Valerio Vittorio Garaffa

Valerio Vittorio Garaffa is an international theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He graduated from the School of Dramatic Arts “Paolo Grassi” (Italy) and completed his training at the Laboratorio Teatrale Santa Cristina (Italy) under the mentorship of Luca Ronconi. He has directed numerous theatre and Opera productions in Italy, Canada and USA. Major productions – Italy: “The Bacchae” (Director), “The Assemblywomen” (Director), “The discovery of America”(Director), “Glory house” (Director), “Let me hear your voice” (Assistant Director), “Un forte ronzio di mosche” (Assistant Director), “Un luogo dove non sono stato” (Assistant Director). The equivalent of Off-Broadway productions – Canada: “Sovereigns” (Director), “At the exit” (Director), “The festival of our Lord of the Ship” (Director), “The imbecile (Director), “Don Pasquale (Director);

Italy: “Cymbeline” (Director), “Oscillations” (Director), “Don Quixote” (Director), “Un italiano a Macondo” (Assistant Director). Regional/Other: “Marathon” (Director – DixonPlace, NYC), “Rossiniana” (Director/Writer – IIC, Montreal), “Interplanet” (Director/Writer – Teatro Lido, Rome, Italy), “A midsummer night’s dream” (Assistant Director, Milano, Italy). Film/TV: “Mai” (Assistant Director). Awards/Honors: 2015 (Italy) “Bonci” (Festival); 2015 (Italy) “Mazzella Award” (First prize) with “Interplanet”; 2013 (Italy) “Incanto” (Festival) with “Cymbeline.” He has been involved in several theatre projects which aimed to build understanding between newly arrived refugees and local populations in Italy, such as Nausicaa Waltz and Anatta Project (ArteStudio Company, Rome). He specializes in Commedia dell’Arte and mask theatre, improvisation and European acting techniques. He founded the theatre company TeatroDelDisìo (2011) and the Montreal based Grasso Acting School for Opera singers (2016). He developed “The Relationship Acting Method,” that he now teaches in NYC.

“The Bacchae” (Director – Rome, Italy), “Sovereigns” (Director – Montreal, Canada), “Let me hear your voice” (Assistant Director – Spoleto, Italy)

“Marathon” (Director – DixonPlace, NYC)

“The imbecile” (Director – Montreal, Canada), “Rossiniana” (Director/Writer – Montreal, Canada), “Don Pasquale” (Director – Montreal, Canada), “At the exit” (Director – Montreal, Canada), “The discovery of America”(Director – Riano, Italy)

“Cymbeline” (Director – Genova, Italy): characters’ costume design

Valerio leads his Acting Workshops (NYC – Montreal – Rome)

Valerio’s Mask Acting Workshops, Nausicaa Waltz (Director – Rome, Italy), Anatta Project (Director – Rome, Italy)