COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE (grades 2-12)

Commedia dell’Arte  was popular in Italy and France in the 1700’s. First performed as street theater it was the basis for our modern concept of the clown and was used  by such noted playwrights as Goldoni and Rossini in both stage plays and comic operas. Students learn the archetypal commedia characters through movement and masks.  Students then pick their favorite and create a mask of that character .  Finally they create skits between their characters, which are performed in the culminating class.

Ties to: Mask making, Character creation, literacy

Skills built: focus physical movement, character creation, and ensemble