4th Annual Festival Festival presents 5 fuly-staged full-length productions from Italy.
May 2 - 16 in theaters throughout NYC
Kairos Italy Theater (KIT), the preeminent Italian theater company in New York, will present the 4th annual IN SCENA! ITALIAN THEATER FESTIVAL NY. This 15-day festival will offer 5 fully-staged productions from Italy, among other events and activities. All are presented in Italian and English or with English supertitles, curated by Kairos Italy Theater in collaboration with Montclair State University. Performances run May 2-16, 2016; a complete calendar of performance dates and venues will be available shortly. Tickets are $15 General Admission/$12 Students and Seniors for most shows. For more details and tickets visit www.inscenany.com or call 646-850-7056.
The 5 fully-staged productions for In Scena! 2016 are as follows:
Ocean Terminal
Written by Francesco Lioce and Emanuele Vezzoli based on the autobiography of Piergiorgio Welby. Directed and performed by Emanuele Vezzoli (Franco Zeffirelli's “Traviata” and Julie Taymor's “Titus). (Lazio region)
The life story of celebrated Italian end-of-life rights pioneer Piergiorgio Welby comes to the stage. Afflicted with muscular dystrophy, in 2006 Welby publicly declared his wish to refuse the medical treatment that kept him alive. His case became a political lightning rod, with liberal politicians supporting him and conservatives and the Vatican speaking out against his cause. “Ocean Terminal" rewinds the reel of his life, as he narrates his own story with powerful, original and chaotic language. It is the portrait of a passionate and vital artist engaged in a conflict between the loss of hope and the celebration of life.
• May 13 & 15 at 7:30pm, Bernie Wohl Center at Goddard Riverside (647 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024).
Diary of a Serbian Housewife
Based on the novel by Mirjana Bobic Mojsilovic. Directed by Fiona Sansone, starring Ksenija Martinovic. Produced by CSS Teatro Stabile di Innovazione of Friuli Venezia Giulia
Andjelka is a young woman whose urge to relive her memories leads her to retrace the steps of her life: her childhood spent in Tito’s Yugoslavia, her adolescence and adulthood spent in Milosevic’s Serbia. How can she look at herself in the mirror after so many years? This moving piece tells the story of an entire generation of young people living in war-torn regions who weren’t ready to become adults so soon. Winner of the prestigious National Award “Giovani Realta’ del Teatro 2014” and a selection of Dominio Pubblico/All-in Italian National Festival 2015, a Festival dedicated to theater-makes under age 25. In Scena! partners every year with an Italian festival, Dominio Pubblico is the partner for 2016.
• May 6, Time 7:30pm, Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ (22 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011).
• May 9, Time 8pm, Triskelion Arts (106 Calyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222).
Adam & Eve
Written and directed by Mauro Santopietro. Starring Mauro Santopietro and Alessia Giangiuliani. (Abruzzo region)
Winner of the Lazio Region “Bando di Produzione” for new plays, Adam & Eve is a symbolic journey in seven scenes. It narrates the humorous, dramatic and poetic dynamics of a human couple on an increasingly exhausting quest for a sense of togetherness. The play moves forward though historical eras to arrive at present day, exploring the endless dynamics between man and woman: lovers or rivals, together or hopelessly distant, but forever in search of a joint identity.
• May 3, 7.30pm, Bernie Wohl Center at Goddard Riverside (647 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024)
• May 5, Time 8pm, Triskelion Arts (106 Calyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222).
Pinocchio Fellini
Based on Carlo Collodi’s “Pinocchio”. (Lazio Region)
Written and directed by Titta Ceccano.
Company Matutateatro in collaboration with the Teatro della Caduta of Turin reimagines the story of the world’s most famous wooden puppet inside a Felliniesque world. The story of Pinocchio with all of its essential moments is here: the belly of the whale, the field of miracles, the land of toys, and the fairy with turquoise hair. This youth theater production blends live music, choreographed dance, and shadow puppetry to illustrate the transformation of an impertinent wooden puppet into a sensible flesh-and-bone boy.
• May 4, 8pm, Center of the Arts at College of Staten Island (2800 Victory Boulevard, bldg, 1P. Rm 116, Staten Island, NY 10314).
• May 7, 3pm, Bernie Wohl Center at Goddard Riverside (647 Columbus Ave, Manhattan, NY 10024)
Cuoca Primavera
Written and directed by Chiara Cervati. Starring Chiara Cervati and Elena Trombini. (Lombardia Region)
Italy is renowned all over the world for its cooking and traditional dishes. Now Centopercentoteatro brings this show for children to America. Tackling the themes of informed nutrition and the seasonal nature of fruit and vegetables, this entertaining play uses medium of theater to instill in children an awareness of the issues of proper nutrition, agro-ecology, and mindful grocery shopping. This is the story of Cuoca Primavera, a chef on a desperate quest to find the best ingredients that will allow her dishes to stand out alongside other well-known chefs. Through many unforeseen hiccups – and a lot of laughter - Chef Cuoca and her assistant Chy teach children to pay attention to what we eat and to how the earth is treated, as well as to respect those who work the land to grow our food.
• Wednesday, May 11 at 6pm, Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ (22 W 12th St, New York NY 10011).
• Thursday, May 12 at 4pm at the Belmont Library and Enrico Fermi Cultural Center (610 E 186th St, Bronx NY 10458).
• Friday, May 14 at 3pm, Bernie Wohl Center at Goddard Riverside (647 Columbus Ave, New York NY 10024).
IN SCENA! ITALIAN THEATER FESTIVAL NY will also feature a series of special events as follows:
Opening Night
May 2 at 7pm, Studio at Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St, Manhattan, NY 10014.)
Dedicated to Luigi Pirandello on the 80th anniversary of his death. New York-based theater companies pay homage to the 1934 Nobel Prize winner in different languages. Admission $20
Free Verse Meets In Scena!
May 5 and 12 at 12pm – South Bronx NeON (198 East 161st, Bronx, NY 10451).
Led by Dave Johnson. A cultural exchange between In Scena! Italian artists and emerging writers from the South Bronx community. In English, Spanish and Italian. Free Admission.
Mario Fratti Award Ceremony and Closing Night
May 6 at 6pm, Italian Institute of Culture (686 Park Ave, Manhattan, NY 10021).
Reading of the winning play of the 2016 Mario Fratti Award for emerging Italian playwrights. In English. Free Admission
Immigration Now: In Italy, in Europe, in the world.
May 10 at 6pm, Calandra Institute for Italian-American Studies (25 W 43rd St #17, New York, NY 10036).
A day of readings and screenings on the theme of immigration. Free admission.
For more information on IN SCENA! ITALIAN THEATER FESTIVAL NY visit www.inscenany.com.