JV Mercanti (New York City) is currently the director of acting for the musical theater program at Pace University's School of the Arts. He served as the casting and associate director on the recent Broadway revival of Romeo and Juliet with Orlando Bloom. He also cast the Kevin Kline revival of Cyrano de Bergerac, co-starring Jennifer Garner. Prior to that, he spent many years as a casting associate for Roundabout Theatre Company, working on numerous Broadway, Off-Broadway, and West End productions. Most recently, he directed the premier of “World Famous” at Theater for the New City. JV is currently developing a new country-and-western adaptation of The Seagull, titled Songbird, with book by Michael Kimmel and music/lyrics by Lauren Pritchard. His MFA is from Rutgers University, BA from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Studies. JV spent two years teaching acting and directing at the University of Miami. His monologue book series, In Performance, is published by Applause Books. He is currently the artistic director of Apothecary Theatre Company. Visit: www.jvmercanti.com