February 9, 2006 - Rider’s Fine Arts Department Presents “The Servant of Two Masters”
LAWRENCEVILLE – Eighteenth-century playwright Carlo Goldino’s play, “The Servant of Two Masters” – featuring 17 Rider University student actors -- will be performed this month as the premiere for Rider’s new Fine Arts Studio Theater.
The curtain rises in the theater, located in the Fine Arts Building on the Lawrenceville campus, Thursday, February 16 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, February 18 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Thursday, February 23 at 8 p.m.; Friday, February 24 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, February 25 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Set in 18th-century Venice, the play is performed in a genre known as “Commedia dell’arte,” which literally means the “art of comedy” or “the craft of comedy” in its true translation. The antics between the sexes unfold over a wedding contract. Federigo, the male fiancé, is believed to be dead after a duel with Florindo, his sister’s lover. The fiancé, Clarice, has been promised to another man. The battle erupts and confusion abounds in this comedy of disguise, deception, love and lust in Venice.
Logging in approximately 300 hours of rehearsal time, Rider’s student-actors studied with noted commedia expert, Aaron Cromie, who has studied under Antonio Fava, the world’s foremost commedia teacher. Cromie, a professional actor from Philadelphia, also trains actors in the commedia style across the United States.
“This production has never been performed at Rider and it is the first time that our theater students have attempted this particular genre,” said Miriam Mills, adjunct assistant professor of fine arts and the production’s director. “All of the commedia actors in this production – with the exception of the lovers -- wear masks. Their movements on stage present a different form of physical reality. Holding their chests upward, their poses and postures are not in the normal manner one would expect. I was looking for actors who are creative, quick and funny. They had to have the ability to capture physical truths in the style of movement connected with their masks, and make that movement believable.”
The actors also improvise some of their dialogue in keeping with the commedia style. According to Mills, acting troupes during that time used a basic plot for a script and improvised based on the scenario given.
The play, translated by Jeffrey Hatcher and Paolo Emilio Landi, lends itself to improvisation. “It is interesting to see what made people laugh 300 years ago,” said Mills. “I think what they found humorous long ago is exactly the same as what we find funny today. We all laugh at being a bit naughty. We laugh at windbags and braggarts, and we laugh at slapstick.”
“No one should be intimidated by the play’s supposed complications. Everyone will ‘get it’. The show is hysterically funny. “I know that the audience will have an entertaining, laugh-filled evening. We have some tremendous talent.”
The main protagonist is Matt Cook of Ship Bottom, a senior fine arts major as Truffaldino. Making their stage debuts are: Jamian Berkal of Manalapan, a freshman fine arts major as Muffeletta; and Erin Ludwig of Ewing, a sophomore journalism major as Clarice.
Other cast members are: Joe Sabatino of Burlington, a sophomore fine arts major as Silvio; acting scholar Kevin Feehery of Wall, a sophomore fine arts major as Pantalone; Kim Vogel of Glen Gardner, a freshman marketing major/fine arts minor as Smeraldina; acting scholar Faye Rex of Howell, a freshman fine arts major as Beatrice; acting scholar Ed Egan of Cranford, a junior communication major as Dr. Lombardi; Arnaldo Ortiz of North Bergen, a senior fine arts major as Florindo; acting scholar Danny Lane of Staten Island, a junior fine arts major as Brighella.
Also, Chad Schubert of Englishtown, a senior fine arts major as Patron; Judah Frank of Teaneck, a sophomore fine arts major as Stage Manager; acting scholar Cristina Farruggia of New City, NY, a sophomore fine arts major as Interlude Singer/Ensemble; Mike Capuano of Deptford, a freshman fine arts major as Prompter; Mike Hollinshead of Hillsborough, a freshman general liberal studies major as Waiter #2/Ensemble; Michele Danna of Glen Rock, a sophomore secondary education/English major as Ensemble; and Andrew Danish of Leonia, a senior communication major/fine arts minor as Waiter #1/Ensemble.
Tickets are $10 for the general public, and $5 for students, faculty and staff. For more information, call (609) 896-5303.
Rider University is a student-centered community of learners regionally recognized as a top-tier institution. With campuses located in Lawrenceville and Princeton, NJ, Rider is an independent, residential university with 5,500 undergraduate, graduate and non-traditional students. Ninety-six percent of the faculty hold Ph.D.s or appropriate advanced degrees. Rider offers more than 60 undergraduate programs in the fine and performing arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, education and business, as well as 17 graduate programs principally in business, education and music. Premier national accreditations in business, accounting, teacher education, music and counseling services validate Rider’s high academic stature.
