Mary Weir & Barry Henry
of Pacific Encore Performances
2009 Honorary Chairpersons

Barry Henry - Founder: Barry began his operatic career in Sydney, Australia and was awarded two operatic contracts in Europe in 1975. A serious illness terminated his operatic career. Since that time, he has successfully founded business enterprises throughout Europe and America. However, his love of the stage remained with him. In 1994 he returned to Australia and founded Pacific Encore Performances. Barry’s mission was to the performance opportunities necessary for successful careers in the entertainment industry. His concepts launched many international careers.

Mary Weir - Founder & President: Mary started her career as an Architectural Designer, specializing in restoration. She purchased and restored heritage homes, estates and mansions in the New York Metropolitan, Newport, Rhode Island and Palm Beach, Florida regions. Two books on her work were published. In 1980, she purchased a century old hotel named Peninsula House located on the oceanfront in Sea Bright, New Jersey and retrofitted it with five restaurants and a magnificent Grand Ball Room. Under her expert management, it became a landmark on the Jersey Shore. In the late eighties, Mary was instrumental in the prepublication publicity for Lears Magazine; one of the most successful launches in magazine history. In the nineties, Mary worked in Australia in connection with a visual arts exchange program. She discovered the Pacific Encore Performances. Together, Barry and Mary transplanted the unique musical repertory company to America in 1999.

Sid Bernstein
Beacon Award in recognition of his contribution to music as it relates to the cinematic arts

Sid Bernstein was born in New York City. He grew up in Harlem and often watched the finest live musical acts at The Apollo Theater located near his home. Bernstein developed an uncanny ear for selecting stand-out talent early in life. Later, he would shape the entertainment industry.

Bernstein got his start by promoting Latin bands at local clubs throughout New York City. He became a Manager, Promoter and Agent for some of the best musicians. Nicknamed, “Godfather of The British Invasion,” Bernstein was most famous for bringing a string of bands from England to the United States in the 1960s. These included icons such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, but there were many others. A significant moment in Bernstein’s career was when he promoted The Beatles at a sold-out Shea Stadium in 1965. It represented the first time a concert was held at this kind of venue.

Some of the other artists and bands that Bernstein has worked with include:: Herman's Hermits, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Denver, Joan Baez, Miles Davis, The Rascals, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Elvis Presley, ABBA, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. There are many others.

Joey Travolta
Broader Vision Award for filmmaking dedicated to the greater good

Joey Travolta. is a former special education teacher has been helping kids and adults with neurodevelopment disabilities. With his vast experience in the film industry, Joey has made it his mission to combine his two passions. Born into a show business family, Joey Travolta has had a long illustrious career on the stage and screen. Recently he was able to merge his film experience with his passion for teaching and developed a film workshop and camp for both kids and adults in an environment conducive for alternative learning styles. Joey’s unique teaching style and expertise enables those with special needs alongside their typically developing peers, the opportunity to learn about filmmaking and themselves as individuals. That emergence is now known as Inclusion Films. He feels this work is his greatest personal achievement thus far.

Christopher DeBlasio
Robert Pastorelli Rising Star Award Recipient

Christopher Michael DeBlasio was born April 18th in Bloomfield , New Jersey . As a young boy, Christopher grew up nearly penniless, and his mother worked day and night to provide for her child. This hardship influenced him to reach for the stars in life. At the age of seven he began making movies. With his new Fisher Price camera, family and friends became the subjects of his first productions. Chris was always inspired by movies. He would watch them over and over memorizing every line. He began taking drama classes in middle school, but it was after high school that he was really inspired to pursue a career in film. One late summer evening Christopher was approached by an MTV Casting Director at a night club and Chris was hooked. He decided to travel to New York for professional acting classes and built his resume with student and independent films. Christopher caught the eye of a casting director from ABC and in the summer of 2006 he started working on a several New York Soap Operas. While in New York , he maintained a busy schedule with guest-starring roles on ABC's "One Life to Live" and continued training with New York 's top acting coaches. In 2007 Christopher moved his career to Los Angeles . After one short month in California , he was signed by a Los Angeles talent agency. Today Chris resides in California and continues to pursue his life's passion in film.