Ben Grinnell (Neil) - Ben was thrilled to be in Ian Martin's film. Originally from Seattle, he spent several years in Chicago performing at numerous comedy clubs including The Second City, Annoyance Theater, and Improv Olympic. He has also written/produced a bunch of short films with his production team Zoo Milk, one of which ("Awkward Rick") took him into the final top 5 for Yahoo's Talentshow. Right now he is working on 10-episodes of Saint James Zoo, a web-based comedy show, for Sony Pictures Crackle.com. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his two turtles Band-Aid and VCR.

Serena Vesper (Mrs O'Connell) - Serena Vesper enjoyed playing Mrs. O'Connell as a drastic contrast to her previous Chicago film role as Adelaide in SOCIAL EVENT OF THE SEASON (Lagentepescada Films) and her most recent stage performance as Vera in TEN LITTLE INDIANS at Drury Lane Theatre, Oakbrook. As a child, she gave herself "cold lessons" by taking the coldest baths she could stand, preparing for her film role in THE BABY which called for a November plunge in the Hudson River, re-shot in January. Her favorite commercial is for LOTTO, in which she's asked what she'd do with the money and replies, "I'd find myself a total stud." (She appears with a horse in the next shot.) She paid her NYC stage dues Off-Broadway as Tina in AMPERSAND with Riverside Stage Co. and Maire in the Irish Arts Center's TRANSLATIONS. Other favorite roles include: Hedda in HEDDA GABLER and Suzanne in TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS (Shadowland Theatre, NY), Kost in Gretna Theatre, PA's, CABARET, Maria in SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL (Old Globe Theatre, San Diego), Cecily in IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (Madison Rep, WI), and Hermia in Seattle's Bathhouse Theatre MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

John Paulett (Mr. O'Connell) - John Paulett is the author of Forgotten Chicago and Printers Row. His plays, including Operation Human Intelligence and In the Case of Henry Tandy have been produced in Chicago and Memphis. He was a member of the bluegrass group Home Brew, appearing on their CD Quilting Music. He most recently understudied Orgon in Tartuffe at Remy Bumppo Theatre and as Chebutykin in Sisters 3.0 at Big Picture Group Theatre and Paedagogus in Electra at Bohemian Theatre Group.

Katy Colloton (Erin) - Katy Colloton graduated from Vanderbilt University in May 2005 with a degree in theater and psychology. In August 2005 she relocated to the Chicago area. Since arriving in Chicago Katy has assistant directed two shows: Delores Dogan (Serendipity Theatre) and A Christmas Carol (Provision Theater); as well as acted in several projects. Her most recent acting credits include the role of Jackie Drake in Gathering Dusk Before Darkness (Darknight Theater), understudying the role of Jane Fairfax in Emma (Reverie Theatre) and playing the role of Pinktoes in Homesick (Triton College). Her Chicago film credits include: Realization, The European Kid, and a Friday the 13th installment.

Candace L.T. Snapp (Caitlin) - Born and raised in the Midwestern town of Pittsburg, Illinois, Candace L.T. Snapp discovered a passion for acting at age eleven when she was cast as a go-go dancer in a community theater production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat". Snapp continued to perform in local theater productions throughout middle and high school and eventually received a theater scholarship to John A Logan Community College in Carterville, Illinois. While attending college, Snapp performed in numerous plays and musicals. Most notably, she played Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls"; Sheila in "The Boys Next Door"; and Paulina in "Death and the Maiden". Snapp was named the Most Outstanding Theater Student of the Year in 2000 at John .A. Logan College.

Snapp continued her theater studies at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, but after a semester of theater she discovered a great
interest in radio and television production. She switched her major
and eventually worked as an intern at the CBS soap opera "The Young and the Restless" and for the acclaimed casting directors, Victoria Burrows and Scot Boland. While interning, Snapp rediscovered her love for acting and due to a family member falling ill, she traveled back to Southern Illinois Univeristy to major in health education and minor in theater. She eventually graduated and headed to Chicago to study improvisation at the esteemed Second City Chicago.

While in Chicago, Snapp landed her first role in the independent film
"The Contract". She will soon be seen in the upcoming independent
debuts of "The European Kid"; "The Chemistry of Dating"; and "Anything Goes". Snapp lives in Chicago with her husband.

Joe Lazicki (Jimmy) - Joe Lazicki, an actor has appeared in film, television and commercials. He has studied acting under John Loprieno (One Life to Live). Joe was very excited about playing Jimmy in the European Kid. Joe states that it was a privilege to work with such a professional director and crew. Joe, a son of a dance teacher has been performing on stage since the age of 3. He made his professional acting debut in Fox's "Prison Break" playing a secret service agent. He has also worked on several productions including: "Flags of Our Fathers" directed by Clint Eastwood, "Break Up", "DOAP", "Anything Goes", "Valley of Shadows", and "Space Capsule." Joe has just finished working on Quebec starring Seann William Scott and John C. Reilly where Joe was Seann William Scott's personal stand in. He also got a small part in the movie for his hard work. He currently is preparing for a supporting role in an independent film shooting this winter. He hopes to work in the future with Ian again.

John Cates (Mike) - John Cates is a graduate of the Second City Writing Program and Conservatory Program. Previous film credits include "The Good Guy", a top 10 finalist in IO's 2006 Vidiocy competition. Theatrically, John served as co-producer and star of the fully-improvised play "Us4" at the Playground Theater, and has also performed in numerous productions as a member of several improv groups including "Tabula Rasa" and "Project Rorschach." John is a founding member of the corporate entertainment touring group "Out of Work", and acted as writer and performer for the sketch based comedic troupe "Swingbot". John also co-wrote and performed in the recent production of "Sexy...(awkward)", a sketch revue which ran in Donny's Skybox Theater as part of the New Directors Showcase.

John Mobley (Steve) - John has been studying and acting in Chicago for 4 years. He is a Second City Training Center Conservatory and Music Improv program grad. He has been in several sketch comedy shows and enjoys being a member of his improv troupe, The Diary Project. The European Kid is John's first (and as yet, only) film project. He would like to thank the entire cast and crew for giving him a memorable, valuable, and fun experience.

Joey Baron (Paul) - Joey has been working in professional theatre since he was 17. He played Kurt in the American Premier of Marius Von Mayenburg's Fireface. Besides a small walk on as an underage male prostitute in Psychopathia Sexualis, this is his first film. Joey is presently training at the Eugene O'Neill National Theatre Institute in acting and playwriting and has returned to the program for the pilot program of Advanced Playwriting.

Ian Martin (Writer/Director, Cary) - Ian has written and directed over twenty short films. He has studied and performed improvised theater for seven years. After earning a degree in Communication and Culture from Indiana University, Ian studied film production as a graduate student at USC film school. His latest film 'The European Kid' was shot in his hometown of Elmhurst, Illinois.

Matt Egan (Director of Photography) - Matt majored in film at the University of Texas at Austin before moving out to Los Angeles to continue his film education at USC by pursuing his masters degree in cinematography. In addition to school, Matt has worked on numerous films including Disney's recent release, "The Alamo" and Universal's upcoming release "Serenity." When he's not busy on set Matt is an avid photographer specializing in portrait and fashion photography.

Kipp Norman (Editor) - Kipp was born and raised in Wisconsin, where he went to college and studied creative writing and worked on other art. He has been editing movies in Chicago for the past three years (where he now lives and works - check out http://www.storyboardprod.com if you're interested in learning more), and continues to be surprised at how much editing can feel like writing some times.

Erik Johnson (Writer) - Erik Johnson began performing with Full Frontal Comedy in Bloomington, IN. After attending Indiana University and The University of Ghana-Legon, he moved to Chicago and enrolled in the training center at iO and The Second City Conservatory Program. You might have seen him around Chicago on the stages of The Second City, iO, and The Oracle Theater as a member of The Softest and W.C. Patton. Erik currently teaches public speaking in the Rhetoric and Public Culture program at Northwestern University, where he is a Ph.D. candidate.


Cory Hills (Composer) - 25-year-old Cory Hills is an active percussionist, composer, educator, and all-around zany guy. He did his undergraduate studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and his graduate studies at Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane, Australia. Cory recently completed a research fellowship at the Fabrica Institute in Treviso, Italy, a research centre for contemporary arts sponsored by the Benetton Corporation. Here, Cory focused on his children's show entitled 'The Percussive Art of Storytelling' that brings classical music to children in a fun and accessible manner. 'The European Kid' is Cory's first endeavor into composing music for films, and he would like to thank Charlie Williams (www.ickydog.com) for his help and guidance. Cory can be reached at nuchills@yahoo.com.