Why the Mask Is the Best Teacher in Your Drama Classroom

For decades, I’ve watched students transform the moment they put on quality commedia masks. The body shifts, the voice finds its rhythm, and the character is no longer an idea but a living presence. This article is not a history lesson, and it is certainly not a shopping list. It is an argument, built across…

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Creating a Healthy Ensemble in the Classroom (Tony Kishawi)

a Healthy Ensemble

In this 10-minute talk, Tony Kishawi explores how his understanding of Commedia dell’Arte evolved by studying the work of the great “gurus” who revived the art form in the 20th century: Jacques Lecoq, Antonio Fava, Carlo Mazzone-Clementi, Carlo Boso, and the extraordinary mask-maker Donato Sartori. Tony traces how Commedia was originally created—not by directors—but by…

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Remi’s Commedia Questions

Remi a year 12 student studying at Queensland Academy for Creative Industries sent some questions. So I requested that I answer the questions via video because I prefer talking to typing! 1. How would you describe the physicality of Commedia (in general)? 2. Are there solo exercises you’ve used to develop/get into the physicality of…

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