music, Orchestra & Band Programs.
GUEST DIRECTOR:
Responding to an emergency request from LoLac, Inc., Long Lake, New York, (June to August 2000) to replace a stage director, Marcello quickly mounted a production of “The Music Man,” whose favorable reviews, resulted in his being asked to remain throughout the Summer Season to Direct their remaining productions of “Brigadoon”, “Annie” and “Red Hot and Cole.”
DIRECTOR OF TV PRODUCTION and SCREEN WRITING:
Palm Beach Community College, Palm Beach, Florida, (Sept 1998—May 2000). Marcello's TV Production classes were conducted in a state of the art studio facility wherein each student received hands on training by performing each element of television production: To include: lighting, sound, switching, camera operation, directing, acting, writing, on-line editing, and titling. As the owner of MBR Productions, a company which discovers, develops and produces the works of new writers, Marcello taught screen writing at the college level from the point of view of the Producer and Director: extremely result-oriented — stressing the importance of structure, theme, story line, sub-plots, conflict, character development, relationships, and how to storyboard it and shoot it.
DIRECTOR THEATRE DEPARTMENT:
Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida, (Sept 1996--June 2000). I Established the Theatre Department; Taught three levels of Acting classes; Directed Scene Study Productions and Full Length Plays; Taught History of Theatre.
TV PRODUCTION DIRECTOR, WRITER and ON-CAMERA INSTRUCTOR:
Actors Performance Arts TV & Film School West Palm Beach, Florida, (Sept 1996--Aug 1999). I Directed on-Camera Acting Classes involving all levels of adult students in actual scenes from Soap Operas, Film, Commercials and Theatre. When these did not best serve actors, I wrote Television scenes for them. All actors and scenes were televised in video showcases for visiting Casting Directors, Agents and Managers.
ARTISTIC and MANAGING DIRECTOR:
Resurrected The Brian C. Smith Off-Broadway Theatre, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, (May 1996--July 1997), by working closely with Sun Trust Bank officials and Actors Equity Association to financially and artistically save this declining legitimate professional theatre. To include: paying of all back taxes and debts, re-establishing excellent credit standards, meeting all payroll requirements, and ensuring professional production quality. For Marcello, this was one of the proudest periods in my life: he saved a theatre!
DIRECTOR OF INAUGURAL SEASON:
For Actors & Company, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, (Sept ’95--Sept ’96), Marcello established, developed & launched this new theatre company and its facility, including stage and set construction, new sound and light system and technical crews for same. In addition, he Directed its entire inaugural season of Terrance McNally plays: “It’s Only a Play,” “Frankie and Johnnie In the Claire de Lune,” and “Lisbon Traviata.”
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR AND ACTING TEACHER:
At Stage Door Manor, Loch Sheldrake, New York, (Summer, 1995), Marcello Directed and taught Advanced Actors for both Stage and Television Productions.
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER:
For an International Tour of “Phantom of the Opera,” (January--June, 1995, Marcello filled the position of Overall Production Chief for all technical, artistic and production staff, crew, cast of 40, and operations. During this major tour through Portugal and Spain, each theatre presented enormous production reconfiguration challenges:to include (but not limited to) raked versus level stage, necessity of cutting set wagons and drops, restaging of crucial scenes — all of which Marcello Mastered & Delivered On Time, for over 200 performances!
NBC-TV ACTOR: New York, N. Y. January 1985 –January 1995:Appeared as recurring character “Franco” on NBC’s Daytime Soap Opera, Another World.
NYC VIDEO PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:
As the owner of Show-People Enterprises, New York, New York, 1990 to 1995, I directed individual promotional commercials. In their search for quality professional talent, the videos I directed were viewed by NYC Casting Directors, Talent Agents, Managers, and other casting professionals, in the SPE upper Westside Manhattan studio. As the marketing branch of The MBR Group, Show-People specialized in discovering, developing & showcasing the original works of lesser known playwrights.
PERFORMING ARTS DIRECTOR:
For the Long Lake Performing Arts Center, Summer Events, (1985—1992), Marcello coordinated the center’s transition from Creative Arts Programs into an area Mecca for the Performing Arts. To this end, he directed all productions of big-book musicals; Conducted all auditions for all productions every summer season; Created the Video and Vocal Music Programs; Supervised the Dance, Circus, and Instrumental Music Departments; Expanded Theatre Department to include 12 full-length stage productions per eight-week Season. Under his direction, all six disciplines of the Performing Arts Department were elevated to a higher level of training and performance expertise. Marcello was also responsible for the hiring and supervision of all Media & Performing Arts employees (25 to 50 professionals ranging in age from 21 to 50).
COORDINATOR of REHEARSAL DEPARTMENT:
For the Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston, South Carolina, (Jan—May 1985), Marcello coordinated 50 on-going rehearsal operations: arranging all equipment rentals, performance spaces, dress rehearsals, including Television, Theatre, Opera & Orchestra, opening nights, audience and post-show receptions.
NYC DIRECTOR of REHEARSAL DEPARTMENT:
At The Juilliard School, American Opera Center, Lincoln Center, New York, New York, (1983-1985), it was my shared mission to launch careers by giving post-graduate vocal students the opportunity to perform in mounted, full-scale productions of opera in the 1500-seat Juilliard Theater — directed and conducted by established, celebrated artists. To this end, I was responsible for holding initial auditions and interviews of all prospective members of this advanced opera production program. In addition, it was often my responsibility to give our singers dramatic coaching in their roles and redirect certain scenes.
GUEST DIRECTOR:
At The John F. Kennedy Center (1980—1983), Dr. Archie L. Buffkins, President and Consultant to the John F. Kennedy Board Chairman (Roger Stevens) and Kennedy Center’s National Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Performing Arts, engaged me to Direct Productions (in the Concert Hall, Opera House, and Terrace Theater) that showcased the outstanding talents of our diverse American culture.
DIRECTOR “1776”:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (Nov 1975—July 1976): This historical time launched Marcello's directing career! It included being asked by Senator Elizabeth Dole to open her Bicentennial Crystal Ball at the Philadelphia Academy of Music with the “Declaration Signing” Scene from my production. The Senator’s Crystal Ball featured Dick Shawn and the Pointer Sisters. Prior to the opening of “1776”, The National Park Service permitted the cast to hold one rehearsal for the public, in Independence Hall, which attracted a standing-room-only audience of tourists. During our eight month run, a flu epidemic resulted in my stepping in and performing the roles of John Adams, Ben Franklin, John Dickenson, John Hancock, and the infamous Edward Rutledge.
PROFESSIONAL NYC HISTORY as a THEATRE DIRECTOR:
The Circle Rep Theatre, The Harold Clurman Theatre, The Brooklyn Performing Arts Center, Broadway Grand Opera Company, Opera Northeast, The Duplex, Westbeth Theatre, Nat Horne Theatre, Manhattan Players, Irish American Theatre, Theatre Off Park, Primary Stages, New York Academy Off-Broadway Theatre.
PROFESSIONAL REGIONAL HISTORY as a THEATRE DIRECTOR:
The John F. Kennedy Center, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Philadelphia Academy of Music, Prince George’s Opera Company, Wye Mills Theatre, Lazy Susan Theatre, Riverfront Theatre, Kopia Theatre, King’s Jester Theatre, Hartke Theatre.
EDUCATION:
The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 1972-1975, Master of Fine Arts, Directing Towson University, Towson, Maryland 1969-1972, M.A. Acting, The Peabody Conservatory of Music, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 1965-1969, Bachelor Arts, Music (Voice)
MILITARY SERVICE:
Served honorably in the United States Army (1969—1972) as a lead singer and narration writer for the Soldiers’ Chorus of the United States Army Field Band, at Ft Meade, Maryland. In his last year of enlistment, Marcello was the Director of the “Soldiers of Song,” (a 12-member ensemble that included choreography in its performances). It was in this capacity, after a performance for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and members of Congress, that Marcello received a Congressional Citation from President Richard M. Nixon.
For More Information:
Video & Theatre Director:
Political Writer:
Voiceover Talent: