I Commedianti Georgiani

I Commedianti Georgiani, or "The Georgian Players," are UGA's premiere improv comedy troupe, adapting the techniques of the commedia dell'arte. The troupe, made up of 10 UGA students, brings to life a form of improvisational humor that forms the basis of much of modern-day comedy. The company consists of a variety of stock characters---the miser, the doctor, the lovers, the foolish servant, the sexpot---who incorporate music and pop culture references to tell a story through a half-rehearsed, half-improvised scenario.

Commedia dell'arte began in the Italian Renaissance when families of traveling players would perform comedic routines based on social stereotypes on outdoor wagons. A few characters have becomes staples, including Arlecchino, the clever servant in the trademark colorful patchwork, whose French equivalent is the well-known Harlequin. Red-clad Pantalone lives for money and constantly tries to manipulate his counterpart, the pompous, pontificating but essentially foolish scholar Dottore, to find ways of keeping his fortune and adding to it. Throw in a couple of melodramatic lovers, a few seductive servants, and a hunchbacked villain, and a plethora of comedic possibilities unfold.

The troupe is auditioned every spring and performs throughout the year; commedia is a full-year commitment. A scenario, once created, sets up guidelines for how a scene is to be performed, but the actors are free to improvise different ways of accomplishing their goals. Casting is flexible---the troupe has been as small as seven and as large as ten. Cross-gendered casting is frequently employed. Troupe members develop their characters over the course of a year, and those who are able to stay with the troupe multiple years swap around roles. Anyone interested in more information about the troupe, audition info, or booking info, please contact Cheryl Binnie at cherbear@uga.edu.

Contact:

Head of Performance Area & Director of Theatre: Ray Paolino, Associate Professor, rpaolino@uga.edu, 366 Fine Arts