artifex
Selected at
New York City
Fringe Festival 2009
DAVIDE AMBROGI
ARTIFEX
Artifex: the artistic life of Emperor Nero of Rome as an opportunity to call into question the main themes and problems most frequently present in the life of an artist.
Nero and his court lead us on a psychological trip into the artist's mind through one dramatic scene, one comical scene, one musical scene, and one scene presented as a dance. These describe the aspirations, the foolish ambitions and the creative joys, but also the fears, the doubts, and the deepest anxieties that the artist usually carries within himself.
Back in Rome, after a long tour in Greece and aware of his imminent political fall, Nerone asks his courtiers to stage what he feels are the most important episodes of his existence by giving them a script. The form of his play takes its shape during one of his renowned celebrations inside his new residence, the Domus Aurea.
This story begins with his rise to power as a result of his mother Agrippina's influence and the scholarship of the great philosopher Seneca, on a voyage to Greece, lasting one year, and equivalent to a modern theatrical tour, up until his triumphant return to Rome, only later to be hunted by his own army, he escaped through his dramatic suicide.
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The Author
Davide Ambrogi is a playwright, author, musician and a composer. He grew up in Rome and received his degree in Liberal Arts and Music, from the University of Rome, Roma Tre. He has been involved in the theater world since he was young in various capacities (In his youth, his late uncle, Attilio Corsini, a renowned artistic director in Rome, exposed him to a number of the many facets of the theatre). He studied music composition under Maestro Egidio Pozzi, as well as music history along with many instruments, including piano, guitars and violin. He is an official Pro Tools Operator for Digidesign music engineering software. Over the last ten years he has written scores for musicals as well as music to accompany dramas. They include La Morte del Mio Fidanzato Immaginario, Diva, Arsenico e Vecchi Merletti (Arsenic and Old Lace) and Storie di Re Mida. In 2001 he published a book adding to the musical research on the violin virtuoso, Paganinis secret method titled, Il virtuosismo violinistico di Niccolo Paganini: Ipotesi di un metodo tra mito e realta. Before writing the stage play Artifex and its translation into English, he wrote the stage comedy Dio c'è.
The Italian Cast
Velia Viti, Director
A director native to Rome, she has been keen on the theater world since she was young. Velia Viti received her degree in Liberal Arts and Theater from the University of Rome, Roma Tre. She is currently working with the television production company Wilder. Her stage direction credits include Fiori nel cielo and Hammet 3241. She has been a contributor to the magazine Orizzonti and catalogued antiquities for the City of Roma from 1999-2001.
Marco Zordan
Actor, writer and theater teacher in Rome, he has a degree in Liberal Arts and Theater from the University of Rome, Roma Tre and studied Solfeggio at the S. Cecilia Conservatory of Music in Rome. He is the co-director of the Studio Uno Theater, Rome and is a member of the literary association, Parco letterario Pier Paolo Pasolini. He teaches theater at the University of Loia to immigrating students. He has been an instructor of theater education and pedagogy in schools in Rome since 2006 and since 2004 has developed teaching theater workshops with Roman middle schools. In 2008 Marcos acting credits include: Storie di Ragazzi di Vita, Alla Fine della Stagione degli Asparagi, Il Dottor Divago, Camera con crimini, Teatrantidepressivi, Una donna nella mente and Ma cosè questamor.
Massimiliano Frascà
Massimiliano studied at the Teatro e Azione school of theater in Rome has remained steadfastly devoted to the theater. He recently played Peter Quince in A Midsummers Night Dream directed by Bruce Meyer and in HIV Hamlet in Vortex, a rock musical adaptation written and directed by Claudio Sisto. Some other works on stage include two year tour with Metafisico Cabaret directed by Giorgio Barberio Corsetti from 2004-6, E. Ionescos, Killing Game directed by Giancarlo Fares and Ayckbourns Bedroom Farce directed by Giorgio Spazziani among many other productions. He is particularly proud of his work with the Living Theater in Italy in 2002, in the play, Mistery and Smaller Pieces, under the direction of Katie Mitchell.
Valerio Malorni
Actor, dancer, author and director. He studied at the Informazione Teatrale School of Theater in Rome. He is a piano and guitar player has taken part in many acting workshops with Anton Milenin, Jean-Paul Denizon and Vladimir Oshlansky. He studied dance and contact improvisation with Khosro Adibi and Julyen Hamilton. He is part of the project Mimopaideia by Gilberto Scaramuzzo of the research group Mimesisilab at Di.P.E.D. of the University of Rome, Roma Tre. He has performed in Italy and abroad with Metafisico Cabaret and Paradiso by Giorgio Barberio Corsetti. At the moment he coordinates relationship theater courses and several childhood theater workshops.
Giulia Pietrosanti
Giulia is 23 years old; shes studying Liberal Arts and theater at the University of la Sapienza. She has participated in workshops on movement and techniques in the Commedia dellArte tradition, and South Indian Kathakali art form and various fighting dances. Last year, she acted with Bruce Meyer in two Shakespeare plays, A Midsummer Nights Dream and Othello.
Daniele Grifoni
An actor and dancer, Daniele is the youngest member of The Artifex Company. He is a student at Teatro e Azione school of theater in Rome. Hes also participating in the Biomechanical (Theater) Permanent Course directed by Andrea de Magistris. He has performed in a number of stage plays, produced by Teatro e Azione school, including Cosi e se vi Pare by L.Pirandello and Visita di Condoglianze by A. Campanile.
Alessandro Di Somma
Actor and theater teacher in Rome, he received his degree in acting at the international acting school, Permis de Conduire, and has taken part in many theater workshops, acting with international teachers such as Cathy Marchand (The Living Theater), Hal Yamanouchi (Body Expression), Igor Grcko (Biomechanics) and more. In his career, he has performed in more than 40 plays and hes currently a teacher of theater workshops for primary school students.
Since 2008 he has served as the co-director of the Studio Uno Theater in Rome.
Chiara Loriga
Actress and director, she received her degree in acting at the international acting school Permis de Conduire and has taken part in many theater workshops, acting with international teachers such as Cathy Marchand (The Living Theater), Hal Yamanouchi (Body Expression), Igor Grcko (Biomechanics) and more. In her career, she has performed in many plays and her films credits include: Una bambina di troppo directed by Damiano Damiani and Oliviero rising by Ricky Roseo with Vincent Gallo, Burt Young and Ernest Burgnine. She has appeared on tv fictions like Sottocasa on channel Rai Uno and many commercials like Gli amici di Sara directed by Gabriele Muccino.
The U.S. Cast
Davide Ambrogi (playwright and director)
Davide is a playwright, author, musician and composer. He grew up in Rome and received his degree in Liberal Arts, majoring in music, from the University of Rome, Roma Tre. He has been involved in the theater world since he was young in various capacities; his late uncle, Attilio Corsini, was a renown artistic director in Rome. He studied music composition with Maestro Egidio Pozzi and has studied different instruments as well as music history. He plays piano, guitars and violin. He is a Digidesign official Pro Tools Operator for music engineering. Over the last ten years he has written music for musicals as well as dramas including, La morte del mio fidanzato immaginario, Diva, Arsenico e vecchi merletti and Storie di Re Mida. In 2001 he published a book about the musical research on Paganini secret method: Il virtuosismo violinistico di Niccolo Paganini. Ipotesi di un metodo tra mito e realta. He wrote the stage play Artifex and the comedy screenplay Dio cè.
Clara Campi (Nero)
Clara was born and raised in Milan, Italy, and she's been acting all her life. After graduating from school she started traveling around the world discovering new cultures and trying to improve high the five languages she speaks. Three years ago she ended up in NYC, where she attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Since graduation in 2008, she already performed in 4 different plays in the city and in various independent films and music videos. Her credits include, among many others, Ophelia in Hamlet and Serafina in The rose tattoo.
Rocio A. Mendez (Sporo)
Rocio was born and raised in New York City, recently completed conservatory training at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Rocios goal is to use theater as a tool to make positive change, opening peoples minds and encourage compassion. She is very excited to be working on Artifex and reaching her goals in theater.
Amanda Yachechak (Paride)
Theatre credits include The Father of Songs (ensemble/soloist), From Broadway with Love (dancer/soloist) benefit concert, Walking From Rumania (Gittel) with Theatre for the New City, West Side Story (Maria), Fiddler on the Roof (Chava), and The King and I (Tuptim) with Garage Theatre; Nunsense (Sister Mary Leo) with the Hackensack Theatre Company, and The Mrs. Gould Show 2008 season (Colette) with St. George Productions. She is also a film actress, a voiceover artist, and a company dancer with The Kennedy Dancers. Amanda is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York.
Patti DeMatteo (Terpno)
Patti is a busy actress, born in New Jersey, and now part of the crazy New York life. Before settling in New York, she spent most of last year performing at the Florida Studio Theatre, in Sarasota, FL. Now, she is busy with independent film projects and featured background on some of New York's most popular tv shows. She thanks the cast for a great experience.
Felicia Masias (Otone)
Felicia is from a small town in Texas you probably never heard of called Monahans. She graduated from AMDA in 2008 and has starred in two plays since then, Subject: Object and We are the lawmakers, which was presented at the Fringe Festival last year.
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