Director / Editor / Producer / Writer / Narrator – JOHN ACHORN

An accomplished director, actor, and teacher who has specialized in the commedia dell’Arte technique for over 40 years, John Achorn is a protégé of the legendary Carlo Mazzone-Clementi, with whom he helped to found the Dell’Arte School in Humboldt County where he has occasionally returned to teach commedia.  As a Visiting Assistant Professor, Mr. Achorn has taught acting and directed productions at The University of Redlands, UCLA, USC, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Mr. Achorn has contributed physical comedy routines for and performed in numerous stage, television and film productions, as well as commercials.  He has led numerous workshops and master classes in improvisation, mask, physical comedy and commedia for groups such as Studio Zanni, Art[via]Corpora, ARTEL, Deaf West Theatre, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Stages, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, and The Antaeus Company, of which he is a long-standing member. As a producer, Mr. Achorn has produced many theatrical events and productions.  In 1982 he co-produced and directed Handmade! A Weekend at the Harvest Festival for Festival Films and General Expositions, winning the Golden Plaque Award from INTERCOM, Honorable Mention from the American Film Festival in New York and the Golden Reel Award from the International Television Association in 1984.   He served as Entertainment Director for the Harvest Festival for 10 years, producing variety shows featuring such acts as Riders in the Sky, Elmo & Patsy, Maria Muldaur, The Dillards and many more, and produced “Live At The Harvest Festival” in 1984, a record album featuring various musical acts, which was nominated for a Grammy in 1985.    In the theatre he has produced numerous productions for the Theatre of Marvels (SF) and Roadshow Productions (SF/LA) plus various theatrical events in Southern California.  In 2000 he produced the tribute video that was shown at the memorial for Carlo Mazzone-Clementi in Blue Lake, California.

Currently teaching Shakespeare, American Novel, and History of Comedy at Santa Monica College’s Emeritus College, Mr. Achorn is also involved with the Virginia Avenue Project, where he instructs at-risk teens in Creative Dramatics, and conducts classes in Commedia dell’Arte at The Antaeus Academy in North Hollywood.  He devotes the majority of his time to his passion: creating a documentary on the late Carlo Mazzone-Clementi and his amazing contributions to the art of comedy.

Editing and Story Consultant – DONOVAN SCOTT

In 1970 after studying at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, where he met and studied with Carlo Mazzone-Clementi, Donovan Scott’s life was changed forever.  He studied, taught and performed with Carlo from 1974-76 in Blue Lake.  It was during this time he perfected his physical comedy skills.  At the same time he toured with a commedia dell’Arte troupe on the east coast.  He quickly became artistic director of the troupe and traveled for three years before returning to San Francisco.  He worked in theatre for the next two years, performing in Alaska as well as at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, where he spent a 9-month residency.

In 1978, Mr. Scott moved to Los Angeles where he began his film career co-starring in such films as Steven Spielberg’s 1941, Robert Altman’s Popeye, and starred in Savannah Smiles, Zorro The Gay Blade, Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, Police Academy I, Back to the Future 3, and Psycho 3 amongst others.  His television credits include: Slap Stick Studios, Life With Lucy and numerous sitcoms and commercials.

He directed and edited three movies and two mini-series in Russia, all of which he also starred in.  He was nominated for a Silver Bear Award in Germany for his work on Empire of Eagles, a German TV series.  He continues to edit reels for actors and is just finishing work on video biography with the comic actor Paul Dooley.

He teaches improvisation and comedy in Los Angeles, and was named one of the top three Improv teachers in Southern California.  He has a comedy improv group which performs weekly at the ACME Theatre where his homage to Carlo continues.

Composer – RANDY CRAIG

Randy Craig is a composer working on piano composition. He holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Pomona College, and has studied with Andrew Doe. Piano study has been with Harley Reifsnyder, and most recently with Mark Levine and Dick Hindman.

Composer, Musical Director or Performer with: San Francisco Mime Troupe, founding member Pickle Family Circus, San Diego Rep, Oregon Shakespearean Festival at Ashland, Berkeley Rep, founding member SF Make*A*Circus, Teatro Zinzanni, Magic Theater, Aurora Theater, Dell’ Arte Theater, Intersection For The Arts, The Childrens’ Troupe, Vaudeville Nouveau, Human Nature Theater and others he can’t remember.

Composed more than 20 musicals for the SF Arts Education Project and the Young Actors’ Workshop at Contra Costa College. Artist in Residence at Cal State Summer Arts at Humboldt State and Long Beach State. Artist in Residence at School Of The Arts High School in SF.

Has composed way too many scores for film and theatre. His work has been seen at the Mill Valley Film Festival, The SF Jewish Film Festival and others around the world.

Nominated for two Bay Area Critic’s Circle Award for Best Original Score, one of which he won. Scored an Academy Award-nominated film. Didn’t win. Oh well….

Most recently composed the score for and performed in Bill Irwin’s adaptation of Moliere’s Scapin at American Conservatory Theater. The show was named one of the ten best of 2010 by the SF Chronicle.

Producer / Story Consultant – RICHARD GREEN

Richard Green is a graduate of California Institute of the Arts.  He subsequently attended NYU Graduate Film School prior to working for the New York Shakespeare Festival / Public Theater on the staff of script development.  He is a founding member of Theatre of Marvels and an early member of Dell’Arte.

As a musician/composer he has performed all over the world working with a wide array of internationally known jazz and rock players and arrangers.

As an actor he has appeared in numerous films and television programs including The Magician in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive.  He also maintains a high profile career in the low profile voice-over business with clients ranging from Turner Classic Movies & Coca Cola to Call Of Duty – Modern Warfare 3.

His writing/directing credits include feature films, theater, commercials and episodic television.

He is the executive producer of David Lynch presents I Don’t Know Jack, a documentary about the unsolved life of Jack Nance, star of Eraserhead.

He made his feature film directing debut with the Next Step Studios production 7 Year ZigZag…. a true story told entirely in rhyme and original music.

He has developed numerous digital projects including Biography Films, Prepare and Share, Had To Be Made – the first nationwide film festival, and his current venture – History of Cool: A Multi-Platform Entertainment Enterprise.