• About Us •

Faction of Fools Theatre Company, Inc., based in Washington, DC, is a not-for-profit theatre company devoted specifically to the Commedia dell'Arte. In addition to our work locally in Washington, DC, we are partnering internationally with the Italian Associazione SAT to organize a worldwide Commedia dell'Arte Day involving hundreds of performances, classes, and events in cities throughout the world on February 25, 2010.

The Commedia dell'Arte began in Italy in the early 16th Century and quickly spread throughout Europe, and it continues to live in theatre around the world today. Its emergence during the Renaissance marked the beginning of professional theatre in the West; furthermore, the comic characters, themes, and devices employed by early Commedia troupes influenced artists from Shakespeare, Moliere, and Goldoni to The Blues Brothers, American musical theatre, and contemporary sit-coms.

The importance of the Commedia dell'Arte as a movement in theatre history is undisputed, as is its primacy as an ancestor of modern comedy. Acting training programs around the world recognize the value of the physical discipline, spontaneous creativity, and collaborative spirit inherent in Commedia's methods. Furthermore, Faction of Fools believes that the Commedia should still be celebrated and performed for what it is, in and of itself: pure theatre.

Buon divertimento!

Faction of Fools is supported by Taffety Punk, a not-for-profit company commited to making theatre "exciting, meaningful, and affordable."