Tigertainment Studios

Staff Bios
Michael John:
Talent Manager & Producer
(click photo for larger view)

Michael John has been acting since his birth; but started his formal training at Loyola Marymount University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Minor in Theater Arts. He has been as comfortable performing comedy as he is wielding a sword.

His desire to help others succeed has been the driving force behind his move five years ago to become a personal talent manager. His first agent, Valerie Cragin, founder of the Flaire Agency, believed in his talent and gave him his first chance; and now he wants to give that opportunity to his clients who need someone to believe in them and give them a chance. Many of his clients have already been seen on commercials, episodic TV, daytime soaps, in films and are getting their careers underway!

As an actor, he was seen in commercials, episodic TV, feature films, and was seen on stage from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center numerous times for the Los Angeles Opera, to the original cast “Star Trek, the Experience” in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Michael began his career in stuntwork by working with Stunts-R-Us, and was Taft-Hartleyed when he did his first SAG commercial, stunt driving a full sized pickup, a Jeep Honcho, in the commercial. He also gave stand-up comedy a try for awhile by studying with Stanley Myron Handelman which lead him to teach comedy traffic school for five years. Commercials were always the strength behind his career, and was seen promoting products in over 20 different commercials. He worked on episodic TV and in many independent films as well. Because of his love of the theatre and stuntwork, he spent 15 seasons and over 40 productions wielding swords, doing falls, and cracking whips as a supernumerary with the Los Angeles Opera.

While an actor, he also found time to serve on the SAG Conservatory National Board; as well as direct commercial and audition workshops at the SAG Conservatory at AFI in Los Angeles. He has also been a long time member of The Society of Fight Directors.

Tony Torrisi:
Director & Acting Coach
(click photo for larger view)

Mr. Torrisi is a native of Boston with over 37 years of acting, directing, and producing experience. Mr. Torrisi found his acting roots in New York where he acted in Off-Broadway productions and had the good fortune of working with Joseph Papp, acting in productions of "Shakespeare in the Park".

Studying with Lee Strasberg and becoming a member of the Actors Studio were all positive steps in Mr. Torrisi's development as an actor and a director.

Coming to Los Angeles in the early 70's, Mr. Torrisi worked in television on such shows as Police Woman, Night Stalker, Room 222, and many others. He has acted in over 30 theater productions ranging from Puck in Midsummer Nights' Dream to "Teach" in American Buffalo. He continued his studies with esteemed acting coaches: Peggy Feury, Jeff Cory, and Ivor Francis.

In the early 80's he turned to cable and produced and hosted his own Ace nominated talk show "Dialogue" and interviewed such celebrities as Steve Allen, Paul Peterson, Conrad Bain, Anthony Perkins, Rosemary DeCamp and Oscar nominated cinematographer, Jack Green.

He turned to directing stage productions in 1987 and has directed over 50 shows, collecting 6 Best Director Awards for his efforts.

Since 1987 through the present, Mr. Torrisi has been fortunate to direct some critically acclaimed productions such as A Few Good Men, Dangerous Liaisons, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The HoneyMooners and Steel Magnolias, the latter two winning Best Director Awards and a "Best Play Award for Magnolias. Directing and helping produce Love Letters with Marion Ross, Joann Woorley, Charlotte Rae, and Len Lesser over 3 consecutive weekends was also a favorite for Mr. Torrisi.

From 1997 through the present, Mr. Torrisi also directed "The Mario Lanza Story" which tours throughout the country in such cities as Los Angeles, Denver, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tampa, And Miami Beach.

Mr. Torrisi is in his 10th year of coaching other actors and has his own acting workshop in Los Angeles. He worked as director for the "Academy for Music and Dramatic Arts" in Hollywood and was Resident Artistic Director at P.V. Players in L.A. for 11 years.

Nichola Bonora:
Fight/Stunt Coordinator

Nicholas has been working as an actor and stuntman in Los Angeles since the fall of 2000 after graduating with honors from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Acting.

Nicholas's movement and fight training began in college as part of the actor training program at UCSB, and grew from there. After attending and winning the award for Best Fight Scene at the 2000 National Stage Combat Workshop held by the Society of American Fight Directors at UNLV, he moved to Los Angeles. Two years later he met up with Edward Douglas and Anthony De Longis, being cast as a fighter in the Los Angeles Opera Production, Girl of the Golden West. Nicholas has worked with Anthony and Ed on several L.A. Opera productions. He continued working with Ed for the next year, and continues working with Anthony, training and adapting real combat styles for stage.

He most currently has worked with the LA Opera again appearing with the ensemble in Achim Freyer's production of Wagner's "The Ring Cycle." He has also appeared in Julie Taymor's (The Lion King) world premiere production at the Los Angeles Opera of "Grendel," and continued with the show when it premiered in New York at The Lincoln Center.

A few of his local fight choreography credits include two productions of All Hallows Eve for Pendelum at the Hudson Main Stage Theatre and Highways Performance Space, Romeo and Juliet for the Charlens Company at the Stella Adler and Heathen Valley at the Elephant Asylum Theatre.

On a personal note, Nick enjoys Chili Cheese Pringles and hates referring to himself in the third person.

____________________________________________________

Victor Ralys
Arranger, Composer & Conductor
Vocal, Music & Piano Instructor

Originally from New York, Victor studied music at Queens College (NY), and masters courses in vocal pedagogy and choral conducting at Westminster Choir College at Princeton (NJ). He studied privately with Myron McPherson, vocal coach at The Metropolitan Opera in NY.

Victor’s vocal coaching includes children to adults. He emphasizes proper vocal technique based on autonomic discipline rather than concentrating on any particular vocal style. “No matter what style you’re singing, physically it should feel good!”

Victor has written original music for video, stage and radio. Musical styles include jazz, pop, rock, fusion and classical. Arrangements include both instrumental, which vary from small band to orchestral, and vocal arrangements from duets to choral in all styles.

Combined with New York and Los Angeles, Victor has been an organist/choir director for the last 25 years. Currently, he is organist/choir director at St. Casimir's Church in Los Angeles (Los Feliz).

______________________________________________________