February 25: International Commedia Dell’Arte Day
has proclaimed February 25, 2010, a worldwide Commedia dell’Arte Day
Simultaneous events will occur all around the world as theatre companies, scholars, students, and audiences celebrate Commedia dell’Arte on Feb 25, 2010. There will be shows, conferences, lectures, and workshops in dozens of global cities. This worldwide festival is promoted by the Italian cultural association SAT and organized by Faction of Fools using viral and grassroots tools, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
View the current list of worldwide participants!
For more information, email them, join the Facebook group “Commedia
dell’Arte Day,†and become a “Facebook fan” of Faction of Fools.
Theatre companies–large and small–will produce shows in the style of Commedia dell’Arte using traditional character types and scenarios. On Feb 25th, events will occur in hundreds of cities as diverse as Boston, Barcelona, Bangkok, and Beirut. The flagship event will be in Bologna where SAT and La Fraternal Compagnia will host an international conference of prominent European scholars and performers. Other companies are invited to produce events in their own cities and may utilize the free scripts and performance guides that are available on the Faction of Fools website http://www.factionoffools.org.
Commedia will also be in the classroom as theatre instructors dedicate their February 25th class time to Commedia dell’Arte at drama schools and universities around the world. Primary and secondary school teachers in the US can find easy-to-use, free curriculum that will aid them in teaching a lesson on Commedia dell’Arte tailored to their theatre, art, history, literature, or language classes. Curriculum will be available on the Faction of Fools website in January.
Did you know that Commedia dell’ Arte is not recognized
as a “World Cultural Heritage”?
The United Nations’ cultural wing (UNESCO) has officially recognized indigenous theatre traditions such as Japan’s Noh and Kabuki; however, the famous “stock characters” of Commedia dell’Arte–Arlecchino (Harlequin), Pulcinella, Dottore (the Doctor), Pantalone (the Pantaloon), Scapin (Scapin), and Scaramuccia (Scarmouche)–have yet to be acknowledged.
The Italian cultural association SAT is petitioning the nation of Italy and the United Nations (UNESCO) for official recognition of this famous and monumental theatre form, and Faction of Fools is proud to support this appeal.
To organize a “Commedia dell’Arte Day†event in a theatre or classroom near you or for more information about SAT’s petition for recognition of Commedia dell’Arte as “World Cultural Heritage,” email Faction of Fools Artistic Director Matthew R. Wilson.
Commedia dell’Arte Day is promoted by SAT and is organized by Faction of Fools and the SAT project incommedia.it.
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life is borin on cold days
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