Joey D'Auria a.k.a. ZEDEDIAH - began his theatrical
career performing in summer stock in Vermont.
These early theatrical experiences shaped his
love of theater, ensemble performing and comedy
and helped establish his niche as a character
actor.
As a student in New York City's American Academy
of Dramatic Arts, D'Auria used the skills honed
in summer stock in his studies of the classical
works of Shakespeare, Wilde, Shaw and Thornton
Wilder. Upon gaining his Actor's Equity card following
graduation, D'Auria went to work in Dinner Theater,
eventually arriving in Los Angeles, where he performed
in improvisational theater, stand-up comedy and
Musical Revues.
Working for MAGIC CASTLE creator
Milt Larsen at his downtown Los Angeles VARIETY
ARTS CENTER, D'Auria starred as the title
character in an original musical comedy THE
WHOOPEE KID by Larsen and Academy Award
winning composer Richard Sherman ("Mary
Poppins," "Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang").
D'Auria became the Master of Ceremonies and Host
of THE TIN PAN ALLEY ROOM where
he co-founded and was a featured player with the
VARIETY ARTS RADIO THEATER recreating
classic radio shows from the 30's, 40's and 50's.
While at the V.A.C., Joey also
performed in numerous one man shows as W. C. Fields
and Ed Wynn and played Joseph Webber (the shorter
member of the turn-of-the-twentieth century, knock-a-bout
comedy team Webber & Fields) in a musical revue
based on their comedy.
Later D'Auria worked at UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
in the CASTLE DRACULA tour attraction
as Count Dracula's bug-eating assistant RENFIELD.
During these years he also made appearances on
television's ALICE starring Linda Lavin and performed
in stage productions of "THE WATER ENGINE"
by David Mamet and Moliere's "THE MISER"
with the acclaimed ODYSSEY THEATER
As a frequent contributor to Chuck Barris's
GONG SHOW, D'Auria performed
as a variety of off-beat characters. The most
memorable was DR. FLAME-O which
not only garnered a Gong Show Trophy for D'Auria,
but brought him back to the GONG SHOW
repeatedly. His Dr. Flame-o was a featured performer
on Barris's prime time RAH-RAH SHOW
as well as other T.V. variety shows. In fact,
Dr. Flame-o was such a hit that in 1982 D'Auria
was invited on The Tonight Show
with Johnny Carson.
In 1984 WGN-TV's legendary Bob Bell retired from
Chicago's BOZO SHOW after twenty-three
years on the air. After a national search, D'Auria
was hired to take over the BOZO SHOW.
Joey performed Bozo for 17 years on WGN-TV, receiving
five Mid-west Emmy Awards in addition to countless
nominations for both his performance and comedy
writing.
During his years in Chicago, Joey worked as
much as time allowed in commercials both on camera
and voice over and starred as Max Prince in a
long run of Neil Simon's "LAUGHTER ON
THE 23RD FLOOR" at the Briar Street Theater.During
this period he even found time to portray a snooty
art critic in a SAG experimental film (working
title: "A PIECE OF WORK").
Returning to Los Angeles after a seventeen year
absence, D'Auria performed with the AMERICAN
RUSSIAN THEATRICAL ALLIANCE in Chekov's "THE
PROPOSAL" and reacquainted himself with
many friends in the voice over and looping industry.
In the fall of 2002 he took off for London for
a two month writing assignment with S.E.E. Inc.
as the head writer for the Hyde Park exhibition
of STAR TREK, THE ADVENTURE,
also serving as Show Director for THE
BRIDGE EXPERIENCE, an interactive event
between cast and audience.
Back in L.A., Joey was featured in an international
on-camera commercial for "Cornetto" ice cream,
which will air in Italy, France, Germany and Israel.
He's also taken time to hone his film craft in
numerous experimental film projects.
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