Stars Among Us by Nanette Wiser
In Pinellas County, famous actors – actresses call Paradise home. We caught up with four stars among us.
Eugenie Bondurant
Calling downtown St. Pete home with hubby and Palladium Director Paul Wilborn, Eugenie Bondurant’s long and slightly eccentric career has taken her from the runways of New York and Paris to featured roles in film and television, including her breakout role as the feminine and feline cult icon “Tigris” in The Hunger Games: Mocking jay – Part 2.
Bondurant, a fifth-generation resident of NOLA, was “discovered” after a bout with cancer left her looking especially exotic and androgynous. Soon she became a working model in the U.S. and Europe. A modeling trip to Los Angeles led to an acting career that’s included a string of bizarre characters in TV and ἀlm – including Fight Club (with Ed Norton), and Saturday Night Live (with Madonna and Mike Myers). She tossed around comedian Gene Wilder while playing Alice Cooper’s favorite Dominatrix on the TV series Something Wilder. And on HBO’s Arliss, she played a transvestite who lured a strait-laced athlete into a night of sin. In the indie feature, Donald and Dot Clock, her character bonded with a house-full of rodents.
Eugenie’s uniqueness was instrumental in booking The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It with Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga and Fear of Rain alongside Harry Connick Jr. and Madison Iseman. Eugenie shared screen time with actor/director Pollyanna McIntosh in the horror hit Darlin’ which debuted at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival. Her short film Tiny Bacteria was shown at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival; her numerous other film and TV credits may be viewed on her IMDB page. Recent awards include 2018 Arts Alliance Ambassador MUSE Award and Women in Film Award of Excellence.
Bondurant is a cabaret singer, appearing in the American Songbook Series with Paul Wilborn and Blue Roses. She is also a founder of The Radio Theater Project. A well-known On-Camera and Meisner acting coach, Bondurant, is a staff member at the prestigious Patel Conservatory and Andi Matheny Acting Studios in Tampa, Fl. Along with acting, she has a BA in Finance.
Matthew McGee
As an actor, comedian and drag artist, Matthew McGee is a beloved local star with national credits wearing multiple hats and juggling roles, including marketing community/marketing director for freeFall Theater. “I missed the audience feedback and performing live,” says McGee about the COVID-19 virtual scene. But he barely skipped a beat, doing fundraisers and performing in American Stage’s little online theater vignettes while freeFall was on hiatus.
Everything he touches is hilarious! As Max Bialystock in “The Producers” at American Stage in the Park, he was lauded by Creative Loafing: “Matthew McGee plays Bialystock like he was born for the role, channeling Nathan Lane’s kinetic stage histrionics more than Mel Brooks’s cinematic facial tics while adding his own larger-than-life vibe.”
As Berthe in Pippin, Broadway World praised his kooky performance: “McGee’s Berthe, in a puffed out red Bozo wig the size of an ostrich (thanks to that periwig genius, Scott Daniel), is a hammy tour de force. His version of “No Time at All” is worth the price of admission, a real star turn. Donning Edith Prickley glasses and a dress like something from a psychedelic album cover, he looks like either a Haight- Ashbury bag lady on too many mushrooms or a peacock on ἀre (can’t decide which).”
Matthew McGee has been performing for over 20 years as an actor and drag artist. His irreverent drag style is a mix of high camp and 1960’s Hollywood cocktail party glamour. As an actor, Matthew has appeared in musicals and plays in and out of drag. McGee says drag is an art: “I’m very inspired by fashion. The look of a character is so important to me. I often find images from fashion books and magazines that help me to create my various looks. Lately, I’m fascinated with granny chic as embodied by the amazing Iris Apfel. I hope readers will Google her! Her use of glasses and beaded jewelry prove you can have style at any age. I approach character from the perspective of how I want them to look. Fashion photography is such a great way to start the process.”
McGee has received numerous awards and accolades including BroadwayWorld.com’s Favorite Leading Actor in a Musical, Theatre Tampa Bay Award winner for both Leading and Featured Actor in a Musical and has been voted Best Local Drag Performer in Creative Loafing’s Best of The Bay issue. In drag, Matthew has hosted numerous charity events and is a on air guest-host on Daytime NBC, Suncoast View and Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend. Matthew’s drag work has been so popular in the Bay area that he is affectionately known as “Tampa Bay’s favorite Clown in a Gown.”
Matthew can be seen in the independent films Small Group and Waiting on Mary (available on iTunes) – Matthew is also half of the hilarious mother/son cabaret act, The Scott & Patti Show. This nightclub act has opened for Debbie Reynolds, Lea Delaria, Del Shores and Leslie Jordan. Scott & Patti are the creation of Matthew McGee and Scott Daniel and are a part of MattocS Productions.
Andi Matheny
Now a St. Petersburg resident, Matheny is a 25-year veteran of Hollywood as a TV and film actress, talk show host, commercial spokes-woman, voiceover talent and comedy performer.
Metheny will be in “High Expectations,” filming in Atlanta in October. Her credits include a recurring role as Dr. Kelly Whitley on FOX’s The Resident, as well as David Makes Man, True Love Blooms (TV Movie for the Hallmark channel,) Devious Maids, The Mentalist, Ugly Betty, Monk, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Zoey 101. Her film credits include American Zombie, and The Shadow Effect and she just completed filming Lady of the Manor directed by Justin and Christian Long. Her ἀlm directorial debut, the comedy short The Newest Member, won the Jury Prize for Best Florida Film at the 2017 Sun-screen Festival and her web series Good Morning St. Pete! Won Best Web Series at the 2018 Sunscreen Film Festival and earned her Best Leading Actress at the 2018 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival. She was given a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2019 Sunshine City Film Festival.
Andi’s commercial appearances number in the dozens, most memorably a campaign for Olay. She lent her voice to TV spots for Sunkist, Hilton Hotels, and Publix and many others. Andi hosted four nationally televised shows, the comedy sketch show Kwik Witz, Essentials on TLC, Fit Resort and Spa with Mark Goodman, and the dating show Friends or Lovers on USA. She performed stand-up comedy at The Improv and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles and was a member of the improv comedy group Comedy Sportz.
In 2020, her husband Tom was a WGA nominee for his movie “Togo.” Matheny filmed a supporting role in the locally filmed feature “Lady of the Manor” directed by Justin and Christian Long.
Founded in 2010, the Andi Matheny Acting Studios delivers Hollywood-quality training to the southeast region. Many students with no previous acting experience are now working in the exciting TV and film industry in the southeast, with credits like Tell Me a Story, The Right Stuff, Ozark, The Good Girls, Gifted, Hidden Figures, Jurassic World, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Mercy Street, Echoes of War, Bloodline, Talia in the Kitchen, Graceland, Under the Dome, Revolution, Nashville, Powers, Paying Mr. McGetty and many more.
Gia Skova
I ran into Gia at Café Largo and knew from the minute I met her she was somebody important. And she is! With acclaim as both a model and actress, she also has her own production company and directed and wrote her first film recently.
Born in the small village of Saratov, just outside Kazakhstan, Russia, Gia was discovered as an actress at age 12 and for the next three years, starred in Russian television series. At 15, Gia won the modeling contest “The Beauty of the Volga”, which launched her professional modeling career. Still in her teens, Gia also starred in several plays in Moscow, winning acting awards such as Best Theatrical Actress of Saratov, and 2009’s Best Actress of Moscow Theater.
The international superstar took the modeling world by storm. Chosen by GQ Magazine as one of the “50 Most Beautiful Russian Models,” local model/actress Gia Skova’s alluring photos have appeared on the cover of Vogue, L’officiel, Instyle and in ads for major brands including Dolce Gabbana, BCBG, Armani. Skova has adorned the runway for designers such as Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs.
She started her movie career with appearances in Martin Scorcese’s “Bleed For This,” “Muck,” and “Mara” among others. In 2015, Skova was honored at Atlanta’s WIFTA Film Festival for her Dramatic Short Films. The genesis of “L’ange Dans Le Marbre” started during a lunch between the two leads, Gia Skova and Josh Tippey, after they wrapped an entry for the 2015 Academy Awards’ Team Oscar Initiative. An idea was sparked for a slightly retro, flirtatious drama.
With her production company, she wrote, produced and directed “The Serpent” featuring Travis Aaron Wade (CIS: Los Angeles; Supernatural fame), which was due to be released here in the states this year, after the January production wrapped in Dubai. Says Skova about the film’s plot? Think “a female Jason Bourne meets James Bond. Being manipulated by her own agency, CIA agent manages to escape their watch just long enough to unravel their horrendous plot.” Watch trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfNpDBA7SvY
SIDEBAR
After many months of planning, freeFall Theatre will re-open safely with an all-new adaptation of War of the Worlds opening October 23 and running through November 22, 2020.
Inspired by Orson Welles’ 1938 radio broad-cast of The War of the Worlds, this innovative live radio show will bring audiences together “drive-in” style to experience a combination of live music, multimedia, and radio performance.
When an anachronistic, live variety hour is preempted by the shocking news that Martians have invaded Earth, the adage that “the show must go on” is put to the ultimate test. Nostalgic, surprising, fun, and irreverent, this evening of impending mayhem is freeFall’s safe and innovative return to live performances in the face of a global pandemic and the inevitable Martian onslaught.
This production is staged on an outdoor stage with audiences experiencing the performance drive-in style from their vehicles. Combining live musical and variety performance, radio storytelling, and multimedia elements, the radio show being created live will be broadcast to your vehicle via its radio or your smart device via a free app.
Please note that admission is by vehicle (up to 4 occupants) and general admission within two sections. To ensure the best possible experience for all patrons, vehicles will be parked in the best available spot in the chosen section, based on the size of vehicle, on a first come, first served basis
freeFall Theatre is committed to the safety of our patrons and artists. We have under-taken heightened cleaning procedures and policies to prevent the spread of COVID. We ask all patrons to comply with posted policies, including the wearing of an effective face covering if you choose to leave your vehicle for any reason.
freeFall Theatre is located at 6099 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg. Tickets for our Drive-in series can be purchased right now at freefalltheatre.com or by calling 727-498-5205 starting September 8. In-person box office services are temporarily unavailable.