Actor/Author Alan Williams
Alan Williams first performed "The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati" with England's Hull Truck Theatre, having been referred to them by British film director Mike Leigh. In 1980, after performing the play to rave reviews in England and Germany, he brought it to Canada as part of the Toronto International Theatre Festival at which he was named BEST PERFORMER. After touring the play across the country, Williams emigrated to Canada in 1983.
Williams has written nine plays including "Mean Streaks" for which he received the Most Promising Playwright Award, and "The King of America Trilogy", which earned him the Pierre Trudeau Award for the best one-person show. He wrote, directed and starred in "The Duke of Nothing" and appeared with Linda Griffiths in the film adaptation of "The Darling Family" in a role he originated for the stage. Williams himself adapted the three original Cockroach plays into one stunning screenplay.
He recently performed the lead role in Jim Cartwright's "Kiss the Sky" at the Shepards Bush Empire, in London England and has appeared as a guest star on Thames TV's hit police series "The Bill". Alan is currently shooting an episode of ITV's popular crime series "Wycliffe", in Cornwall, UK.
The Cockroach is first and foremost a film about the culture of Rock and Roll, and Kurt Swinghammer was McNamara's first choice as film composer. Swinghammer is a renaissance man in every sense of the word. A talented and inventive visual artist, sculptor, painter, illustrator, filmmaker and musician, Swinghammer did all the composing, arranging and musical performances for the Cockroach score himself.
Swinghammer and McNamara first became aquainted when McNamara was working on the Holly Cole music special (Cole sang back-up on Pomo A Go Go - Swinghammer's first solo CD). Music of the 60's and 70's plays an important part in the text Cockroach, and Swinghammer has a decided fondness for the spirit and technology of that period - favouring the use of vintage tube amplifiers, a Moog Synthesizer and an eclectic collection of old recycled effects boxes and wah wah pedals. His music provides a series of counterpoints, underscores, and textures that are sometimes comic, sometimes poignant, sometimes nostalgic and sometimes futuristic.
Swinghammer has created soundtracks for a number of other films including "The Falls" and is also a most sought after lead guitar player, frequently performing and touring with Ron Sexsmith.
Born in England and raised in Espanola, a small town in Northern Ontario, Deborah has worked extensively in theatre, television and radio and even as a Magician's Assistant! She first worked with Alan Williams performing as Sarah in Yankee Notions at the Blyth Festival, and first worked with Michael McNamara when she appeared as the storyteller on TVOntario's popular children's television series Polka Dot Shorts.
Born in Montreal and raised in Illinois, Oliver Dennis moved to Toronto in 1980, where he has performed in a number of television dramas and feature films. He has also worked extensively on stage across Canada, in Toronto, New Brunswick and in 1996 as a member of the Young Company at the Stratford Festival. Upcoming projects include The Betrayal, with Theatre Columbus and a lead role in a Summer 97 production of As You Like It. Oliver and Deboroah look forward to working together again carrying on the tradition of other great screen couples like Liz and Dick, Ozzie and Harriet, Madonna and Sean Penn (well, maybe not all screen couples)