Ralph Macchio Added to Northport PAC Board

Screen, stage and television star Ralph Macchio has been named to the Northport Performing Arts Center (NPAC) advisory board. NPAC, a not-for-profit performing arts company with an objective to "bring Broadway closer to home," is on a mission to create a thriving center for the arts by revitalizing and preserving the old Northport Movie Theater at 250 Main Street. The advisory board includes highly-regarded directors, choreographers and actors who share this goal.

With an extensive list of film credits, Macchio is perhaps best known for his celebrated performance as "Johnny" in Frances Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders," the hit film "My Cousin Vinny" and for the title roles in the popular "The Karate Kid" series of movies. His most recent films are "A Good Night to Die" with Ally Sheedy and Laine Kazan and "Forever Together" with Diane Ladd. As a filmmaker, Macchio wrote and directed a short entitled "Love Thy Brother," which premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and can now be seen on HBO.

On the New York stage, Macchio made his Broadway debut opposite Robert DeNiro in the sold-out Joseph Papp production of "Cuba And His Teddy Bear," and just completed originating the role of Calvin in the new Off-Broadway production of "Magic Hands Freddy." He received critical acclaim starring in the National Tour of the Broadway musical-comedy revival of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

Television credits include the well-received ABC television film "The Last Pow? The Bobby Garwood Story," in which Macchio played the title role. Some other television movie credits include ABC's "The Three Wishes of Billy Grier" and CBS' "Dangerous Company."

"Ralph has been in the business for a long time and has risen to the top of his field with integrity and quality work," said NPAC founder Jerome Vivona. "It is his brand of creativity and fortitude that will help us make NPAC a reality for the Northport community and Long Island."

NPAC's advisory board also includes Tony Award winning theater and television stars John Lithgow and Brian Stokes Mitchell, Tony Award winning director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall, Tony Award winning choreographer Rob Ashford, Circle in the Square theater co-founder Emily Fabella Stevens, Broadway and television actress/singer Susan Egan, Tony Award winning choreographer Wayne Cilento, award-winning Broadway and film actress Marla Schaffel, choreographer/performer Phil LaDuca, Broadway actor Joe Machota, award-winning Broadway and television actor David Garrison, internationally-recognized dance educator Elsa Posey, noted Broadway actress Patricia Ben Peterson and attorney/Councilman Edward Ambrosino.

NPAC was founded by producer, director, choreographer Jerome Vivona, and other dedicated theatrical professionals, who wish to enrich the cultural and artistic enjoyment of Long Island theater audiences by bringing the Broadway experience closer to home. The goal is to reconfigure the existing Northport Movie Theater into a multi-purpose, state-of-the-art live performance facility, while maintaining its historic character. The center will house a professional acting company, an art gallery, facilities for screening major films, and a focused theatrical apprentice training program. A fundraising campaign to acquire the aging theater and complete the revitalization is ongoing, with numerous naming opportunities available. The goal to open NPAC by the fall of 2005 has the support of elected officials and residents who feel this extraordinary theater would be a boon to Northport and the Long Island economy. More information on NPAC can be found at www.northportpac.org.

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