That’s me in London outside the Royal National Theatre before show time. I met up in merry ol’ England with a bunch of friends from grad school who teach in the UK and Ireland.

Yep. I go to the theatre a lot, and really like to travel. I’m from New York—grew up in Bayside, Queens, then Great Neck, Long Island, and now reside in Manhattan. My family has deep ties to Little Italy downtown, where my father grew up and grandparents ran a bar and restaurant on Mulberry Street. The old neighborhood holds special place in my life because I spent so much time there as a child. The taste of homemade pasta always reminds of my grandmother’s cooking.

My home here at Baruch is the Fine and Performing Arts Department. I delight in being a theatre professor because I’m living my dream to study and teach the arts and culture. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Well, I do enjoy other things. Swimming is one. Outdoor activities are another. I follow sports, especially baseball. Go Yankees! My summer realty TV addition was the dance competition So You Think You Can Dance. Something else I can share is that I’m a vegetarian. I do eat diary but no meat or fish. Of course, I indulge in the junky side of eating. Anyone for Cheez-Its?