John A. Ferraro
Encyclopedia
John A. Ferraro was an American
actor
, academic, stage director and television director
. His credits as a director included Sesame Street
, as well as Broadway and off-Broadway
plays.
Ferraro was born in Paterson, New Jersey
, on April 5, 1946 and raised in Wayne, New Jersey
. Ferraro received a bachelor's degree
in fine arts from New York University
.
Ferraro joined the theater group, Manhattan Project, following his graduation from New York University. He appeared in numerous productions with the group, including roles in the New York Shakespeare Festival
, as well as the theatrical production of Our Late Night.
Ferraro also embarked in a career in stage and television direction. His off Broadway credits included Saved From Obscurity in 1988. Ferraro worked as an associate director of the Broadway production of The Pirates of Penzance
in the 1980s and directed Crazy He Calls Me in 1992. Ferraro's television direction credits included episodes of the PBS children's shows, Shining Time Station
and Sesame Street
. He also directed television episodes of The WB Television Network
's Smart Guy
, Comedy Central
's The Higgins Boys and Gruber
and HBO's off-Broadway production of Reno: In Rage and Rehab.
Ferraro joined the faculty of the USC School of Cinematic Arts
in 2003.
John Ferraro died on December 7, 2010, of colon cancer at USC University Hospital
in Los Angeles
at the age of 64. He was survived by his wife, Karen Emounts and his son Gregory Ferraro
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, academic, stage director and television director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
. His credits as a director included Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, as well as Broadway and off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
plays.
Ferraro was born in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, on April 5, 1946 and raised in Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
. Ferraro received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in fine arts from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
Ferraro joined the theater group, Manhattan Project, following his graduation from New York University. He appeared in numerous productions with the group, including roles in the New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival is the previous name of the New York City theatrical producing organization now known as the Public Theater. The Festival produced shows at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, as part of its free Shakespeare in the Park series, at the Public Theatre near Astor Place...
, as well as the theatrical production of Our Late Night.
Ferraro also embarked in a career in stage and television direction. His off Broadway credits included Saved From Obscurity in 1988. Ferraro worked as an associate director of the Broadway production of The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences...
in the 1980s and directed Crazy He Calls Me in 1992. Ferraro's television direction credits included episodes of the PBS children's shows, Shining Time Station
Shining Time Station
Shining Time Station is an American children's television series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. The series was produced by The Britt Allcroft Company and Quality Family Entertainment in New York for New York City PBS Station WNET, and was filmed first in New York and then in Toronto...
and Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. He also directed television episodes of The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
's Smart Guy
Smart Guy
Smart Guy is an American sitcom created by Danny Kallis. The series ran on The WB for three seasons from April 2, 1997 to May 16, 1999.-Premise:The show centers on the misadventures of boy genius T.J...
, Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
's The Higgins Boys and Gruber
The Higgins Boys and Gruber
The Higgins Boys and Gruber was an American cable television show that aired on weekday afternoons on The Comedy Channel, the precursor to the cable network Comedy Central, from 1989 to 1991. It was one of the first television shows to air on the channel...
and HBO's off-Broadway production of Reno: In Rage and Rehab.
Ferraro joined the faculty of the USC School of Cinematic Arts
USC School of Cinematic Arts
The USC School of Cinematic Arts, until 2006 named the School of Cinema-Television , is a film school within the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. It is the oldest and largest such school in the United States, established in 1929 as a joint venture with the Academy of...
in 2003.
John Ferraro died on December 7, 2010, of colon cancer at USC University Hospital
USC University Hospital
The USC University Hospital is a private teaching hospital, part of the Keck School of Medicine, located on the University of Southern California Health Sciences Campus adjacent to the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in East Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.- External links :* * *...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the age of 64. He was survived by his wife, Karen Emounts and his son Gregory Ferraro