Marco Calvani (born 11 December 1980) is an Italian playwright, director, filmmaker, translator and actor.

Biography

Trained as an actor since he was a teenager, Calvani made his debut as a playwright in 2002 with ''Quasi'', commissioned by the European Social Forum. ''Strong Hands'' was his first play to be translated and performed to great acclaim throughout Europe. Commissions from the Todi Arte Festival, the Phoenix Theatre, London,

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (La MaMa E.T.C.) is an Off-Off-Broadway theatre founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, African-American theatre director, producer, and fashion designer. Located in Manhattan's East Village, the theatre began in the ...

of New York, Teatro di Roma, Théâtre de la Ville of Paris and the

Festival Grec de Barcelona The Festival Grec de Barcelona (or Grec Festival of Barcelona) is an international theatre, dance, music and circus festival. Over the course of its history, this long-standing event has become a major summer attraction in Barcelona, Catalonia, ...

followed. His play ''The City Beneath'' had its New York City debut at the Sage Theater in 2009. In the same year he also wrote and directed ''Penelope in Groznyj'', performed first at Berlin's Kunsthaus Tacheles and was the only European guest at Bali's international

Ubud Writers and Readers Festival Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) is an annual 4-day literary festival held every October in Ubud on the island of Bali, Indonesia. Established in 2004, it is considered Southeast Asia’s biggest and most meaningful literary Festival. It ...

. In 2011 he won a residency at the Cité internationale des arts of Paris and was invited by the Théâtre de la Ville to represent Italy in an international writing project. In the same year he was awarded the SIAE Prize as best playwright at the Spoleto Festival. He created the project AdA (Author directing Author) with his friend and colleague Neil LaBute, for which he wrote ''Things of This World'' (

Festival dei Due Mondi The ''Festival dei Due Mondi'' (Festival of the Two Worlds) is an annual summer music and opera festival held each June to early July in Spoleto, Italy, since its founding by composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1958. It features a vast array of conce ...

of Spoleto, Fringe Festival Madrid, La MaMa Theatre, New York), ''The Second Time'' ( Venice Biennale Teatro, La MaMa Theatre New York), and ''After the Dark'' (Sala Beckett Barcelone, La MaMa Theatre New York). In 2013 the

Teatro Metastasio The Teatro Metastasio is a theatre located in Prato, Italy. Designed by architect Luigi De Cambray Digny, construction of the theatre began in March 1829. The inaugural performance of theatre was of Gioachino Rossini's ''Aureliano in Palmira'' on 8 ...

Stabile della Toscana organized a retrospective of his work for which he wrote and directed ''I am Dracula''. The same year, Glory Kadigan directed the New York premiere of his play ''Oil'', for which he was presented with the Award for Outstanding Playwriting at the Planet Connections Theater Festivity Awards. He is the founder and artistic director of Mixò, an international cultural center that brings together young actors and writers and promotes original works for stage and screen. His works have been translated and performed in six languages. He is a member of the

Dramatists Guild of America The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market. Membership as an Associate Member is open to any person having written at least one stage play. Active Mem ...

and of the Playwrights/Directors Unit at the

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded ...

. He is a permanent artist-in-residence at

of New York. In 2015 he was awarded the Writer Fellowship from the Edward F. Albee Foundation. Most recently he wrote and directed the short film ''The View from Up Here'' (US/France, 2017) starring Melissa Leo and Leïla Bekhti, based on his eponymous play originally commissioned by The Actors Studio and directed by

Estelle Parsons Estelle Margaret Parsons (born November 20, 1927) is an American actress, singer and stage director. After studying law, Parsons became a singer before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She worked for the television program ''Today'' and ...

. His second short film ''A Better Half'' was named Best Short of 2022 by the British Film Magazine Close-Up. His first feature film ''High Tide'' had its world premiere at SXSW in March 2024. It stars Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei, Tony-winner Bill Irwin, Spirit Award-winner Mya Taylor, and Brazilian star Marco Pigossi. He also produced it alongside Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon at LD Entertainment. His play ''Beautiful Day Without You'' was commissioned by the

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

Origin Theatre Company and had its world premiere at the West End Theatre of New York in November 2018 directed by

Erwin Maas Erwin may refer to: People Given name * Erwin Chargaff (1905–2002), Austrian biochemist * Erwin Dold (1919–2012), German concentration camp commandant in World War 2 * Erwin Hauer (1926–2017), Austrian-born American sculptor * Egon Erwin Kis ...

. He teaches writing and acting in the United States and Europe. He translates from English and French into Italian and he is an official translator of Theresa Rebeck, Bernard-Marie Koltès and Bryony Lavery. As of 2020, he is in a relationship with Brazilian actor

Marco Pigossi Marco Fábio Maldonado Pigossi (born 1 February 1989) is a Brazilian actor and producer. He is known for playing Dylan on the Australian television series ''Tidelands,'' and for playing Eric in the Brazilian series '' Invisible City''. Career P ...

Plays and films

Theater (playwright)

* ''Before We Fall Asleep'' (2019) * ''Beautiful Day Without You'' (2018) * ''After the Dark'' (2016) * ''Maspeth'' (2016) * ''The View from Up Here'' (2016) * ''The Conference'' (2016) * ''The Second Time'' (2014) * ''I am Dracula'' (2013) * ''Bad Faith'' (2012) * ''Things of This World'' (2012) * ''Nails'' (2010) * ''Penelope in Groznyj'' (2009) * ''The City Beneath'' (2009) * ''Oil'' (2008) * ''Io che non so che fine farò'' (2008) * ''Strong Hands'' (2006) * ''Low Life'' (2005) * ''Te lo leggo negli occhi'' (2003) * ''Quasi'' (2002)

Theater (director)

* ''I don't know what I can save you from'' by Neil LaBute (2016) * ''Happy Hour'' by Neil LaBute (2014) * ''I am Dracula'' by Marco Calvani (2013) * ''Stockholm'' by Bryony Lavery (2013) * ''Lovely Head'' by Neil LaBute (2011) * ''Nails'' by Marco Calvani (2010) * ''Penelope in Groznyj'' by Marco Calvani (2009) * ''The city beneath'' by Marco Calvani (2009) * ''Oil'' by Marco Calvani (2008)

Film (actor)

* ''Tode Ti'' (2013) * ''Borgia'' (2010) * ''Il Commissario Manara'' (2011) * ''Good Morning Headache'' (2008) * ''Tutto come prima'' (2008) * ''Family Game'' (2007) * ''Caravaggio'' (2007) * ''Sweet life'' (2005) * ''Manuale d'amore'' (2004) * ''Grandi domani'' (2004) * ''Sandra Kristoff'' (2003) * ''Su di me'' (2001) * ''His Secret Life'' (2001)

Film (writer/director)

* '' High Tide'' (2024) * ''A Better Half'' (2022) * ''The View from Up Here'' (2017)

Awards and grants

2019,

The Studios of Key West The Studios of Key West is a center for the arts in Key West, an island community at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Established in 2006 as a nonprofit cultural organization, The Studios works to promote multidisciplinary arts, to prov ...

(Artistic Residency) 2018,

Origin Theatre Company Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics and manga * ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002 * ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...

, New York (Play commission) 2017, 42nd

Samuel French, Inc. Samuel French, Inc. is an American company, founded by Samuel French and Thomas Hailes Lacy, who formed a partnership to combine their existing interests in London and New York City. It publishes plays, represents authors, and sells scripts fro ...

Short Play Festival, New York - finalist with the play "The View from Up Here" 2015, Edward F. Albee Foundation, New York (Writer Fellowship) 2015, Calcante Prize for ''The Second Time'', Italy 2013, Outstanding Playwrighting for ''Oil'', Planet Connections Theater Festivity Awards, New York 2011, Prix Marie de Paris, Cité Internationale des Arts (Artistic Residency) 2011, SIAE Prize for Best Playwright, Italy

Notes

References

Interview with Marco Calvani, author and director of "Penelope in Groznyj" - 22.05.2012 La Repubblica: Interview with Marco Calvani - Theater reviews - The New York Times - Interview - BigItalyFocus

External links

*
Associazione Culturale Mixò
* Dramatists Guild of Americ
Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calvani, Marco 1980 births Living people Italian male stage actors Italian theatre directors LGBT theatre directors Italian gay actors Italian gay writers Italian LGBT dramatists and playwrights Gay dramatists and playwrights Italian male dramatists and playwrights Italian film directors Italian LGBT film directors 21st-century Italian dramatists and playwrights Male actors from Tuscany