Performers

Il Trattenimento Italiano - Dance Troupe

Il Trattenimento Italiano had its start in 1959, when Patricia Civitate learned La Tarantella Napoletana as a youngster. When Patricia became a Girl Scout Troop Leader, she taught the dance to her troop of girls who represented Italy at various scouting events, whenever international cultures were being presented. In the early 1970s, Pat had a group of eight to ten children who wanted to dance, but La Tarantella Napoletana was the only Italian folk dance she knew.

In 1980, Patricia felt that there had to be more information available about Italian folk dances. She tried writing to Italian-American magazines but received no assistance. Shortly thereafter, she learned about IFAFA in a conversation with Rita Tonitto. Pat attended the 1981 IFAFA Conference in New Jersey and just happened to share a room with Cav. Elba Farabegoli Gurzau. In 1983 she traveled with IFAFA to Italy where she videotaped several dances.

Soon, the group's repertoire grew. In a few years, at an IFAFA Conference in Philadelphia, PA, Pat taught a workshop on teaching Italian dances to children. This presentation was an inspiration to many of the adult dancers to return to their cities and begin forming children's groups. In 1988, Il Trattenimento Italiano hosted the IFAFA Conference in Des Moines.

The group now functions under the auspices of the Italian American Cultural Center in Des Moines, but the dance group itself remains self-governed, under Pat's leadership. As members of the Cultural Center, they enjoy the privileges of state and federal tax exemption.

The adult group of Il Trattenimento Italiano currently consists of 6 men and 8 women. The Ragazzi group is made up of 12 children. New members are recruited through invitations in their newsletter and through personal contact.

The costumes worn during performances represent various regions of Italy; several members have more than one costume and often change during the course of a performance.

The repertoire of Il Trattenimento Italiano includes folk dances, folk tales, and historical background narration. Information on dances and costumes has been gleaned from Cav. Elba Gurzau's book Folk Dances, Costumes and Customs of Italy, at IFAFA conferences, and at other folk dance classes. Additional knowledge, of both dances and costumes, has been passed down through family history, or has been researched during travels in Italy.

Il Trattenimento Italiano Dance Troupe performed at all four All Things Italian festivals

Quiliano Anderson was born in the Philippines. He is a voice major who is currently finishing up his Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Iowa. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Guitar Performance and Voice from the University of Minnesota and has performed as a tenor in opera and chorus in addition to solo voice work. He has lived and performed on the East Coast – including New Jersey, New York and Virginia – in addition to the Midwest.

In 1996 Quiliano sang as a soloist in the "Voices of Vienna" in St. Paul. He also worked as a professional chorister for the Minnesota Opera Company, after which time he left Minnesota for New York. There he continued voice lessons and performed in his first Mozart opera, "Die EntfŸhrung aus dem Serail," produced by the now defunct Manhattan Opera Ensemble and directed by Nicholas Karousatos.

During this time, he also auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera chorus, and while he did not make the chorus he was invited to callbacks.

After living six months in New York, Quiliano moved to New Jersey, where he took lessons with Scott McCoy, alumnus and former faculty member of the UI voice department. Scott encouraged Quiliano to attend Westminster Choir College, in Princeton New Jersey. Quiliano attended Westminster from 1996-1997, including a performance in the title role of "Candide." During this time, he also performed at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall.
During his time at Westminster, however, Quiliano became increasingly nervous about high tuition fees. After receiving a recommendation from Scott McCoy, he auditioned at the UI, where he was awarded a teaching assistantship. He is now in his second year at the UI, and will audition for the doctoral program on April 26th.

Quiliano says his recent performance in "Cosi fan tutte," or "the Loss of Innocence," was a very good experience for him. The production was directed by guest director Ben Krywosz, the artistic director of Nautilus Music-Theater of St. Paul, MN. Quiliano recently auditioned for a production of "A Little Night Music," by Stephen Sondheim, which will be performed in mid July. Additionally, he says, he will audition for roles whenever he can -- mainly for lyric tenor roles - as well as apply for jobs.

"I feel good about opera," he says, "and I think I'll always be singing."

Quiliano Anderson performed at all four All Things Italian festivals accompanied by Fairfield’s Doug Daller.

2010 Performers

Douglas Grew - Variety Artist, Circus Performer, Clown.

Quiliano Anderson - Tenor

This year, the festival entertainment will be highlighted by the performance of renowned clown, juggler and Italian performance artist Douglas Grew. Doug has performed as a core member of Chicago circus/theater troupe, the Midnight Circus and is a graduate of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College. An associate of CircEsteem/Chicago Youth Circus, Douglas also enjoys teaching. Doug has taught Physical Theater at the college level through the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Commedia dell' Arte workshops at the Chicago Improv Olympic comedy theater.

While living in Rome as a 9yr old, Douglas feel in love with the Pulcinella puppet show. That year for Carnivale he dressed up as Pulcinella and thus began his career as a clown. A Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College graduate, Douglas met LIonel Bottari when he joined the Italian American Theater Ensemble, and continues to collaborate with him to this day.

This will be Douglas Grew’s second performance at our festival.

Lionel Bottari belongs to a family of traditional Italian entertainers, counting among his skills puppetry and playing the Italian “zampogna” bagpipe. His performance consists of clowning and a musical prologue, as well as the puppet show. Typically, the first act is Pulcinella: Amico di Tutti (Pulcinella, everyone’s friend), followed by Pulcinella: Il Nuovo Caruso, (Pulcinella, the new Caruso). There are also a number of other scenarios in the repetoire for audiences that have seen these shows before. The performance can be presented in English, Italian, or Spanish

This will be Lionel’s third performance at our festival.

Lionel Bottari

Megan Fullenkamp

Megan Fullenkamp is from Danville, IA. She is currently attending school at Western Illinois University as a junior Music Education major. Megan studies voice there with Charolette Megginson. At the college, she is involved in opera, University Singers, Concert choir, vocal jazz, and a professional music fraternity.

Megan’s performances have included leading roles in “The Sound of Music” and “Bye Bye Birdie” done at Danville High School, “Oklahoma” done at Burlington’s Players Workshop, “Sweeney Todd” done at Southeastern Community College, and “The Music Man” done by the Southeast Iowa Players. She has also done many things in the speech realm and enjoys judging at the IHSSA speech contests.

Megan will singing duets with Quiliano Anderson along with singing a few solos.

One of the top finalists in the recent Fairfield Superstars Concert, Megan is becoming a Fairfield favorite!

Nedo Consoli

Nedo Consoli is a master Madonnari and serves as the President of Madonnari Associazione D'Italia, a group of thirty master Madonnari from throughout Italy. He will be conducting a series of workshops for local artists and creating a piece that night for the Festival.

(Read more here)

Commedia dell'Arte from the Italian American Theater Company of Chicago

This original presentation by the Italian-American Theater Company of Chicago (IATC) weaves contemporary and traditional elements of comic theatre and pantomime to create a tapestry that is representative of Italian culture and true to the origins of 'Commedia dell'Arte.'

The evening features veteran professional artists Lionel Bottari, Douglas Grew and Jean Parisi. As founding members of the IATC, the trio has presented their unique 'commedia' here and abroad since 1987, including performances in Venice and Florence.