Ari has a BA in Theatre Arts from Brandeis University and, in a parallel academic life, a PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Pennsylvania, with two esoteric monographs to his name. He was most recently seen as Charlie in Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen at Long Beach Playhouse. At Theatre 40, he played Sam in Crossing Delancey, part of the production’s Scenie-winning ensemble. Other favorite roles include Dr. Rank in A Doll’s House with Long Beach Shakespeare Company, Gerald Croft in An Inspector Calls, and Gregor in Neil Simon’s Fools. Back when such youthful indiscretions could still be forgiven, he performed Philip Roth’s Portnoy’s Complaint as a one-man show. Ari daylights as a history educator at Geffen Academy at UCLA.