Spotlight On...Joseph Palestina

Name: Joseph Palestina

Hometown: Glen Ridge, NJ

Education: BFA Acting, MA Counseling

Favorite Credits: Be True to Your School and W

Why theater?: It's raw. It's flawed sometimes. It's awkward as well, through that there's a great deal of power that can grow.

Tell us about Enchanted Arms?: It's a series of plays inspired and adapted from fairy tales, a pretty interesting idea. It's been awesome to see it come to life.

What inspired you to write W?: Past relationships, solitude, sex, paranoia.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Unconventional theater speaks to me, risque content, strong acting and unpredictable story arcs.   Charlie Kauffman inspires me as an artist. Great writing inspires me. Real, genuine acting inspires me. The inner struggle and impulse of man inspires me.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Lars Von Trier, Steve McQueen, Charlie Kauffman, Spike Jonez.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: "True Detective".

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I write, act, and direct a web-series about myself called "Joe Pal & Eggs".

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: It's not legal.

What’s the most played song on your iPod?: Right now...."Optimistic" by Radiohead

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be_____:  I'd still be attempting to juggle several jobs at once, as I'm doing now.

What’s up next?: My novel "Jimmy Mack and The Lingers" is currently in its 3rd round of edits. I'd like to finish that before I'm 50. Also, I'm working on a short film about a day in the life of three people, currently untitled