The Camerino Players

Who Are We?


Sydney Higgins - Artistic Director

Sydney HigginsHis involvement with the theatre began in 1960 when he became a teacher of English and drama. For five years, he also worked as a director for a variety of professional theatres. Then he taught in several colleges in England and Uganda, directing plays, as well as working for TV and film. In 1973, he received a doctorate from the University of Bristol for research conducted on the staging of Cornish medieval drama.

From 1983 to 1989, he was a senior schools’ inspector for English and drama, as well as being responsible for two theatre and three professional companies. He worked in a wide range of productions for both radio and television and is the author of some fifty books.

Since he moved to Italy he has organised many drama courses for many organizations including the British Council and the Ministry of Education. In 1993, he founded The Camerino Players and has continued since then to be its Artistic Director.

In 1995, he started the annual International Festival and Conference of European Medieval Drama, which received financial assistance from many international bodies, including the European Community. In 1999, he was named as ‘The Camerino Citizen of the Year’ for his contribution to the cultural life of Camerino. The citation stated: “Professor Higgins was recognized for his services to Camerino, having attracted worldwide attention with the organization of the Conference and the International Festival of European Medieval Drama.”

He is currently the Artistic Director of “The Camerino Players” and has worked on productions including:  “Cabaret”, “Cabiria”, “Il Crogiolo”, “Il Dono D’Amore”, “Let it be you” and “The Clown”.

Lamberto Lugli - Musical Director

Lamberto LugliAfter studying with Vincenza Blasio Pantarelli, he graduated in piano at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Luisa D'Annunzio" of Pescara. He then studied composition under the guidance of Irma Ravinale and graduated at the Conservatory of Music of Benevento, later studying advanced composition with Giacomo Manzoni at the "Accademia Musicale Pescarese".

Furthering his musical studies, he took a degree specialising in the History of Music at the Faculty of Arts at the University "La Sapienza" in Rome, presenting a thesis on contemporary musical theatre.

His musical experience ranges from his professional start when, between 1979 to 1983, he wrote musical arrangement in the recording studio at RCA Italian (the period during which he was bound to RCA Editions by an exclusive contract for publishing all his compositions), to experience with different chamber music groups (including, in 1984, a concert with the Czech violinist, Daniel Brozak, at the Pontifical College in the presence of Pope John Paul II and activities, throughout Italy, in the piano-bass duo with Giuseppe Sabbatini), up to composition and new productions in various musical fields.

For the R.C.A., he worked in producing music with Flavio Emilio Scogna and took part, as a synthesizer programmer and professor of orchestra, in the recordings for the BMG Ariola and other companies of the works of Franco Mannino, such as Soltanto il rogo at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo (1988). From 1983 to 1987, he wrote and produced music for television programs for the Fonit Cetra RAI (Italian Radio and Television). He has composed music for several theatrical works (Transsibč Rien Mobile by G. Evangelisti from AP Chekhov and V. Mayakovsky; Cosě come siamo by Franco De Luca and Cesare Vandini Bear, first performance on stage at the Teatro Leopard in Rome), Edizione Straordinaria of Ottorino Valentini, first performed at the Teatro di Roma Mongiovino) and the musicals Goodbye Berlin, Noč and i pastori, Cabiria, Il dono d’amore, Let it be you and The Clown presented by The Camerino Players, with whom he works as musical director. Another production in this sector is the composition of the original music for the feature film RAI: Suheiro of Joseph La Rosa with Fabio Testi and Aldo Giuffrč (2005).

He taught "Harmony Counterpoint Fugue and Composition” at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "F. Cilea” of Reggio Calabria from 1995-1996 and at the Conservatory of Music of Benevento from 1998 until 2000. In that year, he won the national competition and auditions for the posts of professor (Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue and Composition – 1st place - and Harmony and Counterpoint – 19th place) and then became the Professor of Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "G. Rossini" in Pesaro.

Claudio Sagretti - Administrator

Claudio SagrettiHe began his theatrical work by interpreting the character of Lancelot in "The Dragon" by Eugenj Schwarz, under the direction of Saverio Marconi, who was then at the beginning of his brilliant career as a director that would later lead to his spectacular musicals.
    
He then interpreted the role of Wayne Seabury in the American comedy "Amateurs" by Tom Griffin, directed by Marina Garrone, and afterwards took part in the musical, "Little Shop of Horrors", by Howard Ashman, directed by Mauro Sclavi, that led to great public acclaim for the Compagnia della Rancia.
     
Recently he attended a training course on ‘body mime’ with Michela Monetta and interpreted in the role of Zeus in a new musical entitled "Olympus", written and directed by Mauro Sclavi.

For The Camerino Players
Il Dono d’Amore”, “Let It Be You” and “The Clown

Francesca di Pastena

Francesca di PastenaBorn in Fabriano in 1983, she studied ballet and jazz dance for eight years with the teacher Anna Rita Riccioni. Later, for two years, she taught courses in classical ballet for children, as well as sharing in the creation of various choreographies. She attended workshops in Paris and before moving to Rome to take a diploma in classical dance at the school Renato Greek while continuing her studies in contemporary dance at the IALS. She also attended various courses in acting and a music academy. In 2005, she worked in the show "Following the White Rabbit", directed by Tiziano Giglio, as the choreographer, a dancer and assistant director. Over the past three years, she has worked as stage director in several dance performances. Last year, she graduated from the University 'Roma 3' in the course of study DAMS, specializing in the theatre.

For The Camerino Players
Il Dono d’Amore”, “Let It Be You” and “The Clown

Tiziano Giglio

Tiziano GiglioBorn in Rome in 1982, he graduated in the academic year 2006 in the DAMS section of the University 'Roma 3', specialising in the course of study for Theatre Directors.
    
Since 2001, he has worked with various theatre companies in Rome alongside directors and actors such as Claudio Jankowski, Rocco Militno, Teresa Clement, Ariel Pezzani, Sergio and Anna Valastro Fresu.
    
In recent years, he has worked both as an actor and as assistant to the director, but a major turning point in the course of his career came in 2005, when he was commissioned by the cultural association 'Balia' to lead an ongoing drama that saw him involved in the dual capacity of director and playwright of the play "Follow the White Rabbit", staged at the Teatro Gentile di Fabriano.
    
In 2006, he won the XVIII edition of the national 'Young Talent' in Fiuggi in the prose category, presenting a monologue.

For The Camerino Players
Il Dono d’Amore”, “Let It Be You” and “The Clown