Gene Gabriel (born Eugene Jimenez, 8/27/70) is a Cuban-American actor most notable for originating the role of "Rodriguez" in Richard Greenberg's award-winning play Take Me Out on Broadway. He is also co-founder of South Florida improv troupe Just The Funny. Most recently he has been recurring on CBS's Numb3rs and NBC's Days of Our Lives.
Early life[]
Gene Gabriel was born in St. Vincent's hospital in Manhattan. His family moved around quite a bit in the late 70's they lived in West New York, New Jersey, Elmhurst, NY, Jackson Heights, Queens, Las Vegas, Nevada to which he would return almost 30 years later. They finally settled in North Bergen, New Jersey where he attended North Bergen High School with actress Rena Sofer. His mother is renowned Cuban Soprano Georgina Granados. She appeared in the The Merry Widow on Broadway and performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center.
Acting career[]
Gabriel began his acting career by writing and starring in a play in the fifth grade. In 1990 he got his first professional gig in a small role in Joseph Vásquez's film The Bronx War [1]. His family eventually relocated to Miami and he soon followed. He continued to work in local theatre there appearing in several plays. In 1995 he answered an ad for an improv comedy troupe to be one of their apprentices. The troup was Laughing Gas (improv). Gene soon became one of their star apprentices and almost immediately became a company member.
In 1998 he and 9 other members co-founded what has now become South Florida's number one comedy improv troup and training center Just The Funny.
He starred in director Luis Saumell's award winning Spanish language short Porque'.
He returned to NY in the summer of 1999. He worked with Freestyle Repertory Theatre an improv comedy troup that also toured the tri-state area performing and educating children in improv as well as performing a weekly adult show. In early 2002 he auditioned for and won the part of Rodriguez an immigrant baseball player who refuses to speak English to his fellow teammates in Richard Greenberg's play Take Me Out.[2] The play openned in London's West End to rave reviews and then moved on to The Joseph Papp Public theatre in NY. The play transferred to Broadway in early 2003 and won three Tony's including best play for Greenberg and best director for Joe Mantello.
He is thanked in the published version of the play along with fellow cast members James Yaegashi and Robert M. Jimenez.
Gabriel has appeared on the Broadway stage originating the role of "Rodriguez" in Take Me Out and opposite Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane and Brad Garrett in The Odd Couple.[2] He starred in the cult sci-fi thriller The Ethereal Plane and has appeared on TV shows such as The Sopranos as a policeman, Walker, Texas Ranger as a sadistic murderer, The Guiding Light as a mobster and Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Detective Alvarez. He has had recurring roles on the CBS show Numb3rs as a Bomb Squad technician, One Life to Live as Father Ignacio and Days of Our Lives as Sgt. Ceron. [1],[3]
Currently he is the creator of the web series Montecito Heights http://www.youtube.com/montecitoheightstv and is the writer of an action comedy film entitled Above the Title.
Personal life[]
Gene met his current wife, dancer/choreographer Stacey Tookey (So You Think You Can Dance), on a blind date several years ago in New York City. The two married in October 2005.[1][4]
He is close friends with actors David Eigenberg (Sex and the City), Robert M. Jimenez (Law & Order), Ron Rogell (All My Children), and Joe Lisi (Third Watch).
Gene is 100% fluent in Spanish. He is a movie buff and often called upon by friends to answer trivia questions that may come up during conversation.
He has worked as a waiter, bartender, tuxedo salesman, cowboy boot salesman, leasing agent, handyman, retail sales associate etc.
Gene has taught acting to the casts of Celine Dions A New Day... and Le Rêve (show) in Las Vegas.
See also[]
- List of Cuban Americans
- Stacey Tookey
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gene Gabriel at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=104958
- ↑ http://www.genegabriel.com
- ↑ See Stacey Tookey