The Peek with Samuel Pepys

The Peek with Samuel Pepys is a scripted fiction, historical-comedy podcast inspired by the diaries of British writer Samuel Pepys (1633-1703), which provide one of the only first-hand accounts of life in England’s Stuart Restoration, under the rule of King Charles II (1660-1685), through the eyes of a time-traveling celebrity gossip reporter. Irreverent and anachronistic, The Peek joins other absurdist, semi-factual historical comedies, such as The Great (2020-2023, Hulu) and Oh, Mary! (Broadway). Accents may vary – oftentimes within the same sentence. But, hey. It's not like we really know what they sounded like back then, now do we?

Contributors

Producer

Lee Melillo

LEE MELILLO (Creator/Writer/Editor) is a New York City-based writer, director, and producer who loves Sunnyside, Queens. Melillo’s work has been seen across the NYC indie theatre scene at venues such as The Chain, The Tank, Under St. Marks, TheaterLab, Brick Aux, East Village Basement, and more. Her play Slow Burn was a 2024 Semi-Finalist for the SheNYC Festival, and her short plays have been accepted into numerous competitive theatre festivals at Off- and Off-Off-Broadway venues.

https://instagram.com/leemelillo

Guests

Guest

Aaron Dorelien

Aaron Dorelien (Sir William Davenant)

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Alex Ramirez Cannon

(Sir Thomas Betterton)

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003 | Alike

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Anna Mayo

ANNA MAYO (Elizabeth Pepys)

https://instagram.com/itsannamayo

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002 | Crowns

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Celeste Samson

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Charlie B. Foster

CHARLIE B. FOSTER (The Podcaster/Valentino) is an actor and writer, featured in films such as Sparks (post-production) and Soyboy (post-production). On TV, he's appeared on The Garcias (HBO), The HA Festival (HBO), and is excited to portray "Wingo" in the upcoming series Scarpetta (Amazon Prime). He's also lended his voice to podcasts such as Popcorn For Dinner (Apple), The Coldest Case (Audible), and Supreme (iHeart). In 2022, he understudied "Him" in the off-Broadway production of Camp Siegfried (Second Stage). He is also the voice of one elevator in Soho.

https://instagram.com/charlie.be.foster

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Ethan Peña Mock

ETHAN PEÑA MOCK (Samuel Pepys) is a Tejano actor, director, and poet raised in Texas, now based in New York City. Mock has performed across NYC on numerous stages in Manhattan and Brooklyn in both new and classic works. B.A. in Theatre Performance from Fordham University.

https://instagram.com/ethan.texas

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Eunan Cannon

EUNAN CANNON (The Priest/Stagehand)

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Francesca Pinilla

FRANCESCA PINILLA (Nell Gwyn)

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Jacqueline McKenna

Jacqueline McKenna (Mary Knep)

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003 | Alike

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James Carlos Lacey

James Carlos Lacey (King Charles II)

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003 | Alike

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James Kenna

James Kenna (Sir Thomas Killigrew)

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003 | Alike

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Jason Maina

Jason Maina (George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham)

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003 | Alike

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Kana Seiki

KANA SEIKI (Emily the Intern) is an actor, dancer, choreographer, and costume maker originally from Japan. Because of her multicultural background, she enjoys working on new plays and films that often incorporate multiple languages and cultures.

https://www.kanaseiki.com/

Guest appearance on:

001 | Pilot

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Major Curda

Major Curda (Edward Kynaston)

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Matthew Cubillos

Matthew Cubillos (Charles Hart)

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Melissa Bautista

MELISSA BAUTISTA (Jane Birch) is a Filipina actress based in NYC and her hometown, LA. She is a dynamic, curious, and passionate artist, with a strong dedication and ambition to her craft. By her peers and mentors, she’s been described as a powder keg of talent and an emotional fountain of feeling. From Shakespeare to new contemporary plays, her work is expansive and full of surprises. Melissa graduated from Fordham University (‘24) and studied acting under Tina Benko, Paco Tolson, and Dawn Saito. She studied clowning and improv under George Drance, and vocal technique under Andrea Haring. Additionally, she gained insight and guidance from Destiny Lilly and May Adrales.

https://www.mlissaebautista.com/