Retrospect(ive): Tomaino

What was your first CP year?

1998

Who brought you into the CP family/ How did you get involved?

Clare Mottola is my direct connection to Cherry Picking. We were living together at the time I believe.

What has been the most memorable CP play you have seen or worked on and why? 

Wow. There are so many. If I may, I might mention the many plays of David Koteles, John Loonam and Andy Cooper-Leary. These three writers come to mind when speaking of exciting material for an actor. I've been very fortunate through the years to have read many of their words. I'm honored and humbled, and I'm so glad to have this incredible artistic connection with these three men.

So you win the cherry pie, who are you sharing it with? 

NOBODY

CP gives me the courage to…

Be who I really am. As an actor I've played so many roles. And there are times when I'm actually confused as to who I really am. And as my professional life has taken me off the stage, cherry picking provides me with a shot of adrenaline as an actor and an artist that carries me through the rest of my duties as an adult human being.

It's difficult sometimes and painful really, when dreams need to be put aside for practicality. And life steers us through, And sometimes we have to put aside the things that are most important to us. Cherry picking gives me the courage to put my dreams aside. And for one weekend and a few evenings a year I get to live my dreams a little bit.

What have you learned during quarantine that you’d like to carry with you in the future? 

I've always loved being at home. And even though I do appreciate my home, this experience is teaching me how necessary my home is to me. So, I just like to continue to make my home and everything that I do in it as important as anything else.

I've also let go of a lot of stuff that I've carried around for a while and I'm planning on simplifying my life quite a bit.