THE JURY
SELECTION & AWARDS PANEL
Francesca Ravera
ACTOR
FRANCESCA IS A NEW YORK-BASED, AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS. SHE RECENTLY STARRED IN TRUTH BE TOLD BY WILLIAM CAMERON AT THE GENE FRANKEL THEATRE. HER OFF-BROADWAY CREDITS INCLUDE LEAD ROLES IN THE HUMMINGBIRDS BY GARRET JON GROENVELD AT CHAIN THEATRE, A DYSTOPIAN PLAY THAT ALSO TOURED ITALY FOLLOWING ITS SUCCESSFUL NEW YORK PREMIERE, CONSTELLATIONS BY NICK PAYNE AT GENE FRANKEL THEATRE, WHICH ALSO TOURED ITALY, BLACKBIRD BY DAVID HARROWER AT THE NEW OHIO THEATER, TWO ROOMS BY LEE BLESSING AT ACCESS THEATER, NORTH OF PROVIDENCE BY EDWARD ALLAN BAKER, AND THE NINA VARIATIONS BY STEVEN DIETZ AT CHAIN THEATRE. SHE ALSO STARRED IN PRODUCTIONS AT URBAN STAGES THEATRE, INCLUDING ESPRESSO BY LUCIA FRANGIONE AND THE WAY WE GET BY BY NEIL LABUTE, WHICH TOURED EUROPE. FRANCESCA HAS APPEARED IN THE FEATURE FILM ULYSSES: A DARK ODYSSEY AND PLAYED THE LEAD IN THE DRAMATIC SHORT FILM CLAIRE, EARNING 'BEST ACTRESS' AWARDS FROM NUMEROUS FESTIVALS. SHE HAS ALSO FEATURED IN SEVERAL SHORT FILMS, INCLUDING CREATURE OF THE NIGHT DIRECTED BY KAYA TONE, OSIRIS DIRECTED BY TAMARA HANSEN, AND WINDOWS TO NOWHERE, ANOTHER FILM BY TAMARA HANSEN. FRANCESCA SERVES AS A JURY MEMBER FOR THE NEW YORK MOVIE AWARDS AND THE TELLY AWARDS.
Thomas R. Gordon
PRODUCER, DIRECTOR
THOMAS IS THE OWNER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE GENE FRANKEL THEATRE AND THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE ONOMATOPOEIA THEATRE COMPANY. BEFORE MOVING TO NEW YORK THOMAS WORKED AS A DIRECTOR, ACTOR, LIGHTING DESIGNER, SOUND DESIGNER AND THEATER TEACHER IN BOTH VIRGINIA AND CALIFORNIA.
DIRECTING CREDITS INCLUDE: YOU ARE NOT ALONE, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GREY, THE HOUSE OF BERNADA ALBA, OF MICE & MEN, MEDEA, ARSENE LUPIN VS SHERLOCK HOLMES, LET'S PLAY: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, AND MORE.
Thomas G. Waites
PLAYWRIGHT, PERFORMER
TOM HAS BUILT A DECADES SPANNING CAREER IN FILM, TELEVISION, AND THEATER. HIS TELEVISION CREDITS INCLUDE MULTIPLE GUEST APPEARANCES ON LAW & ORDER (SIX TIMES), AS WELL AS THE PUNISHER, HOMELAND, OZ, NYPD BLUE, ALL MY CHILDREN, AND ONE LIFE TO LIVE. ON STAGE, HE STARRED OPPOSITE AL PACINO IN AMERICAN BUFFALO, APPEARED ON BROADWAY IN SEARCH AND DESTROY WITH GRIFFIN DUNNE, ROCKED OUT IN THE CULT MUSICAL TEANECK TANZI WITH DEBBIE HARRY, AND SHARED THE STAGE WITH DICK LATESSA AND FRANCES MCDORMAND IN AWAKE AND SING! HE ALSO FOUNDED THE TGW ACTING STUDIO, WHICH BACKSTAGE NAMED THE #1 ACTING SCHOOL IN NYC. WITH LUCKY MAN, HE FINALLY TELLS HIS OWN STORY LOUD, RAW, AND BEAUTIFULLY UNFILTERED.
FIND OUT MORE AT THOMASGWAITES.COM