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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (November 3, 2006) – Actor and director Matthew Wilson will perform his 15 character comedy, “The Great One-Man Commedia Epic,” on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Lower Seeger Chapel located on the Milligan College campus.
Wilson’s single-handedly brings to life the entire cast of 15 characters and 1000 catastrophes drawn from the historical improvised drama style commedia dell’ arte . A classic Italian Renaissance comedy, the story depicts young lovers having their lives thrown into chaos as their wedding plans are threatened by squabbling fathers, boasting war heroes, and a host of well-meaning but dim-witted servants. The entire town is drawn to the brink of tragedy before love prevails, normalcy is restored and comedy triumphs.
“It is a real pleasure for me to take an art form that many people think is dead or is relevant only as a relic of theatrical history and show how much fun these characters still are to audiences today,” said Wilson.
Founder and executive director of Faction of Fools Theatre Company, Inc., Wilson is a freelance actor, director, instructor and choreographer of clown routines and stage combat. He has worked throughout Europe and the United States and has credits on over a dozen Shakespeare productions, including directing “Troilus & Cressida” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and performing Hamlet, Malvolio, Romeo, Benedick, Sir Andrew Aguecheeck and Touchstone. Internationally, he has collaborated as co-creator/performer on nearly 100 new works of the commedia dell’ arte.
Wilson is an assistant instructor in Italy at Antonio Fava’s Stage Internazionale di Commedia dell’ Arte and has been a faculty member of the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, as well as a guest lecturer at Georgetown , New York University and numerous other colleges, high schools and theatre festivals.
Wilson completed his undergraduate studies at Columbia University and is nearing completion of a master’s degree in theology at Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tenn.
Hosted by the Milligan College Arts Council, the show is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Rita Myers at 423.461.8723 or music@milligan.edu.