Made in Italy, Inspired in Alberta
Get ready to take in a great night of family, music, laughs, and food as Theatre Calgary and presenting partner Alberta Theatre Projects welcome Farren Timoteo to the Martha Cohen Theatre for his critically acclaimed funny and lively one-person show, Made in Italy.
A semi-autobiographical tale, Made in Italy is a comedic chronicle of the generational differences in an immigrant family. In this tour-de-force solo show, Francesco, a young Italian immigrant and his father, Salvatore, recall their experiences in 1970s Jasper, Alberta. Holding dear the traditions of Italy, Salvatore hopes to pass them on to his son, while Francesco finds new role models in Italian cultural icons Rocky Balboa and John Travolta.
“There was a room in my grandparent's house that was strictly off-limits: the dining room,” describes Timoteo. ”This was where we welcomed mass gatherings of family and community for extraordinary dinners and celebrations. It was a sacred space. I’d wait for those nights when my Grandmother would welcome us to the table to serve us a feast she'd spent all day preparing….A gift from the heart.”
Made in Italy centres around such an occasion because, as Salvatore describes, “every meal must tell a story.” From here, playwright and performer Timoteo takes us on a journey from Jasper in 1975, to a family dining room in 1980, and even back to Italy in 1976, as a father and son, amongst all their differences, find themselves.
As with previous one-performer shows at Theatre Calgary such as Rod Beattie’s Wingfield series or Rick Miller’s BOOM trilogy, the characters, stories, humour and drama come from a personal connection by the writer to the multitude of people they portray onstage. In Made in Italy, Timoteo tells a story of immigration, bullying, music, and the bond of family as he brings to life more than 15 memorable characters.
“I wrote this play to recreate this tradition of sharing,” says Timoteo. “To celebrate the bond we form when we enter a sacred space together to create lasting memories around wine and food. I have spent a lifetime preparing the menu for this evening, it is a gift from my heart.”
Made in Italy runs October 17 - November 11 in the Arts Commons Martha Cohen Theatre. As part of Theatre Calgary’s ‘Theatre For All’ initiative, all seats for this performance are just $39 for all regular performances. They are selling quickly, and can be purchased online at theatrecalgary.com.
