Joe Mantegna was awarded the Tony and Joseph Jefferson Award for his acclaimed performance as Richard Roma in David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross.
Some of Mantegna’s film and television highlights include House of Games, Searching for Bobby Fisher, Godfather III,” his Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated role of Dean Martin in “The Rat Pack,” his Emmy-nominated role of Pipi Delana in “The Last Don” and the voice of Fat Tony on “The Simpsons.” For two seasons Mantegna starred with Mary Steenburgen and Amber Tamblyn in the critically acclaimed CBS drama “Joan of Arcadia,” which won the 2004 People Choice Award for best new drama and picked up three Emmy nominations. In 2008 Mantegna reprised his Emmy-nominated role of Lou Manahan opposite Debra Messing in the USA Network series “The Starter Wife.” Mantegna has also lent his voice to the Disney/Pixar film Cars 2 and continues his 23-year run as Fat Tony on “The Simpsons.” In April of 2011 Mantegna received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Currently Mantegna stars as FBI Special Agent David Rossi in season thirteen of the hit CBS Drama “Criminal Minds” and continues his hosting and producing duties for six seasons on “Gun Stories” for the Outdoor Channel. His newest collaboration is “Hollywood Weapons: Fact or Fiction?” He is the director of the Critically Acclaimed one man show, "I'm Not A Comedian... I'm Lenny Bruce" which is written and performed by Ronnie Marmo and is currently on a National Tour. Mantegna resides in Los Angeles with his wife of 40 years, Arlene and their two daughters, Mia and Gia.
Lisa is a filmmaker and Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilot. She has worked as a professional Actress and Acting Coach for over 35 years. She studied at New York University in the School of Educational Theatre, including, film production and screenwriting at NYU’s Tisch School for the Performing Arts. She also taught at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.
Lisa has always had a passion for mission driven projects. In 2001, Lisa wrote, directed and produced an educational film, "Kenny" to raise awareness for the rare skin disease, Ichthyosis. Kenny won The Manhattan Global Film Festival and Humanitarian Award.
As a survivor of domestic violence Lisa founded her non-profit, 501C3, A Write to Heal, Inc. in July of 2006. Lisa traveled across the country presenting her one woman show. She proudly presented as a keynote speaker for the YWCA in Washington, D.C. and internationally in Zurich, Switzerland at the Women’s World Council.
Lisa’s advocacy work has a strong focus on raising awareness on issues surrounding trauma. She has a passion and love to serve our military community through her film productions, which include veterans as consultants, cast and crew members.
The camaraderie of ‘Vets on set’ has proven to be a positive healing experience for our heroes in Lisa’s film productions, ‘The Shooters Nail' and ‘The Shades’, an official selection of the Cinequest Film Festival and Berlin Lift-Off.
Over the last 12 years, Lisa has conducted interviews with military soldiers and their families. She is currently adapting their true stories into a dramatic tv series, Heroic Episodes.
Lisa can be booked as a keynote speaker and continues to develop her humanitarian projects and writings with a focus on a universal message of hope and healing.
Ronnie Marmo is currently touring his critically acclaimed one man show, “I’m Not A Comedian... I’m Lenny Bruce”. Marmo wrote the show which is directed by Tony Award Winning stage and television star Joe Mantegna and just celebrated seven years and 453 performances. Marmo is an acclaimed playwright, director and actor who has starred in more than 80 feature films and television shows, most recently guest starring on "FBI: Most Wanted", "Ghosts", "Lethal Weapon" and “Criminal Minds”. Marmo enjoyed a three-year run on ABC’s “General Hospital” as RonnieDimestico. On film, he starred in “Ammore E Malavita (Love and Bullets),” an Italian musical film which won the David di Donatello for best picture (the Italian equivalent to an Academy Award). Other credits include “Back in the Day” (streaming on Netflix now), “Deuces Wild,” “Crocodile Dundee in LA,” “West Of Brooklyn,” “Pizza With Bullets,” “Death Of A Tree,” “Irish Eyes (aka Vendetta),”etc. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor by the Indie Soap Awards for his role as Crotch in the comedic series
, “Adults Only.” On stage, he has starred in more than 40 plays. Marmo voiced the audiobook in which he portrays Lenny Bruce in Lenny’s autobiography, “How to Talk Dirty and Influence People.” He continues to serve as the proud Artistic Director of Theatre 68 in Los Angeles and New York City for the last 24 years.
Through my nonprofit, A Write to Heal, I've conducted over twelve years of research and interviews with the heroes who protect and serve us.
Trauma Has the Power to Break Us or Empower Us___Lisa Regina
Behind the scenes rehearsal with actor, Jaden Michael
Short Pilot: "The Shooters Nail" -
the making of this short film was possible with the veterans who joined our cast and crew.
Lisa, is an advocate and has devoted years to educating communities on the sensitive subject matters of Domestic Violence and Surviving PTSD through her non-profit, 501C3, A Write to Heal.
Lisa has devoted the past 12 years interviewing military men and women of all branches of service and all wars. She has adapted these veterans stories to her writing of a narrative series, 'Heroic Episodes' https://heroicepisodes.org/
After having veterans on her film sets, Lisa learned that their military skills translate well to a film set. This inspired Lisa to create the Veterans Film Apprenticeship and the Veterans Drone Training Program. The apprenticeship gives Veterans a chance to heal and assimilate back into civilian life through drone training and job opportunities in the aviation and film industries. Once Veterans complete drone training, they will be guided through testing and licensing in order to become a Part 107 commercial drone pilot.
Lisa Regina's non-profit, A Write to Heal, https://awritetoheal.com/ was awarded a 150k congressionally funded grant through Senator Booker.
The grant was possible through the efforts of ACEA (Atlantic County Economic Alliance). A Write to Heal has partnered with ACEA and ACCC (Atlantic Cape Community College). The grant monies will be used to provide the first class of 12 veterans with drone training, testing and licensing in order to obtain their Part 107 Commercial Drone License.
The medium of writing & filmmaking provides me with a powerful platform to heal and address serious subject matters. I wrote 'The Shades' as a response to my assault and as a creative way to speak out against violence against women. I founded my 501C3, A Write to Heal, Inc., to help others heal from trauma and overcome PTSD.
The Shades is an official selection of Cinequest Film Festival and Berlin Lift-Off Online Festival
Anti-Bullying Video-
Lisa Regina- Writer, Director, Producer
"I find beauty and power in the silent emotion."
Lisa created this community project with the students of her alma mater, Triton High School in Runnemede, NJ. Lisa was thrilled to direct over 600 students who came out to support and bring to life Lisa's vision and message: to speak out against bullying and to never be a bystander.
"I love producing projects that give back. There is no greater feeling than bringing together people who believe and connect to a message.'
"I had to use a bullhorn to be heard and to direct over 600 high school students. The teens were patient, despite the freezing weather."
"Whenever I write a script, I try to offer my students a chance to build their craft and on set experience. My students are either acting in my project or they are part of the production crew."
Filming a video and casting the entire school in the project really empowers the teens and community leaders.
"I had an image in my mind of hundreds of students united and standing against the bully.'
Taking the writing from concept to production to educate and empower.