Andrew Shea (Director/Producer)
Andrew Shea teaches directing and film/video production in the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin.
Andrew's last feature, THE CORNDOG MAN, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to screen and win awards at a number of domestic and international festivals. His first feature, SANTA FE, also premiered at Sundance. His short film, TAKE MY BREATH AWAY, was one of two American shorts invited to screen in the International Critics Week of the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.
In the 1980s, Andrew founded the New Mexico Repertory Theatre, a regional professional theatre based in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. During his tenure as artistic director, the New Mexico Rep became the largest and most successful theatre in the history of the state.
Andrew is a member of the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television, California Institute of the Arts, Northeastern University School of Law, and Hampshire College.
John Rafter Lee (Writer/Producer)
John Rafter Lee can be heard in MTV’s AEON FLUX, as Trevor Goodchild, the most evil man in the world; in HBO’s SPAWN, as Jason Wynn, the most evil man in the world; and in Jet Li's THE BLACK MASK he dubbed the voice of The Commander, the most evil man in the world. His plays have been produced around the country and his adaptation of Schiller’s “Don Carlos” received its Los Angeles premiere in June of 2001 and opened in New York in September 2004. He wrote, co-produced, and played the lead role in the feature film, BREATHING HARD, which won awards at festivals across the country and internationally, including the Texas Film Festival and the International Festival of Film in Ajijic, Mexico.
Billy Burke (Frank O’Neal)
Billy Burke plays one of the leads in Robert Benton’s new film, FEAST OF LOVE. Billy can also be seen in FRACTURE with Anthony Hopkins. He’s just completed work on the independent features, THE FALLEN with John Savage and RETIREMENT with Peter Falk, George Segal and Rip Torn. Billy also starred in the Touchstone film LADDER 49 with Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta.
He starred in DILL SCALLION (called "a SPINAL TAP for country music") with Peter Berg, Henry Winkler and Lauren Graham, ALONG CAME A SPIDER with Morgan Freeman and Robert Towne’s WITHOUT LIMITS.
His television credits include a chilling six-part arc on the second season of "24" as well as the critically acclaimed series WONDERLAND, written and directed by Peter Berg.
Sherry Stringfield (Karen Mellor)
Sherry Stringfield attended the Acting Conservatory of the State University of New York at Purchase from which she graduated 1989 with a BFA. During this time, she appeared in numerous off-Broadway productions. After working briefly in theater, she accepted a three-year contract portraying Blake in the CBS daytime drama “Guiding Light.”
Sherry later traded daytime for nighttime, landing a role on the critically acclaimed ABC drama, “NYPD Blue.” After her stint as Laura Kelly on “NYPD Blue,” she struck gold again, nabbing the coveted role of Dr. Susan Lewis on the ratings bonanza “ER.” After 3 ½ years of the daily grind of a TV series, Sherry took a break from the show and moved to New York. She returned to “ER” in the fall of 2001, much to the delight of the fans of the long running drama.
Gregory Itzin (The Preacher)
Gregory Itzin received Tony and Drama Desk nominations for his performance in the Pulitzer Prize winning play “The Kentucky Cycle.” In Los Angeles, he received Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle awards for performances in “Waiting for Godot,” “The Homecoming” and “The Birthday Party.” Television appearances include roles on “Friends,” “Navy NCIS,” “Judging Amy,” “Boston Legal”, “JAG,” and guest-starring roles on “NYPD Blue,” “The West Wing”, “Without a Trace,” “CSI,” THE O.C. and “The Practice.” Silver-screen credits include FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS, AIRPLANE, WHAT’S COOKING?, EVOLUTION, ORIGINAL SIN and LIFE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT.
In 2005, Itzin joined the cast of “24” as Vice President Charles Logan and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for this performance.
Wayne Knight (Bob)
Wayne Knight worked as a fruitcake salesman and private investigator during his "struggling actor" phase, and years before Seinfeld he was a regular on the British sketch comedy show “Assaulted Nuts.” While overseas, he was befriended by actor-comedian Emma Thompson, and she still describes him as her best American friend in real life.
The character of Seinfeld's nemesis Newman had been devised long before Knight got the part, and Larry David supplied an unseen Newman's voice on early episodes of Seinfeld. When the corpulent, scheming mailman finally appeared on camera, Knight went back and redubbed the early episodes with his own voice.
Knight also played the heavy in Spielberg's original JURASSIC PARK, and romanced Kristen Johnston as the goofy Officer Don on “Third Rock from the Sun.” He is the voice of Mr. Blik the Cat in Nickelodeon's “Catscratch.”
Carol Ann Shine (Producer)
Carol Ann Shine is an Independent Producer/Line Producer responsible for numerous award-winning shorts, documentaries and feature films including: BLACK LIKE WHO and LETTER TO MY MOTHER for Showtime; WALKING MELE; KINGS, a Slamdance 2000 competition short and winner of the Showtime Black Filmmakers Grant; MILK AND HONEY, also for Showtime; and STONE MANSION, a runner-up for Showtime’s Black Filmmaker Grant. In addition Shine produced THE MALE GROUPIE which aired on HBO. Shine’s independent features include ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF SUCCESS, THE GIRLS ROOM, DR. BENNY, FLIP THE SCRIPT, and FORFEIT as well as a host of music videos. She recently completed the second season of “Noah’s Arc” produced in conjunction with LOGO/MTV.
Sherri James (Producer)
Sherri James is Vice President of Christopher Brian Films. She has been behind the scenes of projects like the horror film, SOMEBODY HELP ME, which stars R&B superstars Marques Houston and Omarion. Currently, James is developing the Screen Gems sequel YOU GOT SERVED 2. Previously, James produced the award-winning short films, AVAILABLE MEN, GABRIELLE, THE MALE GROUPIE (recently acquired by HBO), CODA, LEILA and the 2004 Sundance Official Selection ONE FLIGHT STAND (also running on HBO). Other production credits include BIKER BOYZ, NBC's "Roots: Celebrating 25 Years," and the indie feature HIP, EDGY, QUIRKY. James holds an MFA from the University of Southern California's Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing Program and a BA with honors from the University of Pennsylvania.
