Mission:

International in scope, grounded in the natural living world, inspired by our non-urban setting, Dell’Arte International explores theatre making, theatre practice and theatre training for ourselves, the world and the future.

Who We Are

Dell’Arte International is the North American center for theatre training, research, and performance of the actor-creator. We are a committed community of artists who model and share in a sustained ensemble artistic practice.One of our deepest values is engendering the relationship between art and place, artist and community. We are a committed community of artists who for over 35 years have modeled and shared a sustained ensemble practice. DAI consists of a professional, international touring ensemble, the Dell’Arte Company; the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, offering a one-year certificate program and an accredited MFA in Ensemble-based Physical Theatre, the first of its kind in the world; and the annual summer Mad River Festival.

History:

Dell’Arte International was founded by Carlo Mazzone-Clementi and Jane Hill in Berkeley in 1971 to bring the European physical training tradition to the United States and to develop actor-creators through training in mime, mask, movement and ensemble creation.

A native of Padua, Mazzone was a childhood friend of sculptor Amleto Sartori, and Marcel Marceau’s first Italian partner. As Jacques Lecoq’s assistant for four years during Lecoq’s Italian sojourn, Carlo was part of the nucleus of artists who reinvented the Italian theatre, commedia, and mask work after WWII in Italy. He came to the US in 1958 and introduced Sartori’s masks to America, conducting demonstrations with a young partner, Hovey Burgess. Carlo developed his teaching philosophy over many years, counting as his chief mentor/influences Jacques Lecoq, Marcel Marceau, and Jean-Louis Barrault. He taught at Brandeis, Carnegie-Mellon, the Arena Theatre, and the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.

Jane and Carlo moved to rural Northern California in 1972 in order to raise their young family in a non-urban setting. They started a summer Grand Comedy Festival in Eureka, California and held performances at the College of the Redwoods, while searching for a building to house the school they envisioned. They found an old Odd Fellows Hall for sale in Blue Lake in 1974.