Charles Messina

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Charles Messina (b. October 21, 1971 in New York City) is an American playwright, screenwriter and director.

Messina was born in Greenwich Village, of Italian-American descent. He attended New York University. Known for his deconstructive take on biographical subjects, Messina's most notable stage work as director includes the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway plays Cirque Jacqueline, about the life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Mercury: The Afterlife and Times of a Rock God, about Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury. In August 2007 Messina directed Jim Tooey and Kelly Chippendale in Two-Mur Humor, which was an official entry in the 2007 Fringe Festival in NYC.

In 2007 Messina also directed the big budget musical Be My Love, written by Ricahrd Vetere, about the life of singer Mario Lanza, which was produced by Sonny Grosso and Phil Ramone. It premiered at The Tillis Center in Oct 2007.

For the big screen, Messina has written They're Just My Friends, which was released in Fall 2006 and starred Lord Jamar, Malik Yoba, and Bruce Altman. He has also written the film Spy starring Vincent Pastore, Frank Vincent, and Ben Curtis. Currently Messina is developing the mob-horror film Payback's A Bitch, starring Frank Vincent, Vincent Pastore, and John "Cha Cha" Ciarcia. His screenplay Actor Found Dead, about the life of actor James Hayden, was also optioned in late '07.

Also in 2007, Messina's play Merging starring Jason Cerbone, Gina Ferranti and Ernest Mingione won BEST PLAY in The Players' Theater's Shortened Attention Span Theater Festival in Greenwich Village. Messina also directed the short film based on the play.

Messina has also directed the off-Broadway shows Rockaway Boulevard by Richard Vetere, The Accidental Pervert by Andrew Goffman, and Art Metrano's Accidental Comedy. As well as a staged reading of his own script Younger, starring Joe Piscopo.

Messina's latest play, Homeland, which premieres in 2008, will star Sopranos actors Dan Grimaldi, Jason Cerboone and Joe Lisi, as well as Gina Ferranti and Amir Darvish.

Messina is also at work on the book, My Father, My Don about the life of Genovese Capo James "Jimmy Nap" Napoli and his son Tony Napoli, which will be released by Beckham Publications Group in Fall 2008.

Representation:

Ron Gwiazda, Abrams Artists (playwriting, screenwriting, directing)