It is not surprising that Italian American theatre began in New York City. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries it is estimated that 700,000 Italians migrated to America, most in search of work.
In 1805 the first Italian-American playwright, Lorenzo Da Ponte (famous as Mozart’s librettist). Born in Treviso, Italy Da Ponte’s original name was Emmanuele Conegliano . Da Ponte was a skilled playwright and poet who worked closely work Mozart, in the royal courts of Europe. After a few bad choices, Da Ponte emigrated to the United States in order to escape creditors. Once here he decided to dedicate his life to teaching American students italian. He wrote short plays in Italian performed in his home by his American students at Columbia University. This was clearly the beginning of Italian amateur theatre.
Lucky is he who takes
The good in all
And through chance and events
By reason is led.
What is wont to make others weep
For him is cause for laughter
And in the turmoil of the world
He will find peace.
…from the Finale of Cosi fan tutte
But the first significant amateur phase of this ethnic theatre truly emerged when the waves of Italian immigrants began pouring into this country in the 1870’s, bringing both the performers and audiences necessary for theatrical entertainments.
The average that Italian immigrant during this time period was under paid and over worked, so any form of entertainment was needed. All these factors contributed to creating an original theatrical expression: the Italian-American immigrant theatre of New York City. Its audiences were the displaced men and women of Italy, and they were desperate for entertainment, recognition, a support system which theatre provided.
The Italian immigrant community, mostly located in what would become little italy supported itself through a network of fraternal associations that often sponsored dances, concerts and lectures to celebrate holidays and benefit social causes in New York City and in Italy (Which still has an impact today with the San Gennaro feast) .
The earliest amateur theatre group was the Circolo Filodrammatico Italo-Americano (The Italian-American Amateur Theatre Club) which mounted the first Italian-American production, the Italian play Giovanna Marni on October 17, 1880 at Dramatic Hall on East Houston Street.
By 1900, the Italian American community had produced the major forces that created professional theatre– which will impact the next decades. There were many crucial individuals that allowed for the popularization of Italian theatre: Antonio Maiori, who introduced Shakespeare to his immigrant audiences in his southern Italian dialect ; Francesco Ricciardi who made a name for himself in the nightclub arena; Eduardo Migliaccio, whose stage name “Farfariello” translates to Little Butterfly and who created the unique art form – the macchietta coloniale, the Italian immigrant character sketch; Guglielmo Ricciardi, who created Italian-Brooklyn and went on to a successful career in the American theatre and cinema; Antonietta Pisanelli Alessandro, who started in New York City, performed in Chicago and then went on to create single- handedly, the Italian-American theatre of San Francisco; and many, many more.