Born and raised in New York City, with roots from the Dominican Republic, Marco Antonio is a graduate of La Guardia High School For the Performing Arts in NYC and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Southern Methodist University. He has acted, written, produced and directed hits such as Pico de Gallo, Heaven Forbid(s)! (named Outstanding New Play by The Dallas/Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum) and the Southwest Premiere of Rick Najera's Latinologues, which later moved on to Broadway. His short screenplays, Silence, Mariscal and Covenant all placed 1st at the NYC Midnight international screenwriting competitions. Silence and Covnenant were finalists in the Creative World Awards. Mariscal is a finalist in the Slamdance writing competition. His play, La Luz De Un Cigarrillo (Ashes Of Light), received an extended by popular demand run at New York's Off-Broadway LATEA theater, Lehman Stages and Dominican Republic's Teatro Las Máscaras. It is the recipient of 5 HOLA, 4 ACE and 3 prestigious Soberano awards, including Outstanding Achievement In Playwriting. La Luz De Un Cigarrillo (Ashes Of Light) has been published in both Spanish and English editions by NoPassport Press and has been added for study to the University Of Puerto Rico Spanish department curriculum as well as the Spanish and Caribbean Studies Department Curriculum at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Marco Antonio is the recipient of the distinguished Cultural Arts & Entertainment Award given by The New York State Hispanic Court Officer's Society. He has also written guest commentary for national publication Latino Leaders Magazine and is the recipient of a Banff Literary Translation Centre Writing Residency in Canada. His most recent play, Barceló Con Hielo (Barceló On The Rocks), won the national MetLife Nuestras Voces Playwriting competition as well as 4 HOLA awards which include outstanding achievement in playwriting. Barceló On The Rocks is a semi-finalist of the 2015 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwright's Conference and is enjoying an extended run (in which he also stars) at New York's Repertorio Español. Marco Antonio was just awarded a best leading actor Independent Theater Award for his work on Barceló. As an actor, he recently co-starred in the season finale of the television series Person Of Interest. Show less «