di Annamaria Monaco

Cari colleghi ed amici, the end of the school year is fast approaching and so is the last official meeting of the AATI Long Island. On behalf of the Board, I would like to extend an invitation to the Dante Award and Scholarship Luncheon on Saturday, May 14th, 2016 at 11:30 am at Ristorante Pompei in West Hempstead. The Dante Award will be presented to our dear friend, Ms. Laura Caparrotti.

Laura Caparrotti has a Master's degree in Performing Arts, Cinema and Theatre History from the University "La Sapienza" in Rome. After ten years of professional theatre in Italy, she relocated to New York, where she has directed and/or performed at The Kitchen, The Fringe Festival, The Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, the Cell, the Flea and Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimo', among other venues.

Most importantly, since she has been in New York, Laura has been working to spread Italian theater and therefore culture in New York and in the United States. She started the Double Theater Experience and was the Assistant to the Director of the Off Broadway production of Eduardo De Filippo's Souls of Naples featuring John Turturro. She is the world-wide representative of the De Curtis Family and the curator of Excerpts of a Prince Named Totò, the official traveling exhibition on the Italian iconic actor Totò. She is also a playwright, a journalist, a teacher, a lecturer, a consultant and dialect coach for Italian (Boardwalk Empire), a curator and a panelist for NYSCA. She is the Founding Artistic Director of the Italian Theater Company in NY called Kairos Italy Theater. In 2013, Laura started In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY, the first Annual Italian Theater Festival to take place in all 5 NY Boroughs. Laura continues working and

touring as an ambassador for Italian language and culture, determined to create a network of artists and educators to bring the best around the US and to spread her love for Italy.

In addition to the Dante Award, AATI-LI will also honor Isabella Costabile, a student from Garten City High School, and also Nicholas Triano, from Oceanside High School, as recipients of the Eighteenth Annual Giovanna Morabito Memorial & AATI L.I. Scholarships for Excellence in Italian Studies. We sincerely hope you will join us to celebrate this annual event and to share our love of Italian together.

Please write a check payable to AATI LI ($ 45.00 per person) by Monday, May 2nd and mail to: AATI Luncheon / R. Sinatra, P.O. Box 5912 Hauppauge, NY 11788. Please note that reservations must be made in advance and therefore walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Directions: Ristorante Pompei in West Hempstead-401 Hempstead Avenue, West Hempstead. From Southern State Parkway East or West, Exit 17N, Hempstead Avenue. Continue 1¼ miles on Hempstead Avenue. Pompei Restaurant is on the left.

Cordiali saluti,

Dr. Annamaria Monaco

President, AATI-LI