Meet the Commedia dell’Arte

 

Leading teacher: Alice Lussiana Parente

Classes/Workshops

Elementary School and Junior HS

– physical warmup and introductions (A couple of easy games, example. Passing the ball and saying their name in circle, then passing the ball and running outside the circle like a staffetta, mini warm up with music) 

– physicality of the masks. Starting with an animal (example – the bird for Zanni) we develop 

The main stock characters: Arlecchino – Zanni – Dottore – Capitano 

If there’s time and based on the age also  Pantalone/Brighella/Strega/unmasked characters.

Once we’ve played with the movements and physicality we implement their personalities and some grammelot. 

Each child chooses one character.

– building masks. The kids then, inspired by the characters we’ve created  and the images of the original masks, design their own masks.  A fun arts and craft activity.

– we then use the masks they created to improvise a couple of simple scenes/lazzi. 

(Arlecchino is hungry and steals the food from Pantalone/ Zanni keeps forgetting where he has to go.. etc) 

High School 

– physical warmup and introductions (A couple of easy games, example. Passing the ball and saying their name in circle, then passing the ball and running outside the circle like a staffetta, mini warm up with music) 

-Historical contest – La commedia dell’arte in Italy 

– physicality of the main stock characters: Masked (Zanni, Arlecchino, Balanzone, Dottore, Pantalone, Strega, Capitano) and Unmasked (Innamorati, Primo Attore/Attrice, Colombina).

Once we’ve learned the movements and physicality of the characters we implement their personalities (What do they want?) and some grammelot. We practice walks, interactions between the characters. 

The mask. One at the time they try on ONE mask. They turn to the rest of the class for the first time as the character. 

The group is divided into groups of 3 or 4. Each group gets a simple “canovaccio” a short story,  to develop into an improvisation.

Each group demonstrates their own work to the class. 

Proposed running time:

1 hr – MIDDLE SCHOOL / JUNIOR HS

Between 1 and 3 hrs HIGH SCHOOL

3 hrs – ADULTS WORKSHOP

To book a workshop, please contact info@kitheater.com