Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival

By: Jun. 12, 2013
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Kairos Italy Theater (KIT), the preeminent Italian theater company in New York City, presents In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY, the first Italian theater festival to take place annually in all five New York City boroughs and beyond. The inaugural festival will be now through June 20, 2013. BroadwayWorld has photos from the festival's grand opening below!

In Scena!, Italian for "on stage!," aims to create an annual celebration of Italian theater, both 'made in Italy' and 'made in the United States.' The program includes different types of theater that have been presented in Italy plus a sprinkling of Italian theater companies based in the United States that root their work in Italian culture.

This festival is part of "Year of Italian Culture" in the United States, presented under the auspices of the President of the Italian Republic with the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C. Year of Italian Culture takes place all over the US during 2013. Other presentations in NY include events at the Metropolitan Museum, at the Lincoln Center Festival, at the Frick Collection among others.

The festival combines Italian companies from Italy performing shows that are already successful in Italy, staged readings of Italian plays translated into English and shows produced by Italian artists residing in the NY area.

Toplining the festival is the New York debut of "Solo Anna," a tour de force performed by Lidia Vitale, written by Franco D'Alessandro, in which Anna Magnani, the great Italian film star, explores dramatic, funny and touching aspects of her illustrious career and fascinating life. The piece is presented on the 40th anniversary of the great actress' death.

The festival includes two other full productions that are US premieres, two special events and four staged readings. It ends in an evening of three plays by America's most famous Italian playwright, Mario Fratti. All events of this festival are completely accessible to English-speaking audiences. The performances are in a combination of English and Italian and the staged readings are in English.

Kairos Italy Theatre (KIT), led by Artistic Director Laura Caparrotti, is currently the theater company in residency at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo' at NYU. Since its funding in 2000 in New York, KIT has produced more than 20 performances and events over the years, collaborating with Off-Off and Off Broadway theaters and with US Institutions such as The Kitchen, The Fringe Festival, the Abrons Art Center, Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimo' at NYU, Italian Academy at Columbia University, Film Society at Lincoln Center, Dahesh Museum of Art, NY Hall of Science, the Flea Theatre, Theater for the New City, Montclair State University, Suffolk County Community College, the Bernie West Theater at Baruch College, the cell theatre, the Cherry Lane Theatre, The Italian Cultural Institute in NY, LA, Chicago, San Francisco and the General Consulate of Italy among many others. In May 2003, KIT inaugurated the Double Theatre Experience: one event performed first in English and then in Italian.

All events are free. The festival's website is www.inscenaNY.com. The number for audience inquiries and reservations is (866)-263-2924.

Photo Credits: William Gutierrez and Jonathan Slaff

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Simona Rodano performs an excerpt from the musical "Pinocchio" at the Dicapo Opera House during the opening ceremony.

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Cristina Spina reads an excerpt from "Una Madre" in a tribute to recently deceased playwright Franca Rame.

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Famed playwright Mario Fratti embraces Laura Caparotti, Founder and Artistic Director of "In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY," a celebration of Italian theatre taking place in all five boroughs.

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Macy Sullivan, Lauren Ohmer, Emily Vestch, and Alice Pechue perform "Entroterra," a modern dance piece choreographed by Anabella Lenzu.

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Lauren Ohmer performs a solo.

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Carlotta Brentan, Francesco Andolfi, Iocopo Rampini, and Giulia Bisinetta perform an original piece of "Celebrating Italian Theatre".

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Carlotta Brentan, Francesco Andolfi, Iocopo Rampini, and Giulia Bisinetta perform an original piece of "Celebrating Italian Theatre".

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Nicole Cimino, Ilaria Ambrogi, Francesco Foti, Francesco Andolfi, Giulia Bisinetta, and Iacopo Rampini perform an original piece of "Celebrating Italian Theatre".

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Nicole Cimino, Ilaria Ambrogi, Francesco Foti, Francesco Andolfi, Giulia Bisinetta, and Iacopo Rampini perform an original piece of "Celebrating Italian Theatre".

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Cristina Spina reads an excerpt from "Una Madre" in a tribute to recently deceased playwright Franca Rame.

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Nicola Iervasi and Sabrina Shapiro perfrom an excerpt from "L'Ultima Nevicata/The Last Snowfall".

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Lauren Ohmer performs a solo.

Photo Flash: Kairos Italy Theater Kicks Off IN SCENA! Italian Theater Festival
Fabio Troisi (Cultural Atachè of the Italian Institute of Culture), Sabato Sorrentino (Deputy Consul at the General Consulate of Italy), Laura Caparrotti (Founder and Artistic Director of "In Scena"), and Riccardo Viale (Director of the Italian Institute of Culture of New York) at the opening night on June 11, 2013 of ""In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY".



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