Christine Pedi-Led GOD OF CARNAGE Begins Tonight in Westchester

SOOP Theatre Company brings the Tony Award-winning play, God of Carnage, to southern Westchester this fall.

Former Eastchester resident, Christine Pedi, star of Spamilton, Chicago, Forbidden Broadway, and a host on Sirius XM Radio's "On Broadway", brings her comedy and acting prowess back to her home turf with her role as Veronica, the mother of a boy whose playground altercation with another child brings two sets of Brooklyn parents together to resolve the situation. Amanda Callahan, Paul Romanello, and Kevin McDowell Stevens also star in this comedy of bad manners and parental tensions.

"We are thrilled and honored to bring Christine Pedi back to Westchester to help us kick off our 2017-18 season with this fabulous and frenzied play," said Paul Romanello, artistic director of SOOP and fellow castmate. "God of Carnage has delighted audiences all over the world, and SOOP's interpretation is hilarious and irreverent. We can't wait for our community to experience it."

Performances of SOOP's God of Carnage begin tonight, September 7th, at the Manor Club in Pelham Manor, NY.

Christine Pedi is currently a co-producer & frequent guest performer in SPAMILTON-An American Parody off Broadway and was just seen in JERRY'S GIRLS at The York Theatre in NYC. She can be heard daily hosting SiriusXM Radio?s "On Broadway" channel and her impressions and comic voices are often featured on THE Howard Stern SHOW. She recently joined the cast of animated characters as "Holly Blue Agate" in Cartoon Network's STEVEN UNIVERSE. Known as the "Lady of a 1000 Voices" she earned a Drama Desk nomination for her work in Forbidden Broadway performing it all over the world and London's West End. Broadway credits include Mama Morton in Chicago, Talk Radio with Liev Schrieber, and Little Me with Martin Short. Her multi-award-winning cabaret show Great Dames has played all over the US, London, and South Africa. This December, her holiday show Snow Bizness celebrates its 10th anniversary in NYC at Feinstein's/54 Below. Hardcore Sopranos fans might recognize her as Mrs Bobby Baccala. 3 scenes, 5 lines, DEAD (but he loved her so much he couldn't defrost her ziti).

Paul Romanello has been the Artistic Director of SOOP Theatre Company since its inception in 1998. Paul has directed, coached and taught extensively throughout NYC and Westchester in such venues as Salesian High School (nominee, Outstanding Director, Metro HS Theatre Awards), the Hoff-Barthelson Music School, Peter Jay Sharp Theatre, Tres Artis, Metropolitan Playhouse and The Neighborhood Playhouse, where he had the privilege of working with playwright Bruce Jay Friedman on A New Bit (formerly 23 Pat O'Brien Movies). As an actor, his past credits include Amadeus (SOOP), 70/70 Horovitz (Theater for the New City), The Exciting Life (Altered Stages), Atrain (Re)Plays (Peter Jay Sharp Theatre), Atrain Plays (NYMF/Neighborhood Playhouse), Italian American Cantos (Abingdon), Bel Canto (Metropolitan Playhouse), Italian American Reconciliation (Seven Angels, CT) and the Israel Horovitz world premiere, 2nd Violin at the Boston Theatre Festival. He has appeared in several films including The Jerky Boys, Endangered, and the short, I Love You, I'm Sorry And I'll Never Do It Again. Paul lives in Westchester County with his wife and three children.

Amanda Callahan is a native Texan and has acted in various NYC productions. Theatre credits: Period of Adjustment (Isabel Haverstick) directed by George Loros, Three Sisters/August Osage County (Olga/Karen) directed by Robert Ellermann, Small Tragedy (Jenn) Directed by Liesl Tommy, & Laundry & Bourbon (Amy Lee) directed by Alex Lippard. Film & TV credits : Redemption (Beth) Dir by Tim Martin Crouse and I Was You (Natalie) Dir by Christopher Scott. Amanda received a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts where she studied with George Loros & Geoffrey Horne at The Lee Strasberg Institute.

KeVin Stevens is thrilled to be a part of this production of God of Carnage. He has worked regionally at theatres including the Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Shakespeare Theatre of DC and toured nationally with Chicago's Griffin Theatre. Recent New York credits include Marc in Venice at the Theatre at St. John's, and Mary V at Theatre for the New City."

Francesco Campari is an actor and director currently based in New York City. Born in Milan, Italy, he studied at a very young age at the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala and later at the Centro Teatro Attivo. He collaborated as an actor in multiple plays and roles under the direction of Marise Flach and as an actor and briefly with directors Peter Brook and Mamadou Dioume.In 2004 he directed several theater productions in his hometown. In 2006 Francesco moved to New York where he attended acting classes with Robert Ellermann and completed the two year certificate at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute. Afterwards he went on to direct several Off-Off Broadway productions such as Nineteenhundred by Alessandro Baricco, Fifth of July by Lanford Wilson and Proof by David Auburn. In 2012 he directed the acclaimed production of The Science of Guilt at the DR2 theatre starring Vincent Piazza and Anatol Yusef (Cast members of HBO's TV series Boardwalk Empire). He is a member of the 2011 Lincoln Center Directors LAB.

Since its inception in NYC in 1998, The SOOP Theatre Company (acronym for "Seat Of Our Pants") has been committed to the individual and their needs as a whole artist - be you actor, director, playwright, musician, dancer - with our SAME goals in mind: to do strong, passionate, invested work. Now producing in Westchester at the historic Manor Club Theatre in Pelham Manor, NY, as well as NYC venues, SOOP makes a commitment to give its staff a professional, nurturing and well-supported theatre experience - one that encompasses artistry, production value and industry support. The company is based at the Manor Club in Pelham Manor, NY.