The Italian Experience will be an intensive creative theatre retreat led by directors Craig Belknap and Lew Palter. In Italy the writers will have the opportunity to create and reshape original works with professional actors and directors. The actors will participate in a rigorous rehearsal process and present the writers’ works along with great scenes or short plays from the masters. We will live
together, learn together, and create together at La Mama Umbria International. Limited to 4 writers and 16 actors. THE VENUE
The Italian Experience’s venue is right outside the ancient city of Spoleto and about two hours equi-distant from Florence and Rome. It is in Umbria, a region of Italy known as “il cuor verde” (the green heart). As Tuscany’s next door neighbor it derives its rustic and authentic charm from a fusion of art, nature, tradition, and pastoral serenity. Participants in the workshop will live and work at a 700 year old stone monastery that is host to the La Mama Umbria International Theatre Symposium every summer. Ellen Stewart “La Mama,” one of the most respected and influential luminaries of the international theatre scene, purchased the monastery, out-buildings, and surrounding hills and forest with funds she received from winning a MacArthur Genius Grant. She created a gathering place for theatre artists from all over the world to retreat, create work, and replenish themselves. The venue offers living spaces, rooms and bathrooms, a converted barn rehearsal studio, an outdoor stage, a two-story art/performing gallery, a café, a chapel, and private gardens. Participants will reside in comfortable rooms, eat extraordinary meals prepared by a renowned chef, and have time for quiet reflection in a pastoral environment. THE STAFF
There will be a full time cook, housekeepers, and a technical director on the premises throughout The Italian Experience. THE WRITERS
The Italian Experience will be text based. The 4 writers selected will provide The Experience with already finished works and works in progress they wish to complete. Outlines or first drafts of the works are due at the first of the year. In consultation with the directors the works will then be fleshed out and roles tailored for the actors in the company. A pre-rehearsal complete draft will be due at the beginning of June and disseminated to the actors, so that they can begin to learn lines, research roles, and correspond with the writers. In Umbria the writers will continue to hone their work and collaborate with the actors and the directors in rehearsal to complete their work. Also during this time the writers may start new work which would then be read by the actors and, in an open forum mediated by the directors, the company would be invited to discuss the work. THE ACTORS
The 16 actors selected will first of all consult with the directors as to the kinds of material and roles they wish to work on during the retreat. The actors will be cast in original material from the writers in residence and in great scenes or short plays of master writers from Shakespeare to Tony Kushner. The writers will tailor roles for specific actors in the company. The actors will receive scripts and roles in June so that they can learn lines, consult with the writers and directors, and do research prior to their arrival in Umbria. Under the direction of Lew Palter and Craig Belknap the rehearsal period will be rigorous and intense leading up to a final performance. THE ACTOR/WRITERS
Writers who are also actors may be asked to play small roles in scenes by other writers in addition to working on their own writing. THE DOCUMENTARY
A documentary will be shot throughout the process by members of the company. The documentary will be edited once we return to the States. SOLO PRESENTATIONS
Each member of the company, actors and writers, will be given an opportunity to perform solo pieces, read original material, teach a class, conduct a demonstration, etc. There will be two solo presentations every night of the retreat each with a 45 minute time limit. THE DIRECTORS:
Craig Belknap founded and artistically led Direct Theater Inc. in New York, which launched the careers of many now renowned artists including Howard Ashman, Alan Menken, Christopher Durang, Albert Innaurato, Dennis McIntyre, Sigourney Weaver, Randal Duk Kim, and John Polito. In New York, Mr. Belknap directed MODIGLIANI at the Astor Place, THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE at the Roundabout, THE FLIGHT OF THE EARLS at the West Side Arts, and A PIECE OF MY HEART at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Regionally, he has directed at the Asolo, the New American Theatre, Houston’s Alley Theatre, American Stage Festival, Pennsylvania Stage Company, The Actors' Theatre of Louisville, The Philadelphia Drama Guild, The Folger, Pioneer Memorial Theatre, A Noise Within, and the Alabama, Fort Worth, and Great Lakes Shakespeare Festivals. His film TRAVELER’S REST received two gold medals and ten honorable mentions at international film festivals from Houston to Bilboa, Spain. On television, he directed Neil Patrick Harris in DOOGIE HOWSER M.D. for Steven Bochco and A.B.C. and received a Cable Ace Award nomination as one of the creators of Showtime's dramatic series, The Thirty Minute Movie. He taught acting and directing at the California Institute of the Arts for over twenty years and currently runs acting and writing workshops in Los Angeles. Lew Palter has performed in over 90 film and television shows, and in dozens of productions off-Broadway, in stock, and regional theater. His major films include TITANIC, FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER, THE STEAGLE, THE EDUCATION OF PRIVATE SLOVIK, and BADGE OF THE ASSASSIN AND RULES OF MARRIAGE. His TV credits extend from THE FLYING NUN to recurring role in DELVECCHIO and DOCTOR’S HOSPITAL and multiple appearances on L.A. He has played in Theater venues ranging from Madison Square Garden to the New Mexico Repertory Company. His West Coast directing credits include the long-running NUTS at the L.A. Stage Company (for which he won Drama-logue and Data-Boy awards), WAITING FOR GODOT and THE LOVER at the Century City Playhouse and numerous productions at UCLA, CSUN and CalArts where he taught and served as co-dean, head of acting, and head of directing for some decades. He has guest directed at the Power Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the Professional Training Program at University of Washington and on five occasions at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. Formerly Head of the Acting Program at Carnegie-Mellon University, he also initiated the acting training program at The American Film Institute, developed a graduate acting program for UCLA, taught acting at the Ellenstein-Palter Studio, and at the LA Civic Light Opera Music Theater Workshop. He holds a B.S. degree in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University, an M.A. in Drama from Tufts, and a Ph.D. in Theater from Northwestern. THE COST
The total cost of The Italian Experience will be $2500.00. This will cover transportation from and to the airport in Rome, housing, 3 meals a day, laundry, a field trip on the day off to Florence, Venice, or Rome, and all aspects of the acting/writing program. Please note air fare is not included. Payments in $500.00 increments are due on February 1, March 1, April 1, May 1, and June 1. The first payment of $500.00 is not refundable. THE SCHEDULE
The dates for The Italian Experience will be Tuesday, September 8 through Monday, September 21 2015. Tuesday, September 8 Fly to Rome, Italy. Wednesday September 9 arrive in Rome and drive to Umbria, settle in, tour the venue, have dinner, and attend an organizational meeting. Thursday, September 10 through Tuesday, September 15 rehearsals, writing sessions, and 2 solo presentations each night. Wednesday, September 16 Day Off/ Field Trip
Thursday, September 17 through Saturday, September 19 rehearsals, writing sessions, and 2 solo presentations each night. Sunday, September 20 Performances
Monday, September 21 Drive to Rome and fly home. A TYPICAL DAY BREAKDOWN
8-9 Breakfast
9-12 Rehearsals/Writing Session
12-1 Lunch
1-4 Siesta—lone time for writing, working with scene partners, hiking, reading, meditating, etc
4-7 Rehearsals/Writing Session
7-8 Dinner
8-8:45 Solo Presentation
9-9:45 Solo Presentation
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested professional writers and actors should email questions to [email protected]
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Follow this link to our website to learn more and fill out an application. http://www.internationaltheaterexperience.com/take-action
