writer and director

Raffaele De Ritis is an Italy-born writer and director, active in the USA and Europe.

In a three-decades body of creations, his vision was built around  a modern theatrical  approach to ancient spectacular traditions: as circus, magic, cabaret. De Ritis explores them in projects from large-scale visuality to  immersive intimacy.

He wrote and directed for the world’s leading companies in the performing arts industry: Disney, Cirque du Soleil, Dragone, Ringling bros.,  Big Apple Circus,  and  Europe’s oldest theatres.

His education crossed masters as Federico Fellini and Dario Fo, art academies, century-old circus dinasties and the underworld of European variety.

Beside his creative work, he  directed major performing arts festivals and consulted for hundreds TV specials.

As a recognized historian in  performing arts, he authored seminal books and  papers in seven languages, teaching and lecturing worldwide.
Raffaele is custodian of an extensive private collection,  and seated in the Performing Arts Council of Italy’s Ministry of Culture.

 

Profile feature from The New York Times HERE

 

Contact: rderitis@hotmail.com