1. Commedia Dell Arte comedy (Commedia) of the professional guilds or artists (dell'Arte) (Judith Chaffee) (About.com Italian Language)

2. The Italian Renaissance
Renaissance means rebirth. Commedia dell Arte occurred during the period known as the Italian Renaissance

3. Commedia Style
When commedia began, no town was large enough to support a company of actors. To make a living, the players had to travel. This meant they usually worked without scenery. They may have worked on portable stages, in a courtyard or in a banquet hall.
Each character had his own unique costume and most wore masks
The actors used stock characters and flexible plots to create an improvised performance with basic gags.
(Grote )

4. Arlecchino( Harlequino)
A mischievous servant; full of wonder
Typically wore a checkerboard costume
Half black/half white face
(About.com Italian Language)

5. Pantalone An old; rich man
Wore large pants (hence the name) with large pockets or a large purse for all his wealth.
Often wants to be wed to Columbina

6. Brighella A crafty servant, deceitful; sometimes a bully
(About.com Italian Language)

7. Pulcinella A hump-backed, dim-witted male character
Sometimes portrayed with a beak-like nose.
(Schanker and Ommanney 307)
(About.com Italian Language)

8. Capitano A cowardly,braggart soldier
Typically has a long mustache and wears a military uniform
(Schanker and Ommanney 307)
(About.com Italian Language)

9. Dottore(Doctore)
Elderly gentleman, friend. Sometimes rival of Pantalone
A lawyer or man of medicine lacking common sense ( the ancestor of the absent minded professor)
Brags about knowledge and
authority
(Schanker and Ommanney 307)
(About.com Italian Language)

10. Columbine/Isabella The beautiful girl; not always intelligent; sings
Dressed beautifully; might have flowers
A high spirited flirt
Servant girl
(Schanker and Ommanney 307)
(About.com Italian Language)

11. LAZZI
The comic improvisation of a scene. Referred to as the “comic bits”.
The performers maintain proper focus in the scene.
Performers engage the entire audience. Lazzi might include some local humor.
Performers maintain character
After playing the character for years, a performer developed several lazzi to choose from and thus could perform in hundreds of plays by adapting the character and lazzi to fit new situations.
(Grote )

12. (Discovery Education)

13. Sources
Chafee, Judith. "Home." Judith Chaffee's Commedia Website. 28 Jan 2009 <
"Commedia dell'Arte." About.com Italian Language. 28 Jan 2009 <
"Commedia dell Arte." Discovery Education. Discovery Communications,LLC.. 30 Jan 2009 <
Grote, David. Theater Preparation and Performance. Revised. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Co., 1989.
Schanker, Harry H., and Ommanney, Katherine Anne. The Stage and The School. 8th. New York: Glenco,McGraw-Hill, 1999.