Commedia dell' arte Day

February 25 is Commedia dell' arte Day.   On Feb 25, 2010, in hundreds of cities all around the world, performers, scholars, and audiences will celebrate the tradition of Commedia dell' arte with shows, conferences, lectures, and workshops. This worldwide celebration is proclaimed by the Italian cultural association SAT and coordinated by Faction of Fools Theatre Company in Washington, DC, in support of SAT's appeal to the nation of Italy and to the United Nations (UNESCO) to recognize Commedia dell'arte as an official piece of "World Cultural Heritage."   Chronos is proud to join in this worldwide celebration with a special performance directed by Associate Artist Sherri Allen. 

Thursday, February 25th

6:00 p.m.

MiraCosta College Community Learning Center

1831 Mission Avenue

Oceanside, CA 92058

Phone: (760) 795-8710

TTY: (760) 439-1060

Toll-free: 1-888-201-8480

http://www.miracosta.edu/OfficeOfThePresident/PIO/

Downloads/CLCLocationMap_Color.pdf

OUR PERFORMANCE WILL INCLUDE:

        1.  A short lecture and PowerPoint Presentation to familiarize the audience with the

            stock characters of the Commedia dell'arte

        2.  Audience Participation: YOU are invited to join the fun and participate in short        

            improvised scenes as various characters from the Commedia dell'arte.

        3. The evening will culminate with scenarios from Flaminio Scala's Scenarios of the            

            Commedia dell'arte performed by actors from Chronos Theatre Group. 

  

http://www.factionoffools.org/CdADay.html

The Commedia dell'Arte began in Italy in the early 16th Century and quickly spread throughout Europe, and it continues to live in theatre around the world today. Its emergence during the Renaissance marked the beginning of professional theatre in the West; furthermore, the comic characters, themes, and devices employed by early Commedia troupes influenced artists from Shakespeare, Moliere, and Goldoni to The Blues Brothers, American musical theatre, and contemporary sit-coms.

 

The importance of the Commedia dell'Arte as a movement in theatre history is undisputed, as is its primacy as an ancestor of modern comedy. Acting training programs around the world recognize the value of the physical discipline, spontaneous creativity, and collaborative spirit inherent in Commedia's methods. Furthermore, Faction of Fools believes that the Commedia should still be celebrated and performed for what it is, in and of itself: pure theatre.