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Trinacria-Brandeis Student Training Program

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR 2025

The Trinacria Training Program is presented in partnership and sponsored by the Brandeis Interdepartmental Program in Italian Studies. The program will equip provide two Brandeis students with the opportunity to train and travel with Trinacria as a Company Manager or Assistant Director, roles they will then fill during the 2025 Trinacria Festival Residency and Trinacria Arts Festival.

We are particularly keen to provide this opportunity for BIPOC students and others that have been historically underrepresented in both Italian studies and the performing arts industry.

Applications are due Friday, March 28th. Please read on for more information!

Program Summary

This program is open to students interested in either a Company Manager or Assistant Director role.

A Company Manager can perhaps best be described as “an R.A. for artists.” They are the front line for any hospitality, safety, interpersonal, or logistical issues that artists may have during the residency. They directly oversee communications, schedules, transportation, meals, and expenses. A company manager may also be considered a caretaker, responsible for looking out for the holistic wellbeing of artists and participants.

An Assistant Director plays a vital role in supporting the director and ensuring a smooth rehearsal and production process. They assist with blocking, take notes on rehearsals, and help maintain the director’s vision throughout the show. The assistant director also facilitates communication, ensuring schedules are followed and rehearsals run efficiently. Their attention to detail and organizational skills contribute to a polished final performance.

Prior to the residency, participants will complete a series of professional training sessions with Artistic Director Mariagrazia La Fauci and Brandeis Alumni Iyvon E. They will also undergo training in CPR, mental health first aid, and Anti-Racism focused on intervention and harm reduction.

Participants will then travel to Sicily with Trinacria Theatre Company for approximately three to four weeks during the residency. Participants will arrive 3 days before the start of the residency to familiarize themselves with the location, complete on-site training with Mariagrazia, and prepare for the arrival of the artists. They will also remain behind after the artists’ departure for an additional two days to assist with wrapping the production.

During the residency, participants will execute their duties as Company Manager or Assistant Director, have opportunities to develop their language, leadership, and management skills, and interface directly and meaningfully with international professional artists and the local Sicilian community.

Throughout both training and the residency, Iyvon and Mariagrazia will act as professional mentors. At the conclusion of the residency, participants will complete an essay or presentation with their learnings.

Participants will participate in Festival events, designed to bring our community, artists, and visitors in close contact. In the past, these events have included workshops, performances, soccer tournaments, rock painting, scavenger hunts, capture the flag, concerts, Q&As, hikes, yoga sessions, wine tastings, etc.

Goals

• To build more diverse pathways into the professional nonprofit/arts world for BIPOC students and others who have been historically underrepresented in the industry.

• To offer an opportunity for Brandeis students to engage in Trinacria’s mission of intercultural exchange, community building, and place-making in Sicily.

• To provide students with a unique opportunity to develop their Italian language skills while immersing themselves in Sicilian culture and working meaningfully within a high-needs community.

• To develop strong protocols that will set a higher standard for the safety, comfort, and support of all Trinacria participants.

Location

Our work focuses on a series of villages in the Southern Messina region along the Strait of Messina known as Calonerò, from the Greek word meaning "good water." These small villages, spread through three mountainous valleys, are interconnected, but each maintains their own unique culture.

Our primary residency location is Pezzolo, sometimes called a “village built on a rock.” Located 12 miles south of the city of Messina, this small village sits 400m above sea level. The origins of the village are ancient, but we know that the location was already inhabited in the 9th and 10th centuries. The nearby Benedictine Monastery of San Placido Calonerò is recorded as having already existed for some time in 1086. Today, Pezzolo is inhabited by fewer than 400 residents and over 60% of the homes in the village are abandoned or unoccupied. Much like the entire South of Italy, the Messina region faces high emigration rates—it is estimated that some 20,000 young Sicilians leave the island each year for better opportunities elsewhere, due to the struggling Sicilian agricultural economy and the high unemployment rates.

Despite this, Pezzolo and the surrounding Messina region are rich in beauty, culture, and historical significance. The Strait of Messina is one of the most mythical stretches of water in the world, the setting for much of Homer's Odyssey and the Avalon of Arthurian legend. Messina is one of the oldest port cities in the world, home to a naturally occurring harbor (said to be the sickle of the Greek god Cronus dropped into the Strait). It is one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean to this day. As 2016 Residency Artist Josephine Cooper said, “One cannot help but bubble with creative inspiration in this land of truly magnificent people, food, culture, landscape, music and myth.”

Logistics

Itinerary (subject to change)

• July 20: Departure from home, if traveling from North/Central/South America

• July 21: Arrival in Sicily

• July 22 - 23: Brandeis Training Orientation & Work Days

• July 24: Artist Arrival Day in Sicily

• July 25: Artist Orientation Day

• July 29: Excursion Day #1

• August 2: Excursion Day #2

• August 7 - 9: Trinacria Arts Festival

• August 10: Community Clean Up Day & Farewell Dinner

• August 11: Full Company Departure from Sicily

Accommodation

Participants will live in shared housing, with room sharing. Air conditioning may or may not be available; if not, fans will be provided.

Accommodations will not have WiFi. Participants may choose to pay for their own wireless or cell phone services while abroad; however, we encourage this residency to be as “unplugged” an experience as possible.

Meals

Three communal meals a day will be provided for all participants (except during excursions); any additional snacks must be purchased by participants. Our company follows the local custom of eating a communally cooked mid-day meal and a light cold dinner in the evenings, with a rotating cooking and clean-up schedule.

Meals are based around locally available foods, which include plenty of grains, pasta, meats, cheeses, fish, and locally grown fruit and vegetables. We will work to ensure all dietary restrictions are met; however, we do want to note that those with specific diets may find options somewhat limited. 

Throughout the residency, Trinacria will arrange (optional) excursions to local points of interest; during these excursions, all participants are responsible for purchasing their own food and beverages.

Trinacria will not provide any alcoholic beverages at any point during the residency. These may be purchased and consumed at the participant’s discretion during non-working hours.

Notes on location & personal access

Pezzolo is a very old village built on a mountainside and many parts of the village are only accessible by steep footpaths or stairs. All participants must be capable of walking long distances unassisted. 

Late July and August in this region are typically dry, hot, and sunny: temperatures can reach above 38°C (100°F) and air conditioning is not available in all working spaces. Participants should be prepared with sunscreen, reusable water bottles, and appropriate clothing.

The nearest essential shops are 7km away from Pezzolo. Therefore, a visit to a grocery store, convenience store, ATM, pharmacy, etc. must be communicated and arranged within the group transportation schedule.

The drive to Pezzolo is winding. Although most people do not experience any kind of discomfort, we recommend packing anti-nausea medication if you are particularly susceptible to motion sickness.

Meet the team