Independent English Theatre (IET) is a professional theatre company, with a commitment to producing high quality theatre, encouraging diverse genres of theatre, integrating and exploring cultures.

OUR PATRONS

PUPI AVATI
Patron

THE TEAM

SANDRA PATERNOSTRO
Artistic Director

Sandra Paternostro (Artistic Director) A multi-lingual actress who trained at LAMDA. In the UK, whilst working as an actress she also set up a theatre company producing plays such as Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love at Redgrave theatre –Bristol and Dog’s Barking at the Finborough theatre –London. In Italy, she acted in Julian Fellowes film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and in Under the Roman Sky, Borgia  and in a bi-lingual tv series for RAI for television. Whilst in the theatre she most recently was in La Banda Degli Onesti and Shear Madness at the Teatro dell’Angelo. Sandra played the part of Emma in Independent English Theatre's production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal and Kyra in David Hare's Skylight. www.sandrapaternostro.com

HELEN MURTON
Literary Editor

Helen Murton holds an honours degree in linguistics and philosophy and divides her time between the UK and Italy. She has been involved in authoring and editing since the mid-90's and is also a registered hearing therapist.

THE COMPANY

A new company is formed with every production.
Here are some of the people who collaborate with us....

 


 

GIANPIERO COGNOLI

An actor and writer fluent in English, Italian, and Serbo-Croat. He was raised in Toronto, has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Business Administration. He is a writer in both advertising and screen writing. As an actor, his TV credits include Don Matteo in Italy and The Jailmate in Canada. On screen, his credits include feature films Shadow and Amore 14. Gianpiero played the part of Robert in IET's production of Betrayal.

www.gianpierocognoli.com

DOUGLAS DEAN

Douglas Dean trained as an actor in London, but has lived in Italy for about nine years. His recent credits include the award-winning short film The Wholly Family, written and directed by Terry Gilliam, as well as television appearances in Amanda Knox-Murder on Trial in Italy and Che Dio Ci Aiuti. His theatre work over the last few years include leading roles in Richard III, The Winter's Tale, The Birthday Party, Juliu Caesar and Twelfth Night, the last two of which he has also directed. He works regularly as a voice-over artist, voicing documentaries, commercials and the occasional cartoon. Aside from his acting work, Douglas is a part-time football (soccer) commentator and teaches acting at the Link Academy here in Rome. Doug was part of IET's GLBT THE SHOW.

 MARCO FARINA

Marco is a freelance professional photographer who was born and raised in Prati, Rome. He has a classical education and has always been a lover of literature, art and the research of the forms of light and modern images. He became a professional photographer in 2008. He enjoys landscape shots or reportage, but also likes studio portraits and location shots. He also teaches at a Roman school and does freelance photography also for weddings, plays or concerts, tours for tourists and children parties. Marco has been IET's photographer for both Betrayal and Skylight productions.

http://www.facebook.com/l/jAQEKEroCAQFW6sLxVQVw_7FJcsOxz391Az75TtzvBELJ5g/www.marcofarina.net





 

RAFFAELE FURNO 

Holds a PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern University. He is the Professor of Performance Theory and Theater History at Arcadia University. He has published several articles on Italian theater and a book titled “Intra-cultural Theater: Performing the Life of Black Migrants to Italy.” He is also founder and director of the company Imprevisti e Probabilità, and artistic director of the arts festival Deviazioni Recitative in Formia. His work includes: “Progetto O-felia” from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Metamorfosi”, plus the original comedy “La Gamba di Sarah Bernhardt” written by Soledad Agresti, winner in 2010 of the best new woman’s dramaturgy. As an actor he has worked extensively, performing in as many countries as Italy, the United States, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, and Senegal. Raffaele directed and co wrote IET's production of "GLBT THE SHOW".

 

AMELIA NICHOLSON

An English director, trained at LAMDA and artistic director of her own theatre company Iceni in the UK. She has directed various shows in Edinburgh & London and UK repertory theatre. Her plays include Saved by Edward Bond, Summer Begins by David Eldridge, Dutchman by LeRoi Jones, The Art of Success by Nick Dear,  Kvetch by Steven Berkoff, Iraq Innit by Richard Bean, Lettuce Leaf by Ciaran O'Driscoll. Amelia was short-listed for the James Menzies-Kitchen Directors award at The BAC. Most recently she directed Victory at the Arcola Theatre starring Geraldine James. 

www.iceni-productions.com

 
 

 

DONNACADH O'BRIAIN

CIRO PADUANO

Whilst in high school, he worked as an apprentice in the set department in the film Il Ritorno di Cagliostro by Cipri & Maresco. He then went on to train at the Accademia di Belli Arte and at the same time worked with decorators for Officine Goa then later as art director for a Roman theatre company. He worked with Lucia Poli, Carlo Simoni, Salvatore Chiosi, and Giuseppe Roselli. He worked as an assistant set designer in Alicia Scherson's film Il Futuro, Ben Hur of Massimo Andrei, and in Paolo Virzi's last film Tutti i santi giorni. Ciro was the set designer for IET's production of Skylight by David Hare.

TAP R PAYNE

A Professor of Theatre at the University of Minnesota, Morris, in the USA. He received an MFA in Scene Design and Stage Lighting from the University of Oregon. Besides designing lighting, scenery, and occasionally costumes for four university productions annually, Tap has designed for local and regional theatres, and has worked at the Spencer Theatre in New Mexico, and as a scene painter in Minneapolis. Tap was the lighting designer for Independent English Theatre's production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal. 

MARCO QUAGLIA

RINALDO ROCCO

Graduated from Milan’s Scuola del Piccolo Teatro, directed by Giorgio Strehler, and went on to work in several of their productions, including Faust and The Seagull. In theatre he has worked with Robert Wilson, Jean Paul Denizon and Emil Hrvatim. Fluent in French and Italian, as well as English, Rinaldo works on films across Europe, including most recently Gabrielle, directed by Patrice Chéreau and Diverso da chi? by Umberto Carteni. Acting has segued into writing and Rinaldo’s currently collaborating on film scripts with the likes of Paolo Franchi and Monica Stambrini. Rinaldo played Jerry in Independent English Theatre's production of Betrayal by Harold Pinter, Skylight by David Hare and more recently was co wrote and acted in GLBT THE SHOW.






FERDINANDO SCHIAVONE

Is an Italian actor and film critic. He graduated in History and Theory and Movie Criticism at DAMS in Bologna and received a degree as musical performer at the Bernstein School of Musical Theatre directed by Shawna Farrell, playing lead characters in many musical productions including Parade, Ragtime, and Assassins. He continued his vocal and acting training with with tenor Alessandro Rinella and Danny Lemmo from the Actor's Studio and won a scholarship to study at the Guilford School of Acting, London. His credits include a cameo as King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar and directing an Italian adaptation of the off-broadway musical, I love you, you're perfect, now change. From 2006-2009 he worked as an actor for the Operetta Company, Belle Epoque. Ferdinando was the waiter in Independent English theatre's production of Betrayal by Harold Pinter. He is currently film critic and editor of the website www.loudvision.it





PHILIP STEWART

Is a composer whose recent work includes the Early Bird and Second Age’s production of King Lear both directed by Donnacadh O’Briain. Work at the National Theatre of Ireland – Abbey Theatre, Dublin, includes Ages of the Moon, Lay Me Down Softly, Terminus, A Number and The Big House. He has developed a long-standing relationship with Hatch Theatre Company and created original music and sound design for their critically acclaimed production of Further than the Furthest as well as Cruel and Tender, The Country, Pyrenees and Blood (at Project Arts Centre, Dublin).  Other theatre includes Jumping on my Shadow (TEAM), The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger (Olympia Theatre, Dublin), Paranoid and The Licky Rake Show (RedBear Productions). As a freelance composer he has contributed music to a broad spectrum of genres including theatre, dance, documentaries and short films. Philip studied composition at Trinity College Dublin under Donnacha Dennehy and Roger Doyle. Philip was the composer for Independent English Theatre's production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal.



PYSCHE STOTT

Most recently worked with Richard Eyre on A Flea in Her Ear (Old Vic). She trained on the National Theatre Studio Directors programme in 2006 and won the Channel 4 Directors Bursary 2006-07 taking up Director in Residence with Erica Whyman at Northern Stage. Theatre as Director includes Calendar Girls (Australian Premiere 2010; Calendar Girls (Jan - Apr 2010 UK Tour); New Connections Director (National Theatre 2009) Pub Quiz (New Writing North and Northeast Theatre Consortium Tour); Miniaturists 19 (Arcola); New Writing Shorts (Operating Theatre, Newcastle & Liverpool); Felix (Kings Head);The Jewish Wife (Graeae showcase, Clore Theatre) That’s how I’d go (Starring Douglas Henshall, Old Red Lion, Present Tense) Love and Money (Young Vic Walkabout, studio) A Raisin in the Sun (Young Vic walkabout, studio); Four Walls (Kings Head) Everything and Nothing (Arts Centre, Jersey).



THEODORA VOUTSA

A graduate of French Lycee in Athens, Greece and then studied acting and production at Hofstra University NY.  She has worked as an actress and production manager in numerous productions at Off Broadway theatres in New York for six years.  She returned to Athens where she continued her acting career.  She starred in six television series.  Participated in numerous films including The Free Diver directed by Alki David with Adam Baldwin, Camilla Rutherford and Judd Nelson.  In theatre, she has acted in plays by Moliere, Feydau, Shakespeare, Wilde, Coward, Bellei and in many contemporary greek comedies.  She had the honour to play in Epidaurus, Irodion, and most of the Ancient Theatres in Greece with the company of the National Theatre of Northern Greece.  She formed her own production company and produced theatre plays, short movies and an internet series.  She had her own radio show for three years.






ANDREJ VRHOVNIK

He is a Slovenian costume designer who will graduate from Accademia Italiana in Rome in the school year 2011/2012 from costume design. During his studies, he has worked as a costume designer for three short plays of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov: The Bear, A Marriage Proposal and A Jubilee in the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. In Italy, he made costumes for a performance Gente di Plastica (Plastic people) for the theatrical company Compagnia Teatrale Costelazione. He has presented his costumes on Accademia Italiana’s fashion show in Florence two times. Andrej was also Alessandro Bentivegna’s assistant for Independent English Theatre for a Harold Pinter’s play, Betrayal and he was the prodcution manager for David Hare's Skylight.