Check Out Parnell Damone Marcano’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Parnell Damone Marcano.

Hi Parnell Damone, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Back in 1988, I moved to LA from Denver with $1,000 and a dream! I don’t recommend it! That $1000 was gone quicker than I planned, and work as an actor took a lot longer to materialize. I did a lot of house hopping, and staying with various friends and family for the first 9 months or so. Finally, got my first break as a contestant on “Scrabble”. I won $8500 and that helped me get my first car and an apartment with a friend from college. While pursuing my artistic goals, I worked as a special needs operator for the hearing impaired, a health educator with Minority AIDS Project, and as many of us artists do, I worked as a server, and a rideshare driver!

I made my debut on the LA stages in a choreo-poem entitled The Children of The Night, created by Stephen Semien, It won audience and critical acclaim, GLAAD, NAACP, LA Weekly, etc. It was there that I met Sheryl Lee Ralph. She loved the show and was a big supporter. A couple of years later, she called me and told me that Mary Wilson was looking for a male background singer, and would I be interested? Of course I was! I met with Mary the next week, and a month later, I began my journey as The 1 and Only Male Supreme! I toured all over the world with Mary for 27 years, which interestingly enough was how old I was when I began singing with her. Suddenly, all these legendary artists that I had listened to all my life, knew who I was! The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Commodores, Martha and The Vandellas. Lou Rawls, The list goes on and on!

I LOVE live performing! As a Musical Theater major, that is indeed my first love! I have been fortunate to work in houses large and small. Cast in several shows; Ragtime, Evita, Hello Dolly. And my all-time favorite, Dreamgirls! First with Kecia Lewis and Billy Porter, then with Jennifer Holiday and Norm Lewis, Another time with Frenchie Davis and Montego Glover. It still amazes me to reflect on the people I have crossed paths with in my career. I have worked in just about every medium of entertainment: Film, Stage, Television, Commercial, Print, Recording, Voice Over, Modeling. I’ve worked as a performer, a producer, choreographer, casting, and a director.

My first recurring role was in the series, “Old Dogs & New Tricks”, I took over the role of Neal Kelly, from Doug Spearman who had moved on to creating and directing his own projects. My highest profile role, thus far, has definitely been that of Carlton Cruise on the hit series, “Greenleaf”. Originally on OWN, it lives on Netflix now. Airing from 2016 – 2020, I was finally on a national television show! People were recognizing me on the street, in the grocery store, and at the airport! I was finally being invited to walk the red carpet at award shows, festivals, and galas. There were press interviews, and articles about my character., awards and recognition from community organizations. “Wow! So this is what this feels like!” The Fall of 2016, I also made my Off-Broadway debut in an original musical called, The Babies. written by Lloyd J. Schwartz, producer of “The Brady Bunch” and “Gilligan’s Island”, as a vehicle for his wife Barbara to do a Broadway show. I was thrilled to star in an original show, in a role that had songs written with me in mind!

I made my theater home with Celebration Theatre back in 2008. I had previously worked in the space as a final cast member of Naked Boys Singing back in 1998. Yep, bared it all onstage! Upon my return, I jumped in and became the company manager, getting experience working as an Associate Producer on several shows, including the Ovation Award winning, Priscilla, Queen of The Desert. I have now been honored to serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Helping to guide Celebration into our 45th season and beyond!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely NOT been a smooth road! I describe it as a rollercoaster. The highs are great! The twists and turns are many, and there are some dips and low times as well! I made a decision at the beginning of my career that I wanted to be an openly gay artist. I wanted younger artist to look and see someone who reflected their reality. Especially after I got married to my husband, Michael. We don’t often see Black male couples in media. More often than not, when we DO see a Black gay dude, his partner isn’t Black. When I started, there weren’t very many Black males that were out. Now we have Billy Porter, Coleman Domingo, Jeremy Pope, J. August Richards, and ME! lol among several others.

As I’m getting older, there aren’t as many roles, though I do get opportunities to shine. Before I landed “Greenleaf”, I was contemplating what else I could do. Yes, I had been working, but not getting work that paid well. I had worked at both Disneyland and Universal Studios for years. Done several plays and musicals, and some short films that had done well. The year that I did The Babies Off-Broadway, I had also recorded the original cast album for it, and another musical, The Count of Monte Cristo. Great artistically, not at all financially. There are the frustrations of knowing that you have done great work, but not getting called in by the casting directors who hired you for those projects. “Who did I piss off?” The doubt creeps in. I hadn’t done another film or television show since 2019. Then a friend cast me in his film, “Franklin” last year. Not a lot of money, but a great role and a chance to remind people that I do this! Other friends asked me to take part in their short film/music video, “Grandpa’s Got A Brand New Pill” which his been winning awards at festivals all over the world!

There have been projects that I’ve worked on that have been filmed, but never seen the light of day. There have been people who have approached me about a project, and then time passes with no word. You learn not to get excited about it until you’re on set. And then not TOO excited until it actually materializes onscreen.

Working on the other side of the table as a producer, it’s learning how to handle actors, hiring and firing, and other production issues, Raising the money, problem solving with venues. Choosing work that we believe will bring in our audience.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am most proud of the work that I do as an openly gay entertainer. What I’m known for within that category, depends on what people have seen me in. Some know me as the background vocalist for Mary Wilson and Thelma Houston. So they think of me as a singer. Some have seen me in plays and film, and think of me as an actor. Others have seen me in musicals and get that I am all that! LOL

Some of the plays I’ve done, Naked Boys Singing, Fucking Men, Jerker have a lot of nudity and sexual themes to them, So,
I have become known for that. I hadn’t thought much of it, until one producer/director described me as “fearless”! I guess that would be one thing that sets me apart from others in both theater and TV/Film.

With Celebration Theatre, I get a chance to interact with other theater companies and leaders, building coalitions. It has been a rewarding challenge to represent the intersectionality of being a Black gay artist. Interacting with other Black creatives as a proud gay man, and interacting with other LGBTQ artist as a proud Black man.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I guess it’s not so surprising anymore since I posted about it on my socials. But I think the most surprising is that I’m a nudist. That always seems to be the thing that raises the most eyebrows! It’s always humorous to explain to people that being a nudist doesn’t mean that we’re always engaging in orgies. Social events are the same as any clothed event. Cocktail parties, movie nights, yoga, etc. I’ve even done a Nude 5K Run!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pdmarcano/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parnell.marcano
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PDMarcano