Mark A. Keeton is an Actor, Writer and Director and a member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Based in New York for over 10 years now, he has gained a great deal of experience in both theater and film/TV. He's performed in numerous stage productions, television shows and films. Along with acting, he has written and directed for both theater and film. Adept at both comedy and drama, he's had roles ranging from Freddie Fillmore in "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" to King Philip in "The Lion in Winter" (OOBR Award) to Jesus Christ back to rap a message for the kids in the short film, "Jesus: The Re-Rise." He was recently seen on stage as Atticus Julep in "Alligator Summer" at the Abingdon and recently wrapped principal photography on the film, "Meyer Lemon," as Junior, a man coping with his life and his father's illness.
Film/TV/Radio
Mark recently appeared in NBC's "The Enemy Within" as the Conductor (and so much more) in episode 2, "Black Bear." He also finished shooting "Broken" as racist murderer Jay, "The Over/Under" as the flirtatious Wine Clerk, "Bite Me" as the vampire Butler, "Home" as swinging single Richard, "Make America Black Again" as Breitbart "Reporter" Dick Headman, "Mandated" as Reporter 2 and "Love in Kilnerry," as Roger, a rather henpecked husband.
He also recently completed principal photography as Ken, a sort of Guru/salesman in the short, "MFKZT." You can catch him on Amazon Prime as the Shopkeeper in "Wonderstruck," directed by Todd Haynes, which competed at Cannes. He also recently wrapped on his role as Mikey in the web series "Pros and Cons" and is in preparation for a role in a major motion picture TBD.
He recently starred as Junior (lead) in "Meyer Lemon," a short film about a man coping with his life and his father's illness. A touching film, there are plans for festival entry. He also recently completed principal photography in the role of The Stranger in the short, "Fallen Forest," in which he played a post-apocalyptic survivor who threatens the lives of his prey. He was previously seen in "Identical" AKA "Bleecker Street," by Daniel Bollag. He played the flamboyant Handsome Apartment Manager. He also recently completed "Mosquito Magazine," playing the sleazy talent agent, Anton Billups, "The Keepsake Box," playing mentally handicapped motel housekeeper Tyler, and played the role of "the Beast" in the horror short, "Follow the Leader."
Mark recently recorded the 6-episode radio drama, "The Aliens," which aired on WBAI 99.5FM. He voiced the roles of Noach, a Dutch humanitarian in Afghanistan, and Pedro, a Costa Rican drug lord.
Other recent roles include the Art Gallery Owner in the sci-fi short, "The Glasses 2;" Brentwood Roosevelt, the snobby British record producer, in the pilot "Effections;" and the Russian crime syndicate leader, Sasha, in the pilot, "The Titans of Gefa," for which he not only perfected the Russian accent, but learned some Russian for the role.
Other recent favorite roles include:
Porn Director in "They Say Fiasco"
The Stranger, an assassin, in "Within the Wall"
Stan, a mob boss, in "The Insane Mind of Jasper"
Jimmy Meaney, the Southie drug kingpen of Dorchester, in "Across Dot Ave" (Boston International Film Festival - seeking distribution)
Don, a downtrodden spatula salesman, in "Rebecca and the Fish" (Queens International Film Festival)
Jesus Christ, back to rap a message to the kids, in "Jesus: The Re-Rise"
Alphonse, a snobby "artiste," in "Bourgeois Blues"
Dirk, a cop on the run, in "Slice of Guilt"
Film Critic 2, a wit, in "Pepe's American Film"
Dr. Menace, a comic book villain, in "Captain Awesome"
Mark has used his versatility to create unique, full characters in over 20 independent, short and student film projects, playing everything from thieves to lovers to a perverted college dean.
Theater
Mark recently played Gary Gauger in an exhilarating production of "The Exonerated" at the Secret Theatre. Prior, he worked on a staged reading of "The Michigan Assassin" as Kaicel and other roles. He came to this after a successful run of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with Variations Theatre Group as Dale Harding. Production Information: http://www.variationstheatregroup.com .
REVIEW: http://www.Broadwayworld.com
"Other memorable performances included that of Jacklyn Collier as the delicious "Jersey-Girl" Candy Starr, and Mark A. Keeton as effeminate "closet-case" Dale Harding. Keeton's take on Harding was very reminiscent of Blance DuBois from Tennesee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire, but the persona breached even further than that. It was a very moving variation to watch: several moments where his melodramatic tendencies were actually very humanizing and sympathetic, rather than Melodrama's tradition of two-dimensional stock characters."
REVIEW: http://www.TimesLedger.com
"Mark A. Keeton, as the effeminate patient Harding, provides plenty of laughs, but is always in on the joke. He is in charge until McMurphy shows up, because he understands his place in the pecking order and doesn’t make trouble for Ratched.
“To survive, a rabbit hides from the wolf, it does not challenge it to combat,” Harding tells McMurphy."
He recently had a good run in "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" with Variations Theatre Group at The Chain Theatre, playing the Freddie Fillmore/Announcer track, including Mr. Potter, Gower and 11 roles total. He also worked with them in "Talk Radio" as Chet and other male callers.
Reviews of "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live RadioPlay "
"Using a nasally, almost whiny singsong patter, Mark A. Keeton leaves no doubt that Henry Potter is an unhappy — or as George says at one point —'frustrated old man.' Keeton’s excellent work is carried over to his bits as a radio announcer presenting live commercials for hair tonic and soap. He makes each one extremely funny because he plays it oh, so straight." http://www.timesledger.com. "
"Mark A. Keeton was especially ruthless as Mr. Potter, the villain who bought up everything in Bedford Falls and condemned the people to living in slums in the George Bailey-less hell-scape.
Keeton versatilely doubled as the radio show’s enthusiastic host." http://www.qchron.com.
Mark recently had the privilege to appear as Atticus Julep in the first full production of "Alligator Summer" at the Abingdon. He played the patriarch of southern family in dire straits whose world is crumbling. Producer information at: SqueakyBicycleProductions.com.
Review: "Mark A. Keeton’s Atticus Julep is powerful but torn" - "Alligator Summer" review on Theatre Is Easy
Mark has a long history in the theater and has flourished creatively in NY, performing in over 20 stage productions. He recently performed as Bill, a prodigal father and husband, in a staged reading of the new play,"Far From The Trees" with Squeaky Bicycle Productions. He recently performed in 2 Guest Artist contracts with Tempest Productions and also finished a run of Martin Zuckerman's adaptation of John Dos Passos' "Manhattan Transfer" with Turtle Shell Productions. He played JoJo Oglethorpe, a flamboyant, witty Broadway actor who has his share of "eccentricities." Reviewed by Robert Windeler in Backstage: "Mark A. Keeton provides needed comic relief as a sexually ambiguous cross-dressing performer with a southern drawl." Full review at Backstage.com.
He has had the joy of playing roles like Juror 10 in "12 Angry Men," Charles Dickens in "A Carole Christmas," Donaldbain in "Macbeth," Mat Burke in "Anna Christie," and many, many more.
He received an OOBR Award for his portrayal of King Philip in "The Lion in Winter" and is a member of Tempest Productions in NJ, with whom he regularly performs as a guest artist in various children's theater productions. Always open to new theater roles, Mark loves returning to the stage - whenever he can fit it in between television and film roles.
Writing/Directing
Mark has written numerous one-act and full-length plays, short films and feature-length scripts.
His feature-length script, "Right There," was honored by the Radmin/Filmmakers.com Contest. "The Bum," a short that was originally a short play, received honors with the American Gem Short Contest. His evening of one-act plays, "NY SeCrets," was produced at both the Harold Clurman and Riant Theatres. He has also written short pieces for benefits and cabaret performances. Along with writing for theater and screen, Mark has also had opinion pieces previously published in Metro and AM New York.
As a Director, he has directed numerous stage productions, including "A Cursed Chance," "Sordid Passions," and the Samuel French Festival entry, "Isadora Duncan and the 12 Apostles." Along with stage directing, he has directed in film, as well. He produced, directed and acted in "The Bum," which showed at the New York International Independent Film/Video Festival. He recently co-directed "Dynamic Intuition" with Unmarked Films.
He's currently in pre-production on a few projects, including 2 shorts to be shot in NYC.
Education
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre, with a concentration in Acting. He has a minor in English and he continues to study acting at various studios in NYC.
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