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Philly Fringe Vital Stats: J. Michael DeAngelis

Posted August 24th, 2012

Pete Barry and J. Michael DeAngelis of The Porch Room Productions.

Their 2011 Philly Fringe submit X/Y was named one of the Top 5 Must Sees at Live Arts & Philly Fringe by 34th Street Magazine, so we know that The Porch Room Productions makes good art. Composed of co-writers J. Michael DeAngelis and Pete Barry, the production company is collaborating with The Underground Shakespeare Company to release onto this year’s Philly Fringe audiences Antony & Cleopatra: Infinite Lives, a play-within-a-play that centers on recent Egyptian political strife — you know, that revolution powered by social media #readthisguardianarticle. Appropriately, you can follow The Porch Room Productions on Twitter after reading J. Michael’s Vital Stats #afterthejump.

Name: J. Michael DeAngelis.

Age: 32.

Show Title: Antony & Cleopatra: Infinite Lives.

Explain your performance in 2 sentences. To an 8-year-old. A long time ago, Shakespeare wrote a play about Egypt and today in Egypt, a lot of people are fighting for democracy. We wonder if there’s a connection.

What do you love (or hate) most about Philadelphia audiences? A Philadelphia audience can always surprise you. For example, after a performance of our last Philly Fringe show, I was approached by an unassuming group of middle-aged women who wanted me to mount the show at their erotic literature club! (Extra surprising because I wouldn’t have classified our show as erotic. At all.)

What would you do if you just inherited a pizzeria? My entire life has been building to this moment. I have already drawn up plans to convert an outdoor storage area of my office building into a pizzeria and I bring it up at staff meetings at regular intervals.

 Your refrigerator: condiments and beer, or real food? Condiments and beer aren’t real food? Interesting theory. Please go on.

Favorite coffee shop? What do you order? I am frequently found at the Krupps machine in the back of my office.  It’s the Italian Blend k-cup most mornings.

Marvel Comics, or DC? Marvel for stories, DC for artwork.

What’s your favorite nickname for Philadelphia? Sally.

What’s the worst piece of advice you ever received? Did you follow it? When I was in college, my family doctor, who I’d known for years, gave me a stern lecture about how I should be majoring in biology or business instead of theater.  Not only did I not follow that advice, I never went to him again.

A doctor puts a scope inside your ear. What does she see? A Ceti eel.

Do you have relatives more famous than you? I had an uncle who thought he was St. Jerome.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” or Cookie Monster’s “Share It Maybe”? Cookie Monster all the way.  If I wasn’t already a massive Muppet fan (I am a Muppet of a man), I would be biased on this question anyway, because my long time friend and Sesame Workshop employee, Chrissy App, can be see in the video as one of the dancers! (Hi, Chrissy!  Call me, maybe?).

Antony & Cleopatra: Infinite Lives runs September 13, 14, and 15 at 8:00 pm at the Penn Museum, 3260 South Street. $20.

–Audrey McGlinchy