Their second week of intensive physical theatre training well underway, it’s time to introduce three more members of MFA Cohort IV! Read on to learn more about Caroline, Francesco, and Ware.

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Where are you from? Where did you go to college / university and what did you study?

I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, which is a suburb of Los Angeles , and I was a Drama major at UC Irvine, but I took many dance classes while working on my Drama degree.

What does “Physical Theatre” mean to you?

To me, Physical Theatre encompasses many different things. I believe physical theater has roots in live street performance and now it has evolved into creating original ensemble based theatre. To me, it bridges the gap between mentally knowing a character and understanding the physical choices that affect the action that character is playing. I think that physical theatre is any live performance that involves movement or physical action, which, in my opinion, all theatre should be.

What was your decision process that led you to choose the Accademia’s MFA in Physical Theatre?

Deciding to attend the MFA program was a huge life choice for me. After my first experience at the Accademia, it took me three years of contemplating applying before I actually made the decision to do it. I knew that I wanted to experience my early twenties and the entertainment industry before I committed to over 2 years of more schooling. I have always wanted to live abroad for some period my life, so that was the biggest draw for me to attend the Accademia dell’Arte, and I know that I will grow immensely during my time here.

What are your expectations for living in another country for 2-plus years?

Having already spent a lot of time in Italy and Europe in general, I am excited to be surrounded by such a beautiful environment, and I am also excited to be immersed in one of my favorite cultures in the world. I hope that I will grow exponentially in several aspects of my life, artistically and creatively; I hope to learn at least one new language; I hope to become more enlightened about the lifestyles and cultures of people from other parts of the world; and I expect to make deep and meaningful connections with those that I encounter throughout my education and travels.

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Where are you from? Where did you go to college / university and what did you study?

I’m from Italy: I live in Cesena a small town not far from the Adriatic coast, in Romagna. I studied in Bologna becoming a mechanical engineer in 2001.

What does “Physical Theatre” mean to you?

I think physical theatre means to express our feelings and emotions and transmit them through our wonderful instrument: our body. I believe in a theatre made of emotions and I don’t like shows where the only thing you can find is ability.

What was your decision process that led you to choose the Accademia’s MFA in Physical Theatre?

I love theatre and I play with a group of actors and friends in Cesena, but I’ve never attended a real school of theatre. I figured I had a love for theatre, and the audition process seemed ok–so I thought, “Why not try?”

What do you hope to accomplish during your time in the MFA program?

I hope to collect all the instruments I need to create and express myself through my own performance; to learn how to use my body in the best way, and to become able to teach theatre to others.

What are your plans for after you complete the program? How do you expect the training and experience from the Accademia’s MFA in Physical Theatre to complement this?

I’d like to continue acting with my group bringing this experience into my work, and at the same time to help people discover theatre by organizing workshops and theatre programs for the associations working in social contest. I hope also to teach theatre to children in school.

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Where are you from? Where did you go to college / university and what did you study?

I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. I attended the University of Cincinnati briefly, then moved to Minneapolis when I was 19 to work with a circus there. After a couple of years, I decided to finish my degree and I went to Illinois State University because of their student circus. I ended up connecting with the theater people there and got my BA in Theater.

What was the audition process like? (How did it compare to other programs? Was it challenging? Exciting?)

For me, the process was a little…I don’t know…frenzied? I didn’t decide to apply until fairly late in the game, sometime in February, I think. The audition was scheduled for mid-March, and I was asked to prepare two monologues and an original piece of physical theater, and it was in Chicago (400 miles away). That meant I had about a month to create an original piece, and everything (props, costumes, etc.) had to fit in my tiny, two-door car. I was lucky, though, because I had an idea I’d been wanting to play with for a while and just hadn’t found the right venue. It works best in a small environment – like as street theater, for instance – ideally where people can come up within a few feet. So a one-on-one audition was perfect, really, and I just had to make the thing. Still, there was at least one complicated prop that needed to be fabricated, so there was some concern that my (very busy) designer wouldn’t get it finished in time, at least not in time for me to really practice with it the way I’d like. It all came together just fine, though, and I drove to Chicago on a Friday after work, practiced my pieces in the hotel all day Saturday, then auditioned early on Sunday morning and drove back to Minneapolis.

What do you hope to accomplish during your time in the MFA program?

My focus is on refining my voice as an artist, and figuring out a better idea of how/what I want to contribute to the theater world. It’s important to me that I sample as much as I can so I can come out of school with a clear idea of what I’m about, what my aesthetic is.

What are your plans for after you complete the program? How do you expect the training and experience from the Accademia’s MFA in Physical Theatre to complement this?

Hard to say – a lot can happen in two and a half years. I’ve been performing almost my whole life, but there’s a lot of stuff I’ve never done (touring, e.g.). I’m looking forward to seeing how that feels, and maybe auditioning for a touring show after I graduate. I like teaching, but I’m not sure what form that will take yet – workshops, maybe? I think I want more time to do my own work before I start teaching others as a main gig. I’ve also got a friend who’s going into film and stunt work, and I’ve thought about trying to break into motion capture, which seems like a great field for someone who likes creating physical characterizations.

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Sunset photo credit: Tristan Schaffer-Goldman