Biography
Marcello is a performer, producer and a writer. He is also the Artistic Producer of macIDeas (www.macideas.com), recipient of the 2004 Bright Light Innovation Award from The Toronto Star for innovation in producing and marketing.
He is currently filming the improvised feature Dirt with award winning director Matt Austin.He most recently starred in Leo (macIDeas/ Radke Films/ Bravo Fact!)directed by David Hyde with Liane Balaban, Jackie Burroughs, and Joris Jarsky. A hit at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, it is now in development for feature, as well as entry to other worldwide film festivals. Marcello also starred in the film choke., with Allegra Fulton, and Lindy Booth. choke. garnished much attention at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival, a "programmers" pick at the Palm Springs Film Festival and the Woodstock Film Festival along with other international festivals. Following much critical acclaim choke was nominated for a GENIE AWARD (Canadian Academy Awards) for best live action short film in March 2005.
On the stage, Marcello made a splash with his performance as "Warren"(role originated by Mark Ruffalo and played by Jake Gyllenhaal, Kieran Culkin, and Freddie Prinze Jr. in London) in the Canadian professional premiere of Kenneth Lonergan's play, This is Our Youth, directed by Woody Harrelson, with Queer as Folk's Fabrizio Filippo and Genie nominated Marya Delver in 2003. He also starred in the 2004 remount, with Sex and The City's Jason Lewis and Ginger Snaps star, Katharine Isabelle. (www.thisisouryouth.ca).
On his performance in This is Our Youth:
I have immense respect for Marcello because he is more than a terrific producer and actor- he is able to make dreams a reality, Woody Harrelson. (Cabezas)is a natural-born stage killer, Globe & Mail. Cabezas earns our sympathy and admiration, his chemistry with Filippo is excellent, (Delver's) make-out scene with Cabezas is convincingly hot, Variety. We discover the shades of nuance that Cabezas can introduce. One minute you want to punch his lights out, the next you want to hold him until he stops shaking. It's a fine subtle job, Toronto Star. Cabezas is thoughtful and lucid. His two scenes with Jessica (Delver) are beautifully outlined in writing and performance, National Post. Warmly played by sad eyed Cabezas, klutzy Warren emerges as the boyish, sympathetic hero, Toronto Sun. Cabezas gives an excellent performance as Warren that grows in power throughout the evening, Stage Door. Cabezas plays Warren with an amazing sense of foolishness and impulsiveness and occasional surprisingly sensitive lucidity-a shy sexiness, Cabezas gives him a lazy drawl that makes his wry remarks even funnier, and his is a tender portrait of one who nurses a private wound in his soul, Stage and Page.
Marcello also brought attention to his work with a powerful portrayal of the one-man show Vladeck, Jodi Miller's disturbing fictional account of a real life fatal beating of an innocent boy. In response to overwhelming feedback and success, Chum Television (Canadian Learning Television) optioned the script and shot the Vladeck National Television Special. CLT aired the special in spring 2004 to much critical acclaim.
The TV special is being sold to other English markets, and looking at packaging it for mass distribution to schools and youth groups across the country.
Vladeck has also been optioned as a feature film by producer George Burger and Marcello, and is looking to a 2006 production date.
On his performance in Vladeck:
Cabezas performs with vigour and sensitivity, Eye Magazine. Brilliant performance from a Dora deserving Cabezas, Canadian Jewish News. Cabezas delivers a highly believable teenspeak, Globe and Mail. Cabezas plays Vladeck with an abundance of energy and commitment, Toronto Star.
Other film and television credits include Marcello's recent guest star appearance in G-Spot (The Movie Network) with director Michael Kennedy (Kids in The Hall), and Homie Spumoni with Whoopi Goldberg and directed by Mike Cerrone (Me, Myself and Irene). Marcello has also had principal guest roles in Tracker (Fox) with Peter Mensah and the award-winning series Blue Murder. Marcello starred in the features Snowballs in Hell with Megan Dunlop (Parsley Days) and Fun With Roofies, a quirky short from Genie-winning director Naomi McCormack which screened at the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto.
Marcello attended theater school at New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, and completed the Ensemble Studio Theatre's Professional Writing Internship. In New York, Marcello enjoyed success on the stage, starring in the well reviewed two-hander, WC (winner of Overall Excellence Award at the 2000 New York Int'l Fringe Festival) and Love Labour's Won (winner of the Best Ensemble Cast at the 2000 Vital Works Festival). Still in New York, Marcello starred in various award-winning independent shorts and features, including Women Don't Eat Meat (recipient of the 2001 Pioneer Theatre Audience Award). Marcello also shot two independent pilots in New York: Newton Fuzzy and No Sleep Til' Brooklyn, and worked in the reputable PSNBC space on Crescendo Falls, a hilarious soap-opera farce that went on to be one of the more successful runs of that season.
While in New York, Marcello had the opportunity to work as the casting assistant for the Emmy Award-winning casting office of the HBO series Sex and the City, which opened his eyes to the world of television and casting.
Producing credits for macIDeas include Vladeck (Buddies in Bad Times), This is Our Youth directed by Woody Harrelson- 2003 & 2004 remount (Berkeley St. Theatre), the extended engagement of the production of Matt & Ben (www.mattandbentheplay.com) (Poor Alex Theatre). On the film side, Marcello served as a consultant for choke. and was an Executive Producer on, Leo.
He is also the creator and Executive Director of POV Film Camp, a new venture providing an opportunity for underprivileged youth to be exposed to the filmmaking process and how it then may inspire them to be a storyteller in the future, and enrich their lives forever. Many notables are listed to attend the camp as counselors schedule permitting including Thora Birch, Sharon Gless, Jason Lewis, and many others.
Marcello's writing credits include Nowhere to Turn, produced at the reputable Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York, and is working on a couple projects in development, including a class/race struggle piece entitled Kasimba.
