Biography
Actor Muso / Producer / Director / Writer Antone Pagán is a lifetime member of the famed Actors Studio since the late 80s and has served on its Membership Committee. For decades he has supported fellow actors, writers and directors to develop projects in The Actors Studio Playwright/Directors Unit[PDU] such as Al Pacino, Ellyn Burstyn, Estelle Parsons, Arthur Penn and Frank Corsaro who was instrumental in reuniting Antone with then Studio President Paul Newman who Antone had met and worked with on "Ft. Apache: The Bronx" in his native Bronx. The 2 of these fine Actor & Director gentleman[Frank and Paul]were instrumental in making Antone a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. He more recently supported a project presented 1/22/20 as an Actor-Muso where he brought in a fellow New FAMILY Theater company member Edwin Vazquez as co-musical director to assist him in scoring and playing supportive character music for the "Don Quixotish" piece. As an acting member he has participated since the 80s in the famous Acting Sessions, Playwright/Director Units as well as fully staged Productions such as Maxim Gorky's "The Lower Depths" adaptation "At The Bottom" with Tatum O' Neal and Sonja Sohn in her first play before being cast in HBO's "The Wire". Has also participated in Member seminar /workshops such as Chekov's "Three Sisters" and recently in 2020 in "The Animal Exercise Workshop and Roberta Wallach's Workshop on "Wu Style Tai Chi"; which she was advised decades ago by her former teacher Lee Strasberg to study who truly felt Tai Chi was of the utmost importance for the actors instrument for relaxation while being in an energized state. Antone represented the Elia Kazan-ish character with old school gangster looking wardrobe demonstrating the old original acting exercises that they drilled back in the 40s and 50s during "The 50th Anniversary Celebration" in 1997 of The Actors Studio's inception in 1947 as The The Group Theatre . Members then included Harold Clurman, Lee Strasberg, Cheryl Crawford, Stella Adler, Clifford Odets, Sanford Meisner and Elia Kazan, among others in 1947. At The Actors Studio he has been positively guided and inspired by Frank Corsaro, Miriam Colón, Ruby Dee, Arthur Penn, Lee Grant, Elizabeth Kemp, Harvey Keitel, Al Pacino, Roscoe Lee Browne, Ellyn Burstyn, Estelle Parsons and Paul Calderon (who he has recently studied under again). He has also supported the "Inside The Actors Studio" taping and appeared 'as himself' for the Robert Downey, Jr. episode.
He is a long time member of SAG/AFTRA and AEA (Actors Equity)and is a voice actor on several commercials, industrials and video games for example 'Manhunt' Video game 2003 as can be heard Youtube's video "All Innocents Dialogue from Manhunt" where he also wrote the Spanish Dialogue, some of the English and created several Animal and other strange sounds. He's developed a few Spoken Word Theater pieces inspired by his 'Nuyorican' Latino New York roots and some poetic and literary works of Pulitzer Prize nominee, Poet, Activist and Educator: Don Piri Thomas/Tomás who wrote the classic autobiographical "Down These Mean Streets".
Mr. Pagan has studied at New York University's Undergraduate Drama - 'Stella Adler' then transferred to Circle in the Square to pursue mime, movement, dance techniques, in addition to his theater/acting studies. This study along with supplemental off campus dance classes at Alvin Ailey led him to several productions (spanning years) of "West Side Story" as Bernardo and receiving favorable reviews.
He soon transitioned into film work with earlier on screen appearances which include: "Stripes", "The Killing Hour", "Dirty Dancing" and "The Warriors". Most recently in the 2019 Sundance Film Festival he briefly appeared in the most recent film by "Gunhill Road" filmmaker Rashaad Ernesto Green in his new urban romance film, "Premature" where he supported master musician, composer, percussionist and 8 time Grammy Nominee Bobby Sanabria as he jammed on conga drums on a subway platform for the lead actors in love in this charming film which will screen for the 1st time in New York in the Brooklyn Academy of Music[BAM]in June 2019. In the Horror Genre he appeared in the Italian horror classic, "The New York Ripper" by Lucio Fulci and in the SAG Low Budget Indy film "Mulberry Street"; which was selected as one of the '8 Films To Die For' release by Lionsgate. It did well nationally and internationally on the film festival circuit. Additional zombie horror film experience included a stint in 2009 with the original Zombie filmmaker George Romero in "George Romero Presents Deadtime Stories". He also co-starred with and coached on set ex-football star and TV personality Ahmad Rashad in the 90s horror classic TV show "Monsters" in the highly rated Vietnam tunnels zombie episode "The Hole".
Additional film appearances include: Martin Scorsese's "Bringing Out The Dead", Abel Ferrara's "RX'mas" with Vic Argo, the Salsa music biopic about Hector Lavoe, "El Cantante" (as J Lo's brother Papo) co-starring with Marc Anthony and "30 Beats" with Jennifer Tilly [Antone's first film with Production Counsel by the innovative, compassionate and artistic Production Attorney /Executive Producer: Jonathan Gray of Gray, Krauss, Stratford, Sandler and Desrochers, LLP].
In some independent films Antone was featured in "Nightlife"; which premiered in 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. He was instrumental in getting it placed in The Tribeca Festival as well as the independent film "Here and There" (Best Narrative Award Prize 2009) starring David Thornton and his spouse Cyndi Lauper. This film also screened well in The Cannes 2009 Film Festival and garnered awards at other festivals Antone assisted in its entries.
As a filmmaker he graduated The Digital Film Academy Filmmaker course where he studied with mentor and colleague Mevlut Akkaya of Akkaya Films, which led Antone to producing Independent films. Two of which were showcased in the 2004 HBO sponsored New York International Latino Film Festival where he was awarded The Independent Light Award for "A Producer with Vision". And again he screened in 2005's Festival as Supervising Producer for "Sangre/Blood" with Producer Edwin Pagan. In 2015 he co-produced and acted in short film "Mi Hijo" (My Son) with filmmaker and fellow actor John Hoyt as a Co-Production venture for the Film Festival circuit where it screened in 5 Festivals and garnered 2 awards. In 2017/18 he Executive Produced another Indy SAGAFTRA film with Mr. Hoyt entitled "Mr. Frank"; which will have its 1st screening in the 1st annual Hells Kitchen NYC Theater and Film Festival [www.hellskitchennycfestival.com] which he assisted Mr. Hoyt in its beginning stages.
Multiple prime time TV credits include: All "Law & Order" shows, "The Sopranos", "Miami Vice", and "N. Y. Undercover" among others as well as all NYC Soaps, TV commercials, voice over and video games have also been part of his work experience such as the successful, yet ultra-violent horror hit stealth video game "Manhunt" 2003 as several 'Innocentz' also known as Skullyz Gang voices who wear the cut off hoodies and skull masks. Antone's voice is featured in almost 10 minutes of dialogue in English and Spanish [which much of it he wrote in a 4 hour extended recording session] arrange by dear casting person Judith Henderson with Rockstar Games where he created animal sounds, voices and effects. Other video games, industrial and commercials have also been part of his work experience over the decades.
He has applied and developed production skills for several years as a 'Production Set Dresser/Stagehand for New York City's Bi-Yearly 'Fashion Week'; as well as simultaneously running as a longtime Crew/Stagehand member for the well disciplined "House of Paul" Production Company run by its Founder Mr. Paul Soltys (a great guy & employer), who allowed Antone the space and opportunity to further develop his production crew skills.
Antone has applied his Production Crew/Set Building skills to major feature film Art Departments such as "42" - The Jackie Robinson story guided by Art Director Charles McCarry and under the supervision of award winning Production & Scenic Designer Richard Hoover("Dead Man Walking", "Cradle Will Rock" among many film credits) and on stage: (The 'Tony Award' Winning design of Tennessee Williams' last play on Broadway, "Not About Nightingales" among others) and his Emmy Award Winning design for the David Lynch cult TV show, "Twin Peaks". Additionally, Antone is privileged to have interned and work on stage under Mr. Hoover in 'Props', 'Set Sculpting', 'Painting' and 'Set Dressing/Decorating' Departments as an assistant/ trainee on several Off-Broadway projects such as: "Suburbia" directed by Eric Bosigian at 2nd Stage Theater, "The Darfur Project" at LaMama Theater, "The Treatment" at The Culture Project-45 Bleecker St.Theater, "Small Engine Repair" at The Lucille Lortel Theater and "7 Guitars" at The Signature Theater brilliantly directed by fellow Boriqua Actor/Director/ Musician Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who is the most prolific interpreter of August Wilson's plays with his Broadway directorial debut occurring in January 2017 with Wilson's last play, "Jitney". Mr. Hoover was set to design Mr. Pagan's 2009 Broadway Revival of "Short Eyes" by Miguel Pinero which failed due to Antone's felonious producing partners marginalizing, breaching contract and destroying his vision and project for this ill-fated major Revival opportunity. One of Antone's earlier professional film experiences "behind the scenes" on 'crew' call was in 2002 as a volunteer apprentice 'Set Decorator/Dresser/Set Construction' on the Documentary Film about Master Latino Writer and Poet Don Piri Thomas: "Every Child Is Born A Poet: The Life and Work of Piri Thomas".
Major Theater acting credits include: Bernardo in "West Side Story" with long time friend and associate Todd Robinson, Vershinin in "The Three Sisters", Raulito in "Landscape of the Body", among others and Paco Pasquale in Miguel Piñero's, award-winning prison classic and Pulitzer Nominated play, "Short Eyes"; which he also presented as a workshop at The Actors Studio in 1999 under the supervision of Estelle Parsons with direction by Paul Calderon. In Sept. 2013, Antone was pleased to have co-produced and present with Voza Rivers, Andre Robinson, Jr. and The New Heritage Theater Group in The Roger Furman Reading Series of "The 40th Anniversary Staged Reading of Miguel Pinero's Short Eyes" at The Historic Riverside Theatre where it had originated 40 years prior. He also acted as 'Juan' in it. Vinny Pastore (Big Pussy on 'The Sopranos') was one of his guest actors with brilliant direction by Columbia Professor and Artistic Director of The Impact Theater, Jamal Joseph. Antone honored Marvin "Pancho" Felix-Camillo and The Family Theatre Group, who discovered Piñero and nurtured his writing talents many years ago. Antone has also worked on developing Piñero's signature "Lower East Side Poem" as a performance piece at The Actors Studio under the guidance of Harvey Keitel and Elizabeth Kemp. He has also worked on other Piñero 1 acts and poetry with his New FAMILY Theater Group. Antone was inspired by writer and Pulitzer Nominee and Family member Juan Shamsul Alam and founder of the Family Theater Group, Marvin "Pancho" Camillo, who also directed the original production of "Short Eyes" in the 70s. Presently Antone is the Executive Artistic Director of SILENT WARRIOR Productions The New Family Theater, LLC in NYC. Inspired by The original Family and by The Family Life Improvisational Theater which Antone was a co-founder /teen performer of as a beginning actor. He and his other teen co-founders were instrumental in developing "Runaways" for Broadway in a 5 week intensive workshop run by Elizabeth Swados. Furthermore he has developed "The Pinero Poetry Theater Project"; which premiered in the debut of the 2012 Times Square International Theater Festival at The Roy Arias Studios and Theaters in Times Square presenting a full staged reading of this Poetry Cabaret Theater Piece with directorial/choreography support by Luis Salgado [Broadway's "In The Heights" and "On Your Feet"]. He also appeared in Salgado's workshop as Director/ Choreographer in the first staged reading of an original musical called "Valencia" at The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater run by theater impresario Miriam Colon[one of Antone's mentors and the 1st Puerto Rican Actors Studio member in 1955]. She presented the Boogaloo Musical off-Broadway hit "I Like It Like That" prior to her demise in 2017.
In 2016 Antone dedicated a lovely Art Space/Theater to his Dear Mom, who is responsible for his artistry and positive artistic choices. He christened 'The CLARA's Heart Memorial Riverside Theater and Art Space' in the latter part of the year by interpreting the Poetry of of Don Piri Tomas and Pedro Pietri with live drumming and Joe Cuba and Joe Bataan underscoring.
He is very pleased and honored to announce that he has reunited with Voza Rivers and The New Heritage Theater Group to present a pre-workshop glimpse of Don Piri's Poetry set to music and inspired by his documentary, "Every Child is a Poet" as well as his classic signature literary masterpiece and Pulitzer Nominated book "DOWN THESE MEAN STREETS". As a guest of Mr. Rivers, Antone and Company will begin performances and teaching Spoken Word Theater in September 2016 at Hunter College's Theater Department run by the former Artistic Director of Lincoln Center. Recently in 2018, Antone helped further develop and workshop Felix Rojas' 1 act 1 man play called "Growing Up Gonzales" at The AO Studio as a subsidized guest artist of Enrique Cruz DeJesus and The Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Performance Company. He has completed a four week run to satisfied full capacity houses in this workshop presentation 2/25 to 3/17/18 near LaMaMa Theater on the historic 4th Street Theater Block in The Lower East Side. He looks forward to further develop projects at The AO Studio with his fellow Artistic Brothers Enrique Cruz DeJesus. He is presently studying and performing Puerto Rican Drumming, Dancing and Vocals with African roots known as Bomba in Milteri Tucker's fabulous Bombazoo company in his native Bronx. Musical study and association with Multiple Grammy Nominee, Teacher, Historian and Composer Bobby Sanabria are also leading to some wonderful project developments.
As a 'Concept Producer', Antone, coined by a couple of supporters 'The TruthSayer', is presently embarking on Cross/Multi-Media Projects encompassing several Art Forms & Genres without being limited to type, niche, or 'style'. Further, as 'Artist of Life' Bruce Lee would say, "do not believe in styles, styles separate man. It is the process of continuing growth; so empty your mind-be formless, shapeless...like water with the idea being that running water never grows stale...so you just gotta keep on flowing'" . . . For Bruce
More to come! Fuerte Ache!!!
