The Consulate General of Italy in Chicago and the Consulate of Italy in Detroit present the following event and theater workshop project, organized by the Education Office for Italian language students at schools and universities, as well as for cultural foundations in both consular districts, as part of the 26th Week of the Italian Language in the World.
The initiative is part of a program that will visit several venues across the United States, concluding in Chicago (October 28–29) and Detroit (October 30).
A COLPI DI MASCHERA!
A tribute to Commedia dell’Arte, reimagined and modernized with a pop twist.
Actors Nicola Adobati, Daniele Piscopo, and Martina Cavagnoli present a performance featuring Brighella, Arlecchino, and Colombina.
The aim is to engage audiences from diverse student communities, including young people, children, Italian speakers, and enthusiasts of the Italian language and culture.
Arlecchino and Brighella are preparing an important dinner at the inn owned by Colombina, a self-made woman.
However, the guests (that is, the audience) arrive early. To entertain them and pass the time, the masked characters decide to put on a performance with a Shakespearean flair.
The 60-minute wait for dinner will be brought to life by a metatheatrical story that blends the most characteristic elements of Commedia dell’Arte and traditional theatre—leather masks, classic comic routines, and references to Hamlet and The Servant of Two Masters—with elements of pop culture, including references to the world of cinema and musical interludes inspired by contemporary music.
The following Institutions will participate in the Project:
-CHICAGO Consular District: Scuola Italiana Enrico Fermi, Indian Trail Middle School, Ridgewood High School (which will host a group of Italian language students from Union Ridge School), and St. Joseph Catholic Academy HS in Kenosha;
– University of Chicago and University of Illinois at Chicago.
-DETROIT Consular District: L’Anse Creuse High School Central and the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan
