La Luna nel Pozzo

Born in the United States in 1957, McNeer has worked as an actor and theatrical educator in the USA and in Europe since 1977.
With a Bachelor’s degree in the “Interpretation of Literature” from Northwestern University, he also studied at the Mimenschule Ilg in Zurich and with Tadashi Suzuki in Togamura, Japan.
He regularly conducts seminars for actors and educators in Germany, and acting courses in Puglia, southern Italy. In 13 years of acting work with Teatro Kismet in Bari, Italy, he has also taught theatre in schools, prisons and psychiatric wards. He has worked as an actor in front of children and adults in Asia and the Middle East as well as throughout Europe.
In 1999, together with his wife Pia Wachter, he founded La Luna nel Pozzo (The Moon in the Well), a cultural centre in the countryside near Ostuni (Brindisi province), in southern Italy, where, aside from his work as director and actor, he continues his theatrical research with non-professional actors (young people, teachers, social workers, differently-abled), both in theatrical and non-theatrical settings, such as the countryside, town squares and historical neighborhoods, archeological sites.
In 2003 he built an amphitheatre at La Luna nel Pozzo, a stone structure which seats 250, which hosts an annual summer season of theatre and music.
In 2003/04 he acted in “Il Cielo degli Altri” (“Other People’s Heaven”), a show on the theme of immigration directed by César Brie (Argentina/Bolivia).
From 2004 he has been collaborating with Vivian Gladwell (England/France), the clown researcher and pedagogue.
In 2005 he directed the children’s play “KiSaKiSaRò” (“Who knows Who I Will Be”), based on Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”, for which he wrote the text together with his 9 year-old daughter, Angel.
At La Luna nel Pozzo, he organizes seminars in theatre, voice and clowning with international experts, as well as hosting artistic research groups
La Luna nel Pozzo hosts country theatre outings for school groups, as well as the July/August theatre season under the stars.
In collaboration with the Italian Theatre Service, in spring of 2006 he wrote, directed and performed “Woz’America”, a show about his American childhood during the space race, for small children and adults.
EDUCATION

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA 1975-1979
Bachelor of Science, Interpretation of Literature
Mimenschule Ilg, Zurich, Switzerland 1980-1981
Mime and clowning
Tadashi Suzuki School of Togamura, Japan 1982 and 1983
Suzuki theatre training

· Acting under the direction of: Frank Galati (USA), Carlo Formigoni (Italy), Alain Maratrat (France), Marco Martinelli, Enzo Toma (Italy), César Brie (Argentina/Bolivia), Martin Duncan (England) 1977-2004
· “Voice” with Iva Formigoni (Switzerland) 1986
· “Eutonie” with Albert Jatton (Switzerland) 1991
· “Organic Perception” with Maia Cornacchia 1991-1993
· “The Listening Voice” with Germana Giannini 1999-2004
· “Tribuana: 3 World” acting training with Tapa Sudana (Bali) from 2000
· “The Clown” with Vivian Gladwell (France/UK) from 1999

ACTING EXPERIENCE

1977 “The Mother of us All” with “Chicago Opera Theater”, dir. F. Galati
1982 “Suess Strikes” with the “Mime Walkers”, Milwaukee, dir. M. Walker
1983-1986 “Mir sind Dra”, children’s show with Thomy Truttman and “Mimos”, Switzerland, dir. R. McNeer
with Teatro Kismet, Bari, Italy
1986-1999 tour in Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Isreal, Japan
1986 Frederick in “Frederick II of Schwaben”, dir. C. Formigoni
1987 Genie in “Aladino”, dir. CF
1988 “Quick Quick Slow”, dir. CF
1989 Hamlet in “Amleto”, dir. CF
1990 “Stondants” from R. Hoban’s “Riddley Walker”, dir. R. McNeer
1991 Wolf in ”Little Red Riding Hood”, Dir. C. Formigoni
1992 Liliom in “Liliom”, dir. Alain Maratrat
1993 Giorgino in “Giorgio and the Dragon”, dir. Carlo Formigoni
1994 “Pinocchio” with Teatro Kismet/Nottingham Playhouse, dir M. Duncan
1995 Patricide in “The Birds”, from Aristophanes, dir. M. Martinelli
1996 Pluto in “All’Inferno”, with Kismet/Ravenna Teatro/TAM Teatro,
dir M. Martinelli
1997 Macbeth in “Maccabée”, in with Kismet/Differently-abled Association, Bari,
dir. Enzo Toma
with La Luna nel Pozzo, Ostuni:
2001 Odysseus in “The Odyssey”, dir. R. McNeer
2002 English Conference/Performance on Shakespeare, Beckett, Joyce
2004 “Il Cielo degli Altri” (“Someone Else’s Heaven”) dir. César Brie
2006 “Woz’America”, dir. R. McNeer

WRITING AND DIRECTING

1989 “Ulysses and Son” text and direction
1990 “Stondants” text and direction
1996 “Metamorphoses” text and direction
1997 “NightTime” text and direction
1999 “The Other Metamorphoses” text and direction
2000 “Odyssey Big” text and direction
2001 “Odyssey” text and direction
2003 “Who Knocks” text and direction
2005 “I Dreamed of You” text, from “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and direction
2005 “KiSaKiSaRò” (Who Knows Who I Will Be?) text and direction
2006 “Woz’America” text and direction

PEDAGOGICAL EXPERIENCE

From 1986, numerous workshops with professionals and non-professionals:
· in middle- and upper schools
· with children, youth and teachers
· with the differently-abled
· in reform schools
· with sufferers of psychic disorders

From 1999, every year as artistic workshop leader and lecturer in the German Waldorf School’s “English Week”, for teachers of the English language.

From 2004, co-leader, with Vivian Gladwell, of the “Clown and Shakespeare” workshop in the UK and in Italy.

LANGUAGES SPOKEN

English, Italian, German