BAGNERIS, Vernel 1949–

PERSONAL

Born July 31, 1949, in New Orleans, LA. Education: Graduated from Xavier University; studied theatre in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Addresses: Agent— Barry Douglas, DGRW Agency, 1501 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

Career: Actor, director, dancer, choreographer, lyricist, and writer. New Experience Players (multi–racial experimental theatre company), founder; workshop director for Broadway musicals, including Bojangles, 1982, and Rev. Jenkins, 1988.

Awards, Honors: Laurence Olivier Award nomination, outstanding achievement in a musical, Society of West End Theatre, 1981, for One Mo' Time; inducted into Southwest Theatre Conference Hall of Fame, 1988; Obie Award, Village Voice, 1995, Outer Critics Circle Award, Lucille Lortel awards, outstanding performance and outstanding writing, League of Off–Broadway Theatres and Producers, and Drama Desk Award nomination, all for Jelly Roll! The Music and the Man; Astaire Award nomination, best male dancer, Theatre Development Fund, 2002, for One Mo' Time.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Papa Du, One Mo' Time (musical), Village Gate Theatre Downstairs, New York City, 1979–1981, then Phoenix Theatre, London, 1981–1982.

Staggerlee (musical), Second Avenue Theatre, New York City, 1987.

Papa Du, Further Mo' (musical), Village Gate Theatre Downstairs, 1990.

Ferdinand Joseph LaMenthe (Jelly Roll Morton), Jelly Roll! The Music and the Man (musical), Forty–Seventh Street Theatre, New York City, 1994.

Lacy, The Life (musical), Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1997–1998.

Li'l Augie, St. Louis Woman (musical), Prince Music Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 2000.

Papa Du, One Mo' Time (musical; revival), Longacre Theatre, New York City, 2002.

Appeared as Chester Kent, The Slow Drag, American Place Theatre, New York City; also appeared in productions with New Experience Players, and in regional theatre productions.

Major Tours:

Appeared in touring productions of One Mo' Time.

Stage Director:

One Mo' Time (musical), Village Gate Theatre Downstairs, New York City, 1979–1982.

Staggerlee (musical), Second Avenue Theatre, New York City, 1987.

Further Mo' (musical), Village Gate Theatre Downstairs, 1990.

One Mo' Time (musical; revival), Longacre Theatre, New York City, 2002.

Also directed productions for New Experience Players and for regional theatres.

Film Appearances:

High priest, Crypt of Dark Secrets, Omni International, 1976.

Jelly Roll Morton and police officer, French Quarter, Crown International, 1978.

Accordion man, Pennies from Heaven, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1981.

Preston, Down by Law, Island, 1986.

Film Choreographer:

Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story, Crusader Entertainment, 2004.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Papa Du, One Mo' Time, syndicated, 1986.

Joe Witherspoon, The Gift of Amazing Grace, ABC, 1986.

Jean Toomer, "A Marriage: Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz," American Playhouse, PBS, 1991.

Also appeared in Friday Night Surprise, NBC; narrator of the documentary Purple Rose of Cairo, PBS.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Voice, Jazz, PBS, 2001.

RECORDINGS

Albums:

Performed for the cast recording of One Mo' Time.

WRITINGS

Stage:

One Mo' Time (musical), Village Gate Theatre Downstairs, New York City, 1979, then Phoenix Theatre, London, 1981–1982, revived at Longacre Theatre, New York City, 2002.

(And lyricist, with others) Staggerlee (musical), Second Avenue Theatre, New York City, 1987.

Further Mo' (musical), Village Gate Theatre Downstairs, 1990.

Jelly Roll! The Music and the Man (musical), Forty–Seventh Street Theatre, New York City, 1994.

Television Specials:

(With others) One Mo' Time, syndicated, 1986.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

American Theatre, April, 1999, p. 41.

New Leader, January 30, 1995, p. 23.