The Finellis Musical Cast

Tony Finelli

Mark Janicello

Mark is a multiple Award-Winning, American Renaissance Man. A native New Yorker, there are very few corners of the entertainment universe that Mark has not worked in. He is trilingual (English/ German/Dutch) and has had a stage career spanning more than 30 years, including over 100 productions. Mark is a classically-trained operatic tenor, who sang over 40 leading roles in operas and operettas, while also studying acting for 10 years with a member of NY's Actor's Studio. He took a break from the stage and began working in filmed entertainments in 2013, and to date has appeared in more than 90 international filmed projects. Over the course of his career, he has performed in 52 countries, recorded 39 CDs in every conceivable musical style. Mark is very happy to be reprising his role from The Finellis Movie in the world premiere production of The Finellis Musical.

Website: www.markjanicello.org

Juergen Drahtseil

Mike Sterling

Mike has been an Artiste in Theatre, Television, Concert and recording for over 35 years and has enjoyed an extremely successful global career. Mike appeared many times on programs for ITV, BBC, CH4, S4C as well as countless BBC and independent national and regrional radio broadcasts. He appeared on several televised Royal Galas at both The Royal Albert Hall and The London Palladium in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales, where he starred alongside Eric Clapton, Shirley Bassey and Barry Manilow. Mike also had is own televised special for Border TV. He has starred in major hit musicals in London’s West End, most notably for over 1000 performances as ‘The Phantom’ in The Phantom of the Opera and ‘Jean Valjean’ in Les Misérables. He starred in a 6 month sell out UK tour as ‘Dexter Haven’ in Cole Porter’s High Society, and also starred as Juan Perón in Evita, produced by the late veteran theatre producer Bill Kenwright.

A career milestone was his performance as Russell Paxton in Gershwin and Weill’s Lady in the Dark for the first ever, fully-produced musical in China, at The Century Theatre, Beijing. He later returned to the Chinese capital as Fagin in Oliver! at the PLA Opera House.

Tina Finelli

Lisa Gorgin

Lisa Gorgin is an accomplished actress and has graced the London Stage and Television programmes for many years.
Most recently she has been filming the role of Angela in EastEnders, and Tracey Walsh in White Gold (both BBC). West End Credits include: Carla in The Wasp (Jermyn Street Theatre), The Rocky Horror Show (Victoria Palace Theatre), Chesty Prospects – Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens (Leicester Square Theatre) and Wendy-Jo in Footloose (Novello/ Playhouse Theatre). Other credits include: Lisa in Wastwater and Janine Williams in Bluebird (both The Tabard) Ms. Bell – Fame (Irish Tour) Janet/Columbia – Green Girl – Shout! (NCL) Sharon in A Slice of Saturday Night (Octagon Theatre) Patty Simcox, Grease (UK Tour). Lisa has been involved in The Finellis Musical since its inception, having also played Tina Finelli at our UK Producer's Presentation in May 2023.

Pete Finelli/Mr. Big

Michael Christopher

FILM/ TV Includes: The Archbishop in Saint Dracula, Dick in Sharks in Colwyn Bay; Killing me Softly and The Man from The Pru (all BBC); Coronation Street, Don Halliwell in Emmerdale,
Psychiatric Nurse in A Life for a Life (all ITV); Brookside and Hearts and Minds (Channel 4) , Funny Woman (Sky TV), and Eddie in Wearing Colours (Yorkshire Television).

STAGE: Algernon Moncrief in The Importance of being Earnest – (Liverpool Open Air Theatre Company), Officer/Monk in Twelth Night –( Chester Gateway). Other credits include: The Alchemist – (Manchester Royal Exchange), Eddie in Wearing Colours ; Danny in Some People, Father Quigley in Aiming at Earth all at The Vauxy Theatre, God in Adam and Eve and Steve – (AES Productions),Husband in Trust/Dying for the NHS – ( Distant Voices), Fred in Opening 1914 and Diego in A Spanish Adventure both at The Edge Theatre Manchester). Michael is thrilled to be joining the cast of The Finellis Musical and would like to thank his family and friends for their continued love and support.

Bea Finelli/Sara Fischer

Colette Kelly

Colette was born in Dublin and trained at the Webber-Douglas Academy.
West End credits include: Grease (Dominion Theatre - Original London Cast), Hair (Shaftesbury Theatre - Original London Cast), Salad Days (Duke of York’s) Toad of Toad Hall (Theatre Royal, Haymarket) and By the Bog of Cats (Wyndam's Theatre).

Theatre includes: Happy Days (Irish Tour); The Chairs (Soho Theatre); I Do, I Do (Hamburg); Mr. Cinders (Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton); Guys and Dolls (Aberystwyth); Cabaret (Sheffield Crucible); Little Shop Of Horrors (Westcliff Palace); An Audience with Margaret’s Wardrobe (Jermyn Street); Sons of York by James Graham (Finborough Theatre); The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Etcetera Theatre); Ballroom (Waterloo East) and Sister Wendy (Hackney Empire).

Television includes: Doctors and Casualty (both BBC).

Colette is also a member of the Godot Company, dedicated to the works of Samuel Beckett and also performs in Victorian Music Hall.

Lola Finelli/Young Tina Finelli

Anna María

Anna María is a Puerto Rican and Greek artist and advocate from Houston, Texas, USA. A recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she is deeply excited to be making her professional London debut in the heart of the West End in The Finellis Musical. As a multihyphenate whose experiences range from flying in aerial silks to co-founding organizations like Thee Open House Project, Anna María is honored to be welcomed into the UK artistic sphere she fell in love with. She cannot wait to build community, and make work onstage and onscreen, in London for many years to come.

Lena Finelli/Aurora Gambaretto

Pippa Juliet

Pippa recently graduated from the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

Credits whilst training: Albion, Merrily We Roll Along, A Little Night Music, The Addams Family, Gas Station Angel

The Finellis Musical marks Pippa’s professional debut.

Nonna D'Agostino/Jimmy Pooch

Chiara de Palo

Chiara de Palo is an Italian actress, singer and physical-theatre performer based in London over the last 20 years.
She has recently played the role of Olga Corsi in FOSCA INNOCENTI (MEDIASET channel 5, TV SERIES). She trained in Italy in Opera and Musical-Theatre and in London she continued her singing and acting training at the Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, among others. Some of the directors she has worked with include: Terry Gilliam in THE DAMNATION OF FAUST (West End and Europe Tour), David McVicar in MAGIC FLUTE – ROH, Mike Figgis in LUCREZIA BORGIA – West-End, Robert Carsen in KATIA KABANOVA – Teatro Regio in Turin (Italy) and Europe Tour, Paul Katis (BAFTA Award), Ann Dickie (Rambert Dance). Other directors and companies include: Clod Ensemble, Peter Clough, Dacia Maraini, Gabriele Lavia, G.Cauteruccio.

Chiara is a Tibetan Buddhism and yoga practitioner.

Young Tony Finelli/Helmut Rachmann

Jake Pollicino

Jake is from Newcastle upon Tyne, where he started performing at a very young age in theatrical productions at Newcastle Theatre Royal. He went to a further education college to study acting, but always had a passion for singing. At 18 Jake started his professional training at Renaissance Arts in Leeds, where he studied Musical Theatre for 3 years.

After graduating, Jake then went on to gain many professional contracts, including performing in Euro Disney as Bert from Mary Poppins, Prince Charming in Cinderella and as a Parade performer. Then, Jake landed a role as a male singer/dancer onboard the MS Marella Dream.

After performing around Europe and the UK. Jake became lead male vocalist onboard P&O Azura and most recently, Potters Theatre Company in Essex. He is very excited to be making his London stage debut as Young Tony/Helmut Rachmann in The Finellis Musical.

Eva Klein/Lucky Louisa

Markie Thompson

Described by GAY TIMES magazine as “Bittersweet and beautifully melancholy” Markie is taking the world by storm.
Already known as a singer/songwriter, she is currently writing songs for KATIE COLEMAN's debut EP (The Voice UK semi-finalist).

Markie Thompson is delighted to be 'stepping out" by performing her debut transgender role as the nightclub owner, Eva Klein in the world premiere of The Finellis Musical in London. She is also thankful to have the opportunity to show her versatility by also playing the Mafia Bodyguard, Lucky Louisa.

Barbara Bischof

Yollette Thomas-Wunder

The Actress/Director was born in Jamaica, before moving as a young woman to the USA with her family. She currently resides in Berlin, Germany.
Yollette was recently seen in a co-starring role with Michael B. Jordan in Without Remorse as well as starring as Barbara Bischof in The Finellis Movie.

The producers would like to thank Yollette for her virtual participation in The Finellis Musical reprising her role as Barbara Bischof.

Agent Schmitt/Offizier Geilhaut/Alexi

Franz-Xaver Zeller

Franz is well-known to German television audiences through his role on the very popular soap opera Sturm der Liebe.

He received his training at the Zerboni Acting School in Munich before working in film productions such as: Teenosaurus Rex, 3 1/2 hours, Your Christmas or Mine 2 (Amazon Prime).

Other German TV roles include: Sommerzeit (Paramount+) Gute Freunde, der Aufstieg des FC Bayern (RTL+), and Polizeiruf Munich (ARD)

Theatre Productions include: A Clockwork Orange, Wir Kommen, Wasserstoffbrennen and Absolute Giganten for Zentraltheater Munich; Volksfest for Theatre Wasserburg.

The Finellis Musical marks Franz-Xaver's UK stage debut.

Meet our Cast