When Marc Palombo founded Point Park’s Chess Club three years ago, he never imagined it would help him land an acting gig with the Ohio Lottery.
In his second post-graduation commercial, he’s shown playing chess for a few seconds with Kevin Robinson, an actor based in Pittsburgh. During the selection process, the lottery asked him if he had any special skills.
Without thinking Palombo said that he played chess.
“I never thought that one of the first commercials that I would ever book would involve me literally playing chess in the commercial, which I just thought was hilarious,” Palombo said.
Palombo was the former 2023 to 2024 Student Government Association (SGA) president and advocated for the installation of additional Wi-Fi access points around campus. In addition to his roles in theatre as Howie in “Rabbit Hole,” and Wiesel in “Newsies,” he also created a food survey through SGA to improve Dining Hall conditions.
He then took a small break after graduation, and a few months later applied and earned two new jobs.
Palombo now works for the Talent Group as an agent’s assistant Monday through Friday. On the weekends and in the evenings, he works at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to help with productions at places like Liberty Magic and the Harris Theatre.
Courtesy of Marc Palombo
In between the two jobs, he works 70 hours a week.
“I’ve been meaning to take some time off, but I’m the type of person that likes to go full force into what I’m working on,” Palombo told The Globe. “As you know from my time at Point Park that’s just kind of how I am.”
Although his degree wasn’t a requirement for either role, he said that they’ve given him a competitive advantage, and that his time at Point Park heavily influenced his approach to managing projects and talent.
While Palombo works at the Talent Group, he is also represented by them as an actor. In his role there, he helps the team with casting calls, creates video packages for clients, checks wardrobes, books hotels and does anything else that an actor might need for a gig.
Booked through the Talent Group, he called the Ohio Lottery Commercial a “great stepping stone” to help build experience before moving to a larger market like New York City or Los Angeles later on.
In the game of chess, Palombo said that he took it easy on Robinson. The shoot took one day in Cleveland.
“To be able to build my resume here is something I find very feasible,” Palombo said. “I started Chess Club because I wanted to build community. I wanted a place where students could get together and relax and play chess.”
