Resume: Thomas Riccio

THOMAS RICCIO

3293 Rosie Creek Rd.
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 USA
tel/fax: 907/474.8721
Theatre Department, University Alaska-Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775 USA
tel: 907/474.5253
fax: 907/474.7048
email: fftpr@aurora.alaska.edu

EDUCATION

Boston University		MFA Theater Education, May, 1982
Cleveland State University		BA English, March, 1978

Further Study: Ph.D. Program in Performance Studies New York University

POSITIONS

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, THEATRE, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS
September 1988 to Present. Served on the University's Core Curriculum committee; Initial instructor and developed Aesthetic Appreciation class. Director of TUMA THEATRE, an Alaska Native Performance Project--developed Tuma classes, programming, curriculum, and research. Responsible for the initiation and supervision of the student directed one-act series "Winter Shorts" and Student Drama Association. Responsible for the development of five new class offerings. Have taught twelve different theatre courses, including: Acting (fundamentals through advanced), Directing, Playscript Analysis, Shakespeare, Theatre History, Movement. Department Chair . Tenure granted, May 1995.

VISITING PROFESSOR, KOREAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ARTS, Seoul, Korea
August to December 1996. Sabbatical leave from UAF. Taught three classes: Graduate Directing seminar (with each student creating an original piece); an acting workshop; and a workshop in traditional Korean performance for contemporary expression. Developed and directed a performance -- TWELVE MOONS -- extrapolated from traditional P'ansori and Mask Dance. Conducted research on Korean Shamanism.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, ORGANIC THEATRE COMPANY, Chicago, Il
May 1985 to August 1988. Successor of theater founder, Stuart Gordon. Responsible for all artistic programming, producing and presenting. OTC was dedicated to the presentation and/or creation of inter-disciplinary work from the theater, performance, visual art and music community. Produced, presented or co-produced over 150 events of theater, performance, music and visual, arts--including national and international presentations. Founder of the Organic Theater Greenhouse a research and development wing of the theater which supported, via direct or in-kind support, nearly a dozen theater and performance groups.

DRAMATURG, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE, Cleveland, Ohio
August 1985 to May 1986. Responsible for all theater publications relating to the theater's 13 play season--including program notes, the Curtain Times newsletter and the school program study guide. Responsible for reading and reviewing all new play submissions and supervision of play reading staff. Responsible for play production research in accordance to individual director's needs and interpretation. Dramaturg for all CPH productions. Resident Director.

ASSISTANT LITERARY DIRECTOR, AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATRE September 1980 to June 1982. Assistant to Literary Directors, Michael Kustow and Jonathan Marks. Responsible for all new scripts submitted to the theater--their reading and reviewing and supervision of play reading staff. Responsible for reporting script reviews to the Literary Director and Artistic Director. Responsible for liaison and public relations with local (Boston area and NYC) playwrights and theaters. Contributed to ART program notes and the ART Newsletter. Provided dramaturgical research to directors. Harvard University Research Assistant to Robert Brustein.

INTERCULTURAL PERFORMANCE PROJECTS

!XU AND KHWE CULTURAL PROJECT, lower Kalahari Desert, South Africa Six week residence to conduct performance workshops and research with the !Xu and Khwe Bushmen. The workshop included interviewing and documenting the performance expressions of music, ritual, and dance of the Bushmen. The project laid the ground work for the development of a performance group and project that would apply traditional performance to express contemporary issues. The workshop group included eight traditional healers and extensive field work was conducted in the area of traditional healing methods and ceremony. Work to develop a performance with this group will continue sometime in 1997.
May through June 1994

CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Lusaka, Zambia Director and workshop instructor of the Litooma Project, a two and one half month project that brought together performers from eleven different tribal groups from throughout Zambia. Included in the group were representatives from the Lozi, Bemba, Senga, Lala, Luvale, Tonga, Tembuka, Nugoni, and Chewa tribes. This first ever attempt at creating a national theatre style that crosses tribal boundaries created Imipashi (The Spirits), a full-length outdoor performance piece (performed both in day light and at night) which toured throughout Lusaka and the surrounding provincial areas. The performance, inspired by a Lozi creation myth and including traditional ceremonial practice, featured traditional story telling and dance, large and small puppets, masks, and popular theatre techniques.
February to May 1994

NATAL PERFORMING ARTS COUNCIL, Durban, South Africa Director of the HLANGANANI Project, a four month project to research and develop performance methodology that addresses and expresses the unique needs and worldview of Natals underserved Zulu population. The production developed during the project, Makanda Mahlanu (Five Heads), included elements of Zulu traditional and contemporary dance, song, story telling, praise singing, ritual, and drumming in addition to comedy and magic . This popular theatre production was performed both indoors and outdoors. The production toured through out Natal and kwaZulu was performed 31 times in every variety of townships, rural and urban setting.
August to December 1993

SAKHA NATIONAL THEATRE, Yakutsk, Russia (Siberia) Invited by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Sakha to work with the Sakha National Theatre. Conducted theatre workshops and evolved and directed an original production inspired by the folk tale of "Bayberican." The production of Sardaana explored and applied traditional Sakha and shamanistic performance idioms. The production included sixteen actors and is now a part of the company's permanent repertory. Work in the Sakha Republic also included extensive travel and research in the field of performance and shamanistic traditions of the Sakha.
May to August 1993

TUMA THEATRE, Fairbanks, Alaska Sponsored by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Program Director and Instructor of University classes in Alaska Native performance (1988 to present). Travel, academic research, and field work throughout Alaska. Director of four Tuma Theatre productions: Utetmun (Going Home); The Child From The Sea, Qayaq: The Magical Man, The Eagle's Gift, Inua, and NAAM/GEN EEHU. All productions applied dance, drumming, and theatrical techniques and methods evolved from Alaskan Eskimo and Athabaskan Indian ceremonial, ritual, and performance traditions.
Ongoing from 1990 through the present

KWASA GROUP, Durban, South Africa A project sponsored by the Natal Performing Arts Council one of the four regional arts councils that are funded by the national government. Conducted extensive training workshops and with the same group directed a company developed performance inspired by the Zulu legend of Umshayandlela. Emandulo (The Ancient One) was performed 28 times in Durban and Pietrmaritzburg. The cast consisted of 19 Zulu and 8 non-Zulu actors. The project explored and applied traditional Zulu dance, drumming, and performance expressions in a contemporary context. The production marked the first time that NAPAC sponsored a multi-racial performance that applied indigenous expressions and methods.
Spring 1992.

METAMORPHOSIS THEATRE, St. Petersburg, Russia Conducted workshops and directed a company developed performance derived from trance experiences. Shadows From The Planet Fire was performed in St. Petersburg and subsequently toured northern Russia, the Ukraine, and Bulgaria during the fall of 1992. Metamorphosis Theatre is dedicated to the exploration and theatrical application of pre-Christian Slavic rituals. The project further their explorations as it expanded on methodology and performance vocabulary.
Summer 1992

SPRINGS THEATRE, Holstebro, Denmark Conducted workshops and co-directed a company developed performance based on Hindu legend of King Harichandra. Kaliyugam (In the Time We Live) is the first project of Springs, a group of refugee Tamils from Sri Lanka. Work with this group included performance and administrative development. "Kaliyugam" was a workshop presentation that applied--in a contemporary context--the traditional dance and theatre styles of Bharata Nadyam and Khutu.
Intermittently during the Spring and Summer 1992

TUKAK' TEATRET, Fjaltring, Denmark Guest Artist and Instructor. Conducted classes in movement, Alaskan Eskimo dance and drumming. Movement instructor for their production of Tuullik (the Loon) which was presented at the Inuit Circumpolar Conference and subsequently toured Canada and Europe. Assisted in the exploration and articulation of a Greenland Inuit performance language inspired by their drumming and storytelling traditions.
Intermittently during the Spring and Summer 1992.

WORLD ESKIMO-INDIAN OLYMPICS,
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA MUSEUM, Fairbanks, Alaska Developed and directed Northern Inua a demonstration/performance of traditional Alaska Native games. Presented throughout the summers of 1990, 91 and 1995, 96; this tourist oriented show evolved from extensive archival research and work with native elders; included were historical audio-visual references as well as live demonstrations. Summer long presentation at the University of Alaska Museum.

STAGE DIRECTING


ORGANIC THEATER COMPANY, Chicago
		LITTLE CAESAR, Adapter
		THE CONDUCT OF LIFE, by Marie Irene Fornes   
		TITUS ANDRONICUS, by Wm. Shakespeare
		BETAWULF, & Adapter
		RUBBER CITY, & Playwright                             
		THE STRANGER IN STANLEY'S ROOM, by G. Freek
		KISS IT GOOD-BYE, by M. Miner & Scott Jacobs
		AKRON, & Playwright

THE CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
                BOSOMS AND NEGLECT, by John Guare
                CHRISTMAS ON MARS, by Harry Kondoleon
                END OF THE WORLD, by Arthur Kopit
                SEA MARKS, by Gardner McKay

TEATRO DI ROMA, National Theatre of Italy
                IL RONZIO DELLA MOCHE, by Dario D'Ambrosi

LA MAMA ETC, New York City
                LA MULATA, by Estaban Fernadez
                THE BUZZING OF FLIES, by Dario D'Ambrosi

LE BOURSEDES ARTISTES, Zurich, Switzerland & European Tour
                THE BIG DEAL, & Playwright

NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP, New York City
                THE GRAND HYSTERIC, by Sheldon Rosen 
                THE BOX, by Sheldon Rosen

AMERICAN THEATER OF ACTORS, New York City
                LEATHER HEART, by Frank Megna

PUBLICK THEATRE of BOSTON
                THE COUNTRY WIFE, by William Wycherly

PLAYWRIGHTS PLATFORM of BOSTON
                THE BODY PARTS, by Matt Witten

CABARET DINNER THEATER, Cleveland
                FOLLIES: THE BETTER THAN NUDE REVUE

SEMI-PROFESSIONAL & UNIVERSITY DIRECTING


UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA-FAIRBANKS
        THE THREE PENNY OPERA, By Brecht
        THE BACCHAE, By Euripides
        COMEDY OF ERRORS, By Shakespeare
        TARTUFFE, by Moliere
        MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, By Shakespeare
        UBU ROI, By Alfred Jarry                    
        THE SEAGULL, By Anton Chekhov             
        YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, By Kaufman & Hart   
        MARAT/SADE, By Peter Weiss
	CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS, By Sam Shepard

FAIRBANKS DRAMA ASSOCIATION
                WHY THE LORD COME TO SAND MOUNTAIN, By R. Linney

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE of TECHNOLOGY (M.I.T.)
                GHOST SONATA, By  August Strindberg
		PROMETHEUS BOUND, By Aeschylus

MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF ART
                RHYTHMS, by Brenda Walcott

BOSTON UNIVERSITY
                SIZWE BANSI IS DEAD, by Fugart, et al
                TERRIBLE JIM FITCH, by James Leo Herlihey
                THE LESSON, by Eugene Ionesco

CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY
                SEDUCED, by Sam Shepard
		TRICKS, & Playwright

CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
                HOODOO, adapted from Johann Nestroy      

KARAMU HOUSE, Cleveland
                CITY CUTS, Company Developed

CLEVELAND LABORATORY THEATER
                BETAWULF, & Adapter

GRANTS AND AWARDS


University of Alaska Museum, May 1996
Museum Appreciation Award for Service to the Museum
Swedish Institute, August, 1995
For Travel, workshops, and lectures in Stockholm
Alaska State Council on the Arts,  August, 1995
Career Opportunity Grant to attend rehearsals of my play in Germany and
conduct workshops and give lectures in Sweden.
!Xu and Khwe Cultural Trust, Kimberly, South Africa, May-June 1994
Grant for research and documentation of traditional Bushman Healers
Northern Cape Tourist Association, Kimberly, South Africa,  May 1994
Grant to conduct theatre workshops with the !Xu and Khwe Bushmen
United States Information Service   March 1994, 
Workshop Grant to conduct the Litooma Project, Lusaka, Zambia
Republic of Zambia, Department of Culture, Lusaka, Zambia,  March 1994
Grant to support the Litooma Project, theatre workshops with Zambian tribal groups
The British Council, April 1994
Grant to support the production of IMIPASHI 
NORAD (Norwegian Foreign Aid),  March 1994
Grant to support IMIPASHI rehearsals and performance
SIDA (Swedish Foreign Aid), February 1994
Grant to support the Zambian national tour of IMIPASHI
Embassy of the Netherlands, April 1994
Grant for documentation and tour of IMIPASHI
FINNITA & The Finish Volunteer Service, February- May 1994
Grant to support the Litooma Project workshops and the performance of IMIPASHI
Alaska State Council On The Arts   Summer 1993         
Travel Grant to Natal, South Africa to develop indigenous theatre program
at the Univ. of Zululand and the Natal Performing Arts Council
Doyon Native Corporation (Athabaskan Indian) Spring 1993
Dancing Bear award in recognition of work with Tuma Theatre and Alaska Native Performance
National Endowment For The Humanities  August, 1992 
Travel to Collections Grant.  Travel to conduct research at the Museum of Natural History, 
NYC, Jesup Collection 
Mellon Grant Cross-Cultural Faculty Development  Autumn, 1992                       
To travel and conduct workshops in performance at rural campus sites.
Mellon Travel Grant  November, 1992                                                                                                    
To travel and conduct Alaska native performance workshops at Perseverance Theatre, Juneau
Alaskan Native Studies Travel Grant   1989 to 1991
University Alaska-Fairbanks Grant.  Village travel to study Yup'ik, Siberian Yup'ik, King 
Island, & Inupiat Eskimo performance tradition
Mellon Travel Grant  July-August, 1991   
To Seattle for museum research and conference attendance
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute   Summer 1990 
Myth, Memory & History: Sources for Writing American Indian History. Newberry Library, Chicago. 
Theatre Communications Group Observership March 1988                   
For travel and observerships with Los Angeles and San Francisco theatres.  
Goethe Institute Internationales Forum Junger Buhnenangehorig  May, 1987
To participate in voice & movement workshops in Berlin & tour German theaters.
A.T.&T Directing Mentor Grant,  Spring 1986                                                                
Salary and travel to work with Robert Whitehead for the premiere production of LILLIAN 
Teatro Di Roma  Directing & Observership Award, Jan.-Mar, 1984                                         
To direct an original play at the National Theater of Italy 
Cleveland Critic's Circle Award  1985
Best Direction END OF THE WORLD,  
New York Theatre Workshop   New Director's Project  Fall 1984                                
Selected for the initial year for full professional production grant

MEMBERSHIPS


Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers
Foundation for Shamanic Studies
American Theater in Higher Education
Association for Asian Performance
Who's Who in Entertainment & Whos Who in the West
Registered, U.S. Merchant Seaman

OTHER TEACHING EXPERIENCE


Visiting Professor, California Institute of Integral Studies San Francisco, Drama Therapy, 1995
Guest Artist, School of the Art Institute, Chicago, Directing and Performance, 1987
Artist-in-Residence, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, Performance, 1985
Instructor, Karamu House, Cleveland, Acting and Voice, 1982-83
Instructor, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland--Acting, Make-up, Summer 1982
Instructor, Street Academy H.S., Bed-Stuy, NYC, Alternative H.S.; English & Theater, 1983-84
Workshop Instructor, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, Acting 1980-81

OTHER THEATRE EXPERIENCE


Dramaturg for ORCHIDS IN THE MOONLIGHT, by Carlos Fuentes 
        World premiere production, American Repertory Theatre
Assistant Director for GROWNUPS, by Jules Feiffer 
        World premiere production, American Repertory Theatre
Assistant Director for LA TRAVIATA, Cleveland Opera
Public Relations Intern, Huntington Theatre, Boston
Directors and Dramaturgs Group, American Place Theatre, NYC
Actor and Performer in over thirty different roles and presentations (list upon request)
Acting Understudy for American Repertory Theatre, 1980 to 82

PUBLICATIONS


"Making a New Story with the !Xuu and Khwe Bushmen"
        Theatre Forum, UC San Diego,    Winter/Spring 1997 Number 10
"Politics, Slapstick and Zulus on Tour"
        The Drama Review (TDR),  New York Univ.,  MIT Press,   Winter 1997 (#T152)
"Today We Sing: !Xuu and Khwe Bushmen Healers See the Sickness"
        Shaman's Drum magazine, Summer 1996
"In Zambia, Performing the Spirits"
        `Theatre Forum, UC San Diego, Winter/Spring 1996, Number 8
"Emandulo: Process and Performance in a Changing South Africa"
         Theatre Research International,  Oxford Univ. Press,   Autumn 1994  (vol. 19 #3)
"A Message from the Eagle Mother: The Messenger's Feast of the Inupiat Eskimo" 
        The Drama Review (TDR),  New York Univ.,  MIT Press, Spring, 1993  (#T137)
"Alaskan Eskimo Theatre:  Performing the Spirits of the Earth"
        Theatre Topics v.1 Am. Theatre in Higher Ed., Johns Hopkins Press, Spring, 1991 
"Is Chicago Theater Hot or Not?"  Facets Features,  Chicago, January, 1988  
"Trying to Get Objective and a few Ideas About Performance Art & Other Things" 
        P-FORM, Randolph Street Gallery, Chicago, Vol.2 No. 2 April/May 1987
Numerous program notes and articles for the A.R.T. Newsletter, American Repertory Theater,
      including interviews with Carlos Fuentes, Robert Aluetta, Lee Breuer. 1980-82
Numerous program notes, study guides and articles for Curtain Times, Cleveland Play House,
      1985-86
Theater Critic, The Daily Free Press,  Boston University 1980-82 

PLAYWRIGHT AND ADAPTER of eight produced plays--including:
Comeback Für Elvis, Produced by the Kleist Theatre, Frankfurt/Oder, Germany, October 1995

         Literary representation in Germany by The Litag Agency, Bremen

REPRESENTATIVE WORKSHOPS & LECTURES

Recent:

HEVTO: HELSINKI INSTITUTE OF ART and MEDIA, Finland
Lecture and Three day Workshop in "Developmental Performance Technique", March 1997
TUTVU: TURKU INSTITUTE OF ART and MEDIA, Finland
Lecture and Three day workshop in "Community Performance", March 1997
SOGANG UNIVERSITY, Seoul, Korea
Lecture "Shaman as Performer", for religious Studies Department, October 1996
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Lecture to Graduate Directing class in Performance Studies, March 1996
SMITH COLLEGE, Northamton, MA
Lecture and Workshop on Creating Indigenous Performance, March 1996
MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE, North Hadley, MA
Lecture and Workshop on Creating Indigenous Performance, March 1996
CIIS, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco
Public lecture and workshop on Indigenous Performance, October 1995
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
Lecture on Eskimo Masks and Indigenous performance, October 1995
CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO
Lecture, Creating Community Theatre, October 1995
DRAMATISKA INSTITUTET, Stockholm Sweden
Lecture, National Theatre Institute, September, 1995
VÄSTANÅ TEATRE, Munkfors, Sweden
Lecture on Indigenous Performance, October 1995 Week-long workshop with Swedish folk theatre, August 1995
SHIKASTA TEATRE, Stockholm Sweden
Week-long workshop with international multi-cultural theatre. Also Public lecture, August, 1995

Reimagining Indigenous Performance
Lecture presentation, International Drama in Education Association Conference, Brisbane, Australia
Creating Indigenous Performance
Workshop presentation, International Drama in Education Assoc. Conference, Brisbane, Australia
Director as Cultural Worker
Lecture presentation at the Tampere International Theatre Festival, Tampere, Finland
Alaska Eskimo Performance: Re-discovery of a Performance Tradition
Public lecture and week-end workshop, Kuskokwim College, Bethel, Alaska
Alaska Native Performance
Workshops Perseverance Theatre, Juneau, Alaska
Alaska Native Performance
Week long workshop series, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio
Director from the Spirit World: The Alaskan Eskimo Shaman
Workshop presentation American Theatre in Higher Education convention, Seattle, WA
Performance Development: Realizing Community Potential
Workshop, American Community Theatre Festival, Northwest, Haines, Alaska
Mythology of Movement
Workshop series with Greenland Inuit Eskimos, Tukak Teatret, Fjaltring, Denmark
Performance Styles in Traditional Alaskan Eskimo Theatre
Workshop, Northwest Drama Conference, Eastern Oregon State University, La Grande, Oregon
Understanding and Control
Workshop series with wife and child abusing men, WICA, Women in Crisis Association, Fairbanks
Performance Development
Workshop, Northwest Drama Conference Convention, Anchorage, Alaska