In loving memory of Louis Schloss (Board) & Philip Seymour Hoffman (Advisory)
for their constant support and GUIDANCE to continue our work...
|
Board
Heather Corbett Jill DeArmon Kelly Dunn Sean Headley Stephen Adly Guirgis Jinn S. Kim Ana Ortiz David Zayas Staff Lianne Becker Megan Greener Advisory Chris Bell Kevin Geer (in memoriam) Philip Seymour Hoffman (in memoriam) Russell G. Jones Daphne Rubin-Vega Stephen Sapp Sarah Sidman Ben Snyder |
Jill DeArmon (Artistic Director/Board)
Jill DeArmon started teaching theater at public elementary schools while she was still attending Baltimore School of the Arts. After studying dance and theater at Philadelphia University of the Arts, she co-founded the theater department of the still thriving Young People's Theatre Company (YPTC) in Maryland where she directed 10 shows in four years. Jill moved to New York City in 1995 and since then she is a proprietor of Center Stage NY, has taught at ps11, Rebels With Applause, and The Lee Strasburg Institute. She was the Managing Director of LAByrinth Theater Company (Artistic Directors: Philip Seymour Hoffman & John Ortiz) from 1999-2002, and she is co-founder of Developing Artists Theater Company. Jill's New York choreography credits include: Stopless (LAByrinth Theater Company), Erin Cressida Wilson's Trail of Her Inner Thigh (LAByrinth), John Patrick Shanley's first musical A Winter Party (LAByrinth Theater Company), A Taste of Honey (Theatre 22), and Vanessa Hidary's Culture Bandit (Nuyorican Poets Cafe). Jill's Producing credits include; LAByrinth Theater Company's Stopless, In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings, and Culture Bandit & Darwaza. Her directing credits include: David Deblinger's Cockamamie Soup, Developing Artists' Runaways, Knee High to a Microphone, We Said Out Loud, These Days, Billy Sleepyhead and LAByrinth Theater Company's The Fairy Tale Project by Webb Wilcoxen. 
Jinn S. Kim (Executive Director/Board)
Jinn graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in Business Administration in 1990. Upon completion, he drove across the country to study Acting and Theater in New York. In 1995, he auditioned and was accepted into LAByrinth Theater Company. In the subsequent years, he was elected as the first official President of the company, where he helped lay the foundation for its current growth and success. He also became involved with Developing Artists, a theater school and company for young adults and The Lobby, a community of poets, musicians and artist that perform and inspire each other in a BI-weekly event. He produced 3 LAByrinth productions: Where's My Money? by John Patrick Shanley, Culture Bandit & Darwaza by Vanessa Hidary & Ajay Naidu and Our Lady of 121st Street by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Where's My Money? and Our Lady continued its run Off-Broadway and Culture Bandi & Darwaza played at various venues across the country. At the close of 2002, he left his administrative position at LAByrinth to focus his attention on Developing Artists. As an actor for LAByrinth, he appeared in QUEEN LATINA & THE POWER POSSE VS THE EVILS OF SOCIETY by David Anzuelo, RACE, RELIGION & POLITICS by Stephen Adly Guirgis (co-starring Philip Seymour Hoffman), DREAMING IN TONGUES written by the cast, A WINTER PARTY by John Patrick Shanley, THE FAIRY TALE PROJECT written by Webb Wilcoxen and directed by Jill DeArmon at the Public Theatre. Other theater credits include DISORIENTED, LOVENESS and the NYIT Award Winner for Best Original Production RISE AND FALL OF A TEENAGE CYBERQUEEN. Film and TV credits include: GRAVESEND, HURRICANE STREET, OZ and LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA, POWER, 11:55 HOLYOKE, THREE GENERATIONS. |
Lianne Becker (Associate Artistic Director)
Lianne is an actor, director, designer, producer, and teaching artist originally from the Boston area, currently calling Brooklyn her home. Recently she produced, designed, and co-wrote the web series LadyTips:Tips for Ladies. Last year she spent several months working in Paris with the Panthéâtre theatre company and studying Roy Hart voice work. Favorite New York acting credits include: Hot Fun in the Summertime (Cherry Lane Studio), Diventare (New World Stages, Kennedy Center, INcite Fest.), The Moon Play (Crash Theater), Much Ado About Nothing (Roundtable Ensemble). Lianne recently assistant directed Loveness (dir. Jill DeArmon). Other directing and co-directing credits include: Hot Fun in the Summertime (Cherry Lane Studio), The Last Supper (Spot 356) and numerous Dream Theatre Workshops throughout Boston and New York. As a teaching artist she worked at the Boston University Summer Theatre Institute for several years. She also taught at the Boston Dream Theater Workshop series and Wellesley Youth Theater. Lianne earned her BFA at Boston University’s School of Theatre.
Lianne is an actor, director, designer, producer, and teaching artist originally from the Boston area, currently calling Brooklyn her home. Recently she produced, designed, and co-wrote the web series LadyTips:Tips for Ladies. Last year she spent several months working in Paris with the Panthéâtre theatre company and studying Roy Hart voice work. Favorite New York acting credits include: Hot Fun in the Summertime (Cherry Lane Studio), Diventare (New World Stages, Kennedy Center, INcite Fest.), The Moon Play (Crash Theater), Much Ado About Nothing (Roundtable Ensemble). Lianne recently assistant directed Loveness (dir. Jill DeArmon). Other directing and co-directing credits include: Hot Fun in the Summertime (Cherry Lane Studio), The Last Supper (Spot 356) and numerous Dream Theatre Workshops throughout Boston and New York. As a teaching artist she worked at the Boston University Summer Theatre Institute for several years. She also taught at the Boston Dream Theater Workshop series and Wellesley Youth Theater. Lianne earned her BFA at Boston University’s School of Theatre.
Chris Bell (Managing Director)
Megan Greener (Co-Program Director)
Megan is a New York-trained actor, who was born and raised in Northern New Jersey. Spending most of her childhood and teenage years as an athlete (aside from one or two minor, hilarious involvements in elementary school theatrical productions), it was not until her later high school years that she discovered the raw sense of personal and artistic fulfillment that only theatre provided. After graduating from Montville Township High School, Megan attended Montclair State University, where she received her B.A. in Theatre Studies. During her senior, she was a national competitor for the Irene Ryan Acting Partner Award at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. A year later, she attended the 2-year Meisner professional training program at the Maggie Flanigan Studio in Chelsea, New York, where she studied under Maggie Flanigan, herself. Megan has been working consistently in both the New York and New Jersey area, most frequently with theatrical groups such as Strangedog Theatre Company (which frequently features the works of award-winning resident playwright, Ben Clawson), and the Secret Theatre, in Long Island City, Queens. Favorite credits include: The Shape of Things, Our Lady of 121st Street, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Basic Help (play written by Ben Clawson, in which she originated the role of Cynthia), Kitty Kitty Kitty, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, SubUrbia, and as an acting apprentice/understudy for the world premiere of one of Terrence McNally’s most recent plays, And Away We Go, at the Pearl Theatre in New York. She is also a member of New York-based theatre companies, The American Renaissance Theatre Company; Hamlet Isn't Dead, a Shakespeare company whose mission is to produce the entire canon in chronological order. When not working as an actor, Megan is a teaching artist. She is the associate artistic director of The Fine Arts Connection, a performing arts studio in Pine Brook, NJ - where she co-teaches group theatre classes for grades K-12 alongside actor and artistic director, Loren Christopher, and is also a private acting coach for both recreational and professional students of all ages.
Megan is a New York-trained actor, who was born and raised in Northern New Jersey. Spending most of her childhood and teenage years as an athlete (aside from one or two minor, hilarious involvements in elementary school theatrical productions), it was not until her later high school years that she discovered the raw sense of personal and artistic fulfillment that only theatre provided. After graduating from Montville Township High School, Megan attended Montclair State University, where she received her B.A. in Theatre Studies. During her senior, she was a national competitor for the Irene Ryan Acting Partner Award at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. A year later, she attended the 2-year Meisner professional training program at the Maggie Flanigan Studio in Chelsea, New York, where she studied under Maggie Flanigan, herself. Megan has been working consistently in both the New York and New Jersey area, most frequently with theatrical groups such as Strangedog Theatre Company (which frequently features the works of award-winning resident playwright, Ben Clawson), and the Secret Theatre, in Long Island City, Queens. Favorite credits include: The Shape of Things, Our Lady of 121st Street, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Basic Help (play written by Ben Clawson, in which she originated the role of Cynthia), Kitty Kitty Kitty, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, SubUrbia, and as an acting apprentice/understudy for the world premiere of one of Terrence McNally’s most recent plays, And Away We Go, at the Pearl Theatre in New York. She is also a member of New York-based theatre companies, The American Renaissance Theatre Company; Hamlet Isn't Dead, a Shakespeare company whose mission is to produce the entire canon in chronological order. When not working as an actor, Megan is a teaching artist. She is the associate artistic director of The Fine Arts Connection, a performing arts studio in Pine Brook, NJ - where she co-teaches group theatre classes for grades K-12 alongside actor and artistic director, Loren Christopher, and is also a private acting coach for both recreational and professional students of all ages.
Ben Snyder (Literary Director/Co-Producer of REBEL VERSES)
Ben is a playwright and educator, who has studied with Amy Freed at the American Conservatory Theater of San Francisco and Wendy Wasserstein at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ben’s writing credits include: Where I’m At These Days (2002), You Can Clap Now (2002), In Case You Forget (2001), Everything And Nothing (2000), Quixotic Erotic (1999), and I Had a Near Life Experience, My Death Flashed Before My Eyes (1999). His plays have been produced at Center Stage/NY, P.S. 122, A.C.T, Cal Arts, the Bronx Museum’s Teen Outreach, and in the 2001 and 2002 New York City Hip Hop Theater Festival. Other credits include: “Rebel Verses” (co-producer) and “Standards of Beauty” (director). As an educator, Ben collaborated with students at East Side Community High School, to produce the original play, “A Slap of Reality”. Ben was head facilitator of a Race Relations workshop at the Bronx High School of Social Change and a guest speaker on ‘The Pedagogy of Race” at New School University. He worked as an Actor Teacher with N.Y.U.’s Creative Arts Team (2000-2002) and with Arts In Action’s, “Jus Once” HIV/AIDS Educational Theater Workshop, Trinidad, West Indies (2001). He also led a playwright’s workshop in the Center of Creative and Festival Arts, University of the West Indies (2001). Ben is a mentor with Our Children, a program servicing the children of incarcerated women. For the summer of 2002 he worked as counselor at New World Theater’s summer youth program, Project 2050. Ben is DATCO’s Director of the Literary Department, as well as a resident playwright and instructor. Honors and Awards include: California State Art Scholar (1997, 1998), National Americorps Education Award (2001), Guest playwright at LAByrinth Theater Company's Summer Intensive (2000, 2002). Along with long time friend and collaborator Ari Issler, Ben teamed up to write, produce, and direct film and television projects. Ari and Ben’s original screenplay Birthright, a romantic comedy set in Israel and Palestine, is currently in development with Reza Aslan’s production company Boom Gen Studios. Their original thriller Rivers of January, a modern noir set in the live music and club scenes of Rio de Janeiro has Sebastian Cordero attached to direct. Ari and Ben’s short film, Hector is Gonna Kill Nate, premiered at the 2011 Aspen ShortsFest, and was nationally broadcast by PBS's On Story. Their original TV pilot, Nobody's Nobody's, starring Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire), has been optioned by Fremantle Media. Ari and Ben's most recent short, Home, premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Ben is a playwright and educator, who has studied with Amy Freed at the American Conservatory Theater of San Francisco and Wendy Wasserstein at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ben’s writing credits include: Where I’m At These Days (2002), You Can Clap Now (2002), In Case You Forget (2001), Everything And Nothing (2000), Quixotic Erotic (1999), and I Had a Near Life Experience, My Death Flashed Before My Eyes (1999). His plays have been produced at Center Stage/NY, P.S. 122, A.C.T, Cal Arts, the Bronx Museum’s Teen Outreach, and in the 2001 and 2002 New York City Hip Hop Theater Festival. Other credits include: “Rebel Verses” (co-producer) and “Standards of Beauty” (director). As an educator, Ben collaborated with students at East Side Community High School, to produce the original play, “A Slap of Reality”. Ben was head facilitator of a Race Relations workshop at the Bronx High School of Social Change and a guest speaker on ‘The Pedagogy of Race” at New School University. He worked as an Actor Teacher with N.Y.U.’s Creative Arts Team (2000-2002) and with Arts In Action’s, “Jus Once” HIV/AIDS Educational Theater Workshop, Trinidad, West Indies (2001). He also led a playwright’s workshop in the Center of Creative and Festival Arts, University of the West Indies (2001). Ben is a mentor with Our Children, a program servicing the children of incarcerated women. For the summer of 2002 he worked as counselor at New World Theater’s summer youth program, Project 2050. Ben is DATCO’s Director of the Literary Department, as well as a resident playwright and instructor. Honors and Awards include: California State Art Scholar (1997, 1998), National Americorps Education Award (2001), Guest playwright at LAByrinth Theater Company's Summer Intensive (2000, 2002). Along with long time friend and collaborator Ari Issler, Ben teamed up to write, produce, and direct film and television projects. Ari and Ben’s original screenplay Birthright, a romantic comedy set in Israel and Palestine, is currently in development with Reza Aslan’s production company Boom Gen Studios. Their original thriller Rivers of January, a modern noir set in the live music and club scenes of Rio de Janeiro has Sebastian Cordero attached to direct. Ari and Ben’s short film, Hector is Gonna Kill Nate, premiered at the 2011 Aspen ShortsFest, and was nationally broadcast by PBS's On Story. Their original TV pilot, Nobody's Nobody's, starring Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire), has been optioned by Fremantle Media. Ari and Ben's most recent short, Home, premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Russell G. Jones (Director of Outreach Programs)
Russell is an actor, producer, director, and teaching artist. Originally from Shaker Heights, Ohio, he relocated to New York City where he has been employed professionally as an actor for the past 16 years, and has been a Teaching Artist for seven. He is an active member of: Inverse Theatre Company, The Street Theatre, Mass Transit Street Theatre, Circle Rep Lab, Just Once a Month, The Street Theatre, The Verse Circus and The LAByrinth Theater Company. Original roles include: Flip in Our Lady of 121st Street, Greer from In Arabia We’d All Be Kings both by Stephen Adly Guirgis, Hollis from Lee Simon Jr’s God, The Crackhouse and The Devil, Seamus from Kirk Wood Bromley's The Death of Don Flagrante Delicto, and Shaquay from Jane Shepard’s Fiona’s Mane. Russell originated the role of "Christian" in the Pulitzer Prize winning play Ruined at Manhattan Theater Club (winning Obie, Audelco, and BTAA awards, and receiving Outer Critics and Joseph Jefferson nominations), A View from 151st Street at The Public Theater. Television and Film credits include: principals on NBC’s Law & Order, ABC’s Spin City, and Robert Patton Spruill’s Squeeze. Russell can also be seen opposite Michael Douglas in Steven Soderbergh’s multi-nominated Traffic. Russell has been a Teaching Artist with The Street Theatre’s ABC+ program, Artsgenesis, The Cleveland Public Theater and the Developing Artist program at Center Stage/NY. At the ABC+ program, a remedial reading program for first graders and second graders that uses acting games and nursery rhymes, Russell is a Teaching Artist and trainer for new Teaching Artists. Working under the umbrella of Artsgenesis, Russell co-designed and co-taught a program incorporating improvisation into script writing and video production. This program was designed for a population of 12 to 15 year olds with PSI 7 and PSI 8 ratings in a Harlem school in his neighborhood. In 2000, as part of the Cleveland Public Theater’s Summer Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP), a work-study program for local 14-20 year olds interested in the Arts, Russell served as Acting Consultant, and Assistant Director of the original play that culminated this six-week program. In the summer of 2001, Russell was Director of the Project, and Stage Director of the S.T.E.P. Currently, Russell is facilitating an arts powered, mentoring program, that examines the rites of passage from boyhood to manhood, at Bank Street Teacher’s College’, Liberty Partnership program. He has been recently appointed as Outreach coordinator for Developing Artist with the mandate to develop an outreach program to the inner city schools and community groups.
Russell is an actor, producer, director, and teaching artist. Originally from Shaker Heights, Ohio, he relocated to New York City where he has been employed professionally as an actor for the past 16 years, and has been a Teaching Artist for seven. He is an active member of: Inverse Theatre Company, The Street Theatre, Mass Transit Street Theatre, Circle Rep Lab, Just Once a Month, The Street Theatre, The Verse Circus and The LAByrinth Theater Company. Original roles include: Flip in Our Lady of 121st Street, Greer from In Arabia We’d All Be Kings both by Stephen Adly Guirgis, Hollis from Lee Simon Jr’s God, The Crackhouse and The Devil, Seamus from Kirk Wood Bromley's The Death of Don Flagrante Delicto, and Shaquay from Jane Shepard’s Fiona’s Mane. Russell originated the role of "Christian" in the Pulitzer Prize winning play Ruined at Manhattan Theater Club (winning Obie, Audelco, and BTAA awards, and receiving Outer Critics and Joseph Jefferson nominations), A View from 151st Street at The Public Theater. Television and Film credits include: principals on NBC’s Law & Order, ABC’s Spin City, and Robert Patton Spruill’s Squeeze. Russell can also be seen opposite Michael Douglas in Steven Soderbergh’s multi-nominated Traffic. Russell has been a Teaching Artist with The Street Theatre’s ABC+ program, Artsgenesis, The Cleveland Public Theater and the Developing Artist program at Center Stage/NY. At the ABC+ program, a remedial reading program for first graders and second graders that uses acting games and nursery rhymes, Russell is a Teaching Artist and trainer for new Teaching Artists. Working under the umbrella of Artsgenesis, Russell co-designed and co-taught a program incorporating improvisation into script writing and video production. This program was designed for a population of 12 to 15 year olds with PSI 7 and PSI 8 ratings in a Harlem school in his neighborhood. In 2000, as part of the Cleveland Public Theater’s Summer Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP), a work-study program for local 14-20 year olds interested in the Arts, Russell served as Acting Consultant, and Assistant Director of the original play that culminated this six-week program. In the summer of 2001, Russell was Director of the Project, and Stage Director of the S.T.E.P. Currently, Russell is facilitating an arts powered, mentoring program, that examines the rites of passage from boyhood to manhood, at Bank Street Teacher’s College’, Liberty Partnership program. He has been recently appointed as Outreach coordinator for Developing Artist with the mandate to develop an outreach program to the inner city schools and community groups.
Sean Headley (Board) Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College, North London Credit Union; The Consultancy Brief; Hackney Community College - View Training, Monument Equity. An experienced & respected industry leader in the education, learning & skills & enterprise sectors, with a thorough understanding of, and ability to communicate articulately about, varying approaches to improving the quality of learning, enterprise support & development in a variety of employment, skills & educational contexts. Direct experience leading & managing, various large, multifaceted organisations, of achieving ambitious financial & outcome based delivery goals through effective strategic planning & performance management. Sean is currently leading a private consultancy delivering bespoke services to the aforementioned sectors.
Ana Ortiz (Board)
The talented and vibrant Ana Ortiz broke out in ABC’s hit comedy Ugly Betty, earning her both ALMA and Imagen Awards for Best Supporting Actress. She is currently starring in Marc Cherry's hit show for Lifetime, Devious Maids. Ana is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company, where she delivered bravura performances under the direction of Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman in Stephen Adly Guirgis’ In Arabia, We’d All Be Kings. She also appeared in the John Patrick Shanley’s A Winter Party. She continued her theatre career in New York with shows such as Game of Patience, The Photographer, Matta of Time, Faust Invitro, and Mister. After developing substantial theater credits and outstanding reviews, Ortiz moved to television and guest starred on How to get away with murder, Revenge, Marry me, Covert Affairs, Everybody Loves Raymond and ER. Along with her starring role opposite Kelsey Grammer in the television film Mr. St. Nick, her feature film credits include Tortilla Heaven, Miramax’s Carolina, Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story and Big Mommas House 3:Like Father, Like Son, "Sleeping With the Fishes” and “Love is all you need”.
The talented and vibrant Ana Ortiz broke out in ABC’s hit comedy Ugly Betty, earning her both ALMA and Imagen Awards for Best Supporting Actress. She is currently starring in Marc Cherry's hit show for Lifetime, Devious Maids. Ana is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company, where she delivered bravura performances under the direction of Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman in Stephen Adly Guirgis’ In Arabia, We’d All Be Kings. She also appeared in the John Patrick Shanley’s A Winter Party. She continued her theatre career in New York with shows such as Game of Patience, The Photographer, Matta of Time, Faust Invitro, and Mister. After developing substantial theater credits and outstanding reviews, Ortiz moved to television and guest starred on How to get away with murder, Revenge, Marry me, Covert Affairs, Everybody Loves Raymond and ER. Along with her starring role opposite Kelsey Grammer in the television film Mr. St. Nick, her feature film credits include Tortilla Heaven, Miramax’s Carolina, Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story and Big Mommas House 3:Like Father, Like Son, "Sleeping With the Fishes” and “Love is all you need”.
Stephen Adly Gurigis (Board)
Stephen is an American playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor. He is a member and a former co-artistic director of New York City's LAByrinth Theater Company. His plays have been produced both Off-Broadway and on Broadway as well as in the UK. His play Between Riverside and Crazy won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His plays have been performed on five continents and throughout the United States. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, Our Lady of 121st Street, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and The Little Flower of East Orange were all produced by LAByrinth and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Judas and Little Flower were co-productions with the Public Theater. Other plays include Den of Thieves, Race Religion Politics, Dominica: The Fat Ugly Ho and the upcomingUntitled/St. Paul play. UK and regional premieres at the Donmar Warehouse (Olivier nom.), the Almeida (dir. Rupert Goold), the Arts, the Hampstead, Edinburgh (Fringe First Award) and two Midwest premieres at Steppenwolf. New Dramatists alumnus, MCC Playwrights and Ojai Playwrights member. TV writing credits include NBC's "UC: Undercover," David Milch's CBS drama "Big Apple," "NYPD Blue" and "The Sopranos."
Stephen is an American playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor. He is a member and a former co-artistic director of New York City's LAByrinth Theater Company. His plays have been produced both Off-Broadway and on Broadway as well as in the UK. His play Between Riverside and Crazy won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His plays have been performed on five continents and throughout the United States. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, Our Lady of 121st Street, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and The Little Flower of East Orange were all produced by LAByrinth and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Judas and Little Flower were co-productions with the Public Theater. Other plays include Den of Thieves, Race Religion Politics, Dominica: The Fat Ugly Ho and the upcomingUntitled/St. Paul play. UK and regional premieres at the Donmar Warehouse (Olivier nom.), the Almeida (dir. Rupert Goold), the Arts, the Hampstead, Edinburgh (Fringe First Award) and two Midwest premieres at Steppenwolf. New Dramatists alumnus, MCC Playwrights and Ojai Playwrights member. TV writing credits include NBC's "UC: Undercover," David Milch's CBS drama "Big Apple," "NYPD Blue" and "The Sopranos."
David Zayas (Board)
David is a Puerto Rican actor. He is most known for his roles as Angel Batista on Showtime's series Dexter, the cop at the poker game in the movie Rounders, Enrique Morales on the HBO prison drama series Oz, and as Sal Maroni on Gotham. Zayas joined the United States Air Force at age 19. He was a police officer with the New York City Police Department for almost 15 years. His career as a police officer allowed him to develop as a character actor, leading to a series of acting jobs on television and film mainly playing law enforcement officers. His experience in law enforcement helped him play characters on the other side of the law, like Enrique Morales on HBO's long-running prison-drama Oz. Zayas was a main cast member of Dexter for all of its eight seasons. Zayas has been a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company since 1992, a New York City-based traveling actors group. He branched out into television and film projects, and has diversified with guest roles in such popular television series such as New York Undercover, Person of Interest, and NYPD Blue.[2] At LAByrinth, he met his future wife, actress Liza Colón. Zayas played a corrupt police officer in 16 Blocks (2006) and an NYPD officer in Michael Clayton (2007). He is featured in the 2010 independent film Shadowboxing, which appeared on the film festival circuit. He appears in Sylvester Stallone's feature film The Expendables and The Brothers Strause's film Skyline. In 2012, Zayas played Ernie Trask, a hotel super, in the twelfth episode of season 1 of Person of Interest. Zayas appeared in an episode of Fox's drama The Following, playing the part of Tyson, Ryan Hardy's (retired) FBI best friend. Zayas portrays mob boss Don Salvatore Maroni in the Batman prequel, Gotham, which premiered on Fox on September 22, 2014.
David is a Puerto Rican actor. He is most known for his roles as Angel Batista on Showtime's series Dexter, the cop at the poker game in the movie Rounders, Enrique Morales on the HBO prison drama series Oz, and as Sal Maroni on Gotham. Zayas joined the United States Air Force at age 19. He was a police officer with the New York City Police Department for almost 15 years. His career as a police officer allowed him to develop as a character actor, leading to a series of acting jobs on television and film mainly playing law enforcement officers. His experience in law enforcement helped him play characters on the other side of the law, like Enrique Morales on HBO's long-running prison-drama Oz. Zayas was a main cast member of Dexter for all of its eight seasons. Zayas has been a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company since 1992, a New York City-based traveling actors group. He branched out into television and film projects, and has diversified with guest roles in such popular television series such as New York Undercover, Person of Interest, and NYPD Blue.[2] At LAByrinth, he met his future wife, actress Liza Colón. Zayas played a corrupt police officer in 16 Blocks (2006) and an NYPD officer in Michael Clayton (2007). He is featured in the 2010 independent film Shadowboxing, which appeared on the film festival circuit. He appears in Sylvester Stallone's feature film The Expendables and The Brothers Strause's film Skyline. In 2012, Zayas played Ernie Trask, a hotel super, in the twelfth episode of season 1 of Person of Interest. Zayas appeared in an episode of Fox's drama The Following, playing the part of Tyson, Ryan Hardy's (retired) FBI best friend. Zayas portrays mob boss Don Salvatore Maroni in the Batman prequel, Gotham, which premiered on Fox on September 22, 2014.