The Team

Vittorio Capotorto

President and Artistic Director

Before moving to New York City in 1997 from his native Italy, Vittorio staged more than a hundred plays over the course of forty years. He was inspired by the celebrated Italian Maestro  Eduardo De Filippo, with whom he worked as an assistant and actor. His theatrical experience, which began in the late 1950’s, includes the founding and directing of theater companies in Italy, Sudan, and Argentina. His repertoire has ranged from Machiavelli to modern playwrights such as Jarry, Nicolaj, and Dario Fo; at the same time, his mission is to bring to the stage original works by new playwrights, making use of the talents of young people in all aspects of production (e.g., dance, music, set and light design). Upon arriving in NYC, he created Teatromania and the Italian Theater Practicum course which he taught at Columbia University (1998 to 2001), Brooklyn College (2005) and City College of New York (2013-2014). In addition to the plays staged for the Practicum both in NYC and Italy, Mr. Capotorto has staged in NYC English versions of Pirandello’s “The Jar”, Eduardo De Filippo’s “Long-Legged Lies” (Players Club), Aldo Nicolaj’s “Visit To Relatives”, Paolo Tartamella’s “The Busboy”, the Jazz opera “Philip Mazzei”, Nicola Saponaro’s “Weekend With A Killer” and Dacia Maraini’s “Celia Carli: Ornithologist” . He is the founder and Artistic Director of the International Festival “Orlando Innamorato” held in Italy.

Maureen González

Executive Vice President and Translator

After obtaining her B.A. in languages and working in Wall Street, Maureen has dedicated many years to the craft of translation (Spanish, English and Italian). Thanks to her love for languages and her interest in the theatre, in 2008 she made her debut performing in Italian the role of the Queen in Aldo Nicolaj’s “Visit to Relatives”, directed by Vittorio Capotorto. She translated from Italian to English the plays “Weekend with a Killer” by Nicola Saponaro, “Dangerous Life” and “A Hidden Agony” by Eduardo De Filippo, “The Telegram” and “The Prank” by Aldo Nicolaj, “Celia Carli: Ornithologist” and “A Provincial Painter” by Dacia Maraini, as well as “Three Eyes on Pinocchio” by Dacia Maraini, Silvia Calamai, and Paolo Tartamella; she also translated from Italian to Spanish the play “Visit to Relatives” by Aldo Nicolaj. Since 2009 she has been assistant to Artistic Director Vittorio Capotorto in the preparation and execution of the International Festival Orlando In Love in Italy, and in a variety of plays. In 2015 Maureen received in Rome an award for “Il cappotto blu” (The Blue Coat) as best short story written in Italian for the Concorso Internazionale Speciale Donna 2015 created by the M.A.R.E.L. organization.

Francesco Pagano

Vice President, Corporate Relations & Outreach

Francesco works in Strategic Marketing in the field of Fashion & Accessories in Switzerland. He holds a Master of International Finance & Business from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA, NYC) and is a passionate lover of Italian culture and food. He is a co-founder of the italytime project.

Paolo Tartamella

Treasurer and Playwright

At the age of 36, in 1996 the journalist Paolo moved to New York from his hometown in Sicily, to join the writers’ staff of America Oggi, the Italian daily newspaper in the USA. In New York, Paolo started writing plays, most of which were performed by Teatromania and directed by Vittorio Capotorto: In 1999 he wrote “Sabbia,” inspired by the life of Niccolo’ van Westerhout, a composer of the Romantic age born in Mola di Bari. Paolo also adapted two episodes that Prof. Jo Ann Cavallo refashioned into plays from Orlando Innamorato, the Medieval epic tale by Matteo Maria Boiardo. Dozens of New York’s restaurants have been the stage of “The Busboy” (2002), a dinner-theater comedy. In 2009 “Il Mistero di Doruntina” was produced as an adaptation of the ethnic novel by the Albanian writer Ismail Kadare. In 2010 “Il Passeggero Curioso” was staged in Buffalo (NY) and Bari (Italy). For the International Festival “Orlando Innamorato” Paolo has written “L’Albero dell’Imperatore” (2001), a historical drama based on the life of the Italian Medieval princess Matilde di Canossa, “Il Viaggio Segreto” (2011) and “Il Figlio di Ivan” (2011), “La Terra Promessa” (2012) and “The Revolt of Red” (2015). Recently Paolo has written the workshop “Pinocchio in Manhattan.” In 2005, Paolo was accepted in the Master Playwright class of the Drama Center with his second play in English, “Gerda and the King.” His play “The irreplaceable Mister B” won the second audience prize of the 2006 Reading Competition at the YMCA Drama Center. His work “Il Mistero di Doruntina” won the Orlando Award at the 2009 International Festival “Orlando Innamorato”.

Domenico Capotorto

Music Director

Educated in the Conservatory “Niccolò Piccinni” of Bari Domenico obtained the First Award in 1993. Award winner of numerous national and international competitions, he honed his skills studying with Alfredo Speranza, Sergio Perticaroli, Aquiles Delle Vigne, and John Perry. In 1995 he settled in Paris where he obtained unanimously a university degree from l’Ecole Normale A. Cortot and from C.N.R of Boulogne Billancourt. He has performed as soloist with orchestras as well as with several chamber music ensembles in Italy, France, United States, Spain, and Japan. He recorded educational CDs for the publishing house Billaudot, and composed and published a collection of 15 piano fragments for students. Since 1996 he teaches piano in Levallois Perret and also at the conservatory of Fontenay aux Roses. He composed for and played on stage the music for the play “America! America!” at Lincoln Center, New York. He also composed and recorded the music for the short film “The Incredible Journey of Margaux,” which was selected in many festivals in Europe and USA. Eclectic artist, he studied jazz and is open to all types of music. In 2015 he published his first novel in French “La Solitude du Pianiste”.

Loretta De Simone

Actress

Loretta De Simone graduated from Centro Universitario Teatrale (C.U.T.) Perugia, Italy in 1997. She collaborated as a leading role actress with Teatromania and italytime, mostly under the direction of Vittorio Capotorto from 1997 to present. Loretta graduated from the American Academy for Dramatic Arts (A.A.D.A.) in New York in 2010 and appeared in several short movies. She is also certified and worked as a Body Dynamics Instructor since 2012 (Incorporating the emotional, mental and physical dimensions of the human experience into the art of acting).

Robin Kevin Daniel Grasso 

Assistant Music Director

Robin Kevin Daniel Grasso is a versatile musician born in Naples, Italy, leader of “Flying Robin Project”. In 2013 he obtained a national diploma at the Music Academy of Bologna, in 2014 a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Contemporary Music at the Essex University of Luton, UK, and in May 2017 a Master Degree in Jazz Performance at the Queens College of  New York. Jazz is a fundamental part of his evolution and it also gives him a deeper understanding of songwriting, another of his main activities. After moving to New York in 2015 he released his first EP of original music: First Day. Robin is now developing his fan base and creating new musical collaborations while playing, teaching and working as a musician.

Federica Borlenghi

Creative Director

Federica Borlenghi is an Italian-born Writer, Director and Producer based in Brooklyn. She has a background in the visual arts and the digital universe and an education in the dramatic arts (New School of Drama ’19). Federica’s multidisciplinary interests heavily influence the way she presents stories for the stage. Her productions are sensorial experiences often featuring live music, movement and visual art. She adores working in non-conventional venues and has a soft spot for site-specific and immersive presentations. Some of her productions took place in Brooklyn apartments, backyards, in converted warehouses and on Governors Island. She has a vast experience in developing new work. She has collaborated with Italytime, The Bushwick Starr, The Tank, Denver Fringe, Soho Rep, Rattlestick, Signature Theater, The Blackout Experience, Alchemical Studios, and many more. 

Covi Loveridge Brannan 

Creative Producer & Director of Sustainability

Covi Loveridge Brannan is a playwright, actress, sustainability strategist, and creative producer based in New York City. Her one-act play Recipe for a Witch Hunt was nominated for “Best Short Play” at NY Winterfest 2019, where she also received a “Best Actress” nomination for her performance. She is co-founder of HERE WE GO: A Site-specific Performance Festival. She has collaborated with Naked Angels, the NYPL Shelf Life Program, Miranda Theater Company, and her play Ghost Girl was published following a successful run at the Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival 2018. She is a graduate of The New School College of Performing Arts (BFA Dramatic Arts / MA Arts Management & Entrepreneurship) and Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment (G.C. Sustainability Strategies). 

Lucio Polosa 

Actor & Theater Manager 

Braulio González

Media Manager & Vocalist 

Braulio González has loved music from an early age. Some of his idols are Luciano Pavarotti, Tina Turner, and The Beatles, but he is also interested in a variety of music genres. Braulio is an aspiring signer from New York who always looks for an opportunity to sing throughout the City and offer the audience a good time. He now studies classical music at Queens College.

He also has a background overlooking websites and managing social media pages.

Giuseppe Scorcia

Board of Advisors

Giuseppe Scorcia’s love for theatre was born at eight years old as a soloist for the Young Choir Boys in Mola di Bari, Italy. He continued to participate in theatre after immigrating to Brooklyn, New York with his family, joining the choir at the Saint Stephen Catholic Church in high school and continuing to participate in theatre and hone his artistic skills as a student at Queens College. He did not pursue a career in theatre after graduating college, choosing instead to pursue a career in international business, but his never-ending love for the theatre remained. As a result, on top of working full-time, he became the Artistic Director for Circolo Culturale Mola, an Italian cultural club in Brooklyn, where he both acted in and directed comedies by Dario Fo, Peppino, and Eduardo De Filippo until the “Circolo” closed. He currently holds the position of Senior Category Manager at Columbia University, but has begun acting again in recent years as a result of his participation in italytime. Most recently, Giuseppe performed the role of Tobia in “La Burla” (“The Prank”), a monologue written by Aldo Nicolaj.

Tiziana Di Firma

Organization

Tiziana Di Firma is a native Italian teacher with over 10 years of experience. She has worked at “Parliamo Italiano,” Hunter College, Montclair State University, and Bergen Community College. She graduated in Contemporary History from the University of Bologna, Italy, and has studied foreign language teaching methods through Weber State University. Tiziana recently earned a Master’s Degree in teaching Italian from the University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. She also holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations from City College.