Frank Wood, making his Broadway debut as the jazz-addled, absent hearted father in Side Man, spent much of his 39 years out of the commercial theatre spotlight. An NYU acting program graduate, Wood has worked with Richard Schechner, as well as Nena Beeber and Len Jenkin, with several credits at downtown's Soho Rep on his resume. His early acting years were spent in Philadelphia, including a three year membership in the People's Light and Theatre Company (1989-91).

Asked in a recent PBOL Brief Encounter whether he's ever met any real life people like the dad he plays in Side Man, Wood replied, "Well, Gene is not based on anyone specifically, not on people I knew. However, my way into the character was through my father, my grandfather on my mother's side... Also, I started taking trumpet lessons two weeks before we opened downtown [at CSC]. The character had been in place by then, but the lessons I've been taking help keep me rooted. The character has changed subtly through that as well.