WEST CHESTER, PA — A controversial murder trial, political persecution and the execution of two Italian immigrants will take center stage at West Chester University when its Department of Theatre & Dance presents Sacco & Vanzetti: A Tragedia dell’Arte from Nov. 19-22, blending historical drama with the comedy and theatrical traditions of commedia dell’arte.
Written and directed by WCU Associate Professor John Bellomo, the original production examines the case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrants and anarchists whose convictions and executions sparked international protests and enduring questions about prejudice and justice.
Performances will take place in the J.P. Adler Studio Theatre at the E.O. Bull Center for the Arts, 2 E. Rosedale Ave., West Chester.
Rather than presenting the case as a conventional courtroom drama, Bellomo uses commedia dell’arte, a traditional Italian theatrical form, to explore the absurdity and injustice surrounding the men’s prosecution.
The production incorporates historical events, court transcripts, traditional commedia scenarios and excerpts from Sacco and Vanzetti’s published prison letters. Comedy serves as a counterpoint to the tragedy, creating an unconventional approach to a consequential chapter in American legal history.
Sacco and Vanzetti were arrested in 1919 on suspicion of robbing a shoe factory and murdering its paymaster and a guard. Their controversial trial and subsequent executions in 1927 prompted widespread protests amid concerns that their political beliefs and immigrant status influenced their treatment.
For Bellomo, bringing their story to the stage represents the culmination of a personal interest that began during his high school years.
“My father says I came home from high school one day asking if he knew about Sacco and Vanzetti,” Bellomo recalled. “From that point on, I consumed anything I could about the case. I watched documentaries, and whenever I would go into a used bookstore, I would look to see if there was a book I didn’t have.”
Bellomo began developing the theatrical adaptation in 2018 after encountering La Vendetta del Duca d’Alba, a work by an Italian puppeteer featuring two characters falsely accused of burglary and sentenced to death.
He translated the work and combined its storyline with historical commedia scenarios, details from the Sacco and Vanzetti case and material from the men’s prison correspondence.
The current script was completed in 2024, followed by a staged reading at West Chester University that December.
Philadelphia’s Curio Theatre Company professionally produced the play in April 2026, earning three Barrymore Award nominations, including Outstanding Original Production and the Philadelphia Award for Social Insight, which carries a $25,000 prize.
WCU theatre student Ren Bailey, Class of 2029, also received a nomination for Outstanding Props or Puppetry Design for work as assistant puppet designer. Award winners are scheduled to be announced Nov. 16.
The production has also been invited to the Sacco et Vanzetti 1927–2027 International Conference at Université Paul-Valéry in Montpellier, France, in July 2027, coinciding with the centennial of the executions.
The WCU cast features Nicholas Oberto as Nicola Sacco and Will Rice as Bartolomeo Vanzetti. Mike De Vitto and Michael E. Stewart both appear as Judge Thayer.
Ensemble members Mali Taylor, Calvin Carr, Stella Campbell, Xiomara Smith, Lily Rivenburgh and Benjamin Prentiss portray multiple characters throughout the production.
Event Details
- What: Sacco & Vanzetti: A Tragedia dell’Arte, an original play written and directed by John Bellomo and presented by West Chester University’s Department of Theatre & Dance.
- When: Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m.
- Where: J.P. Adler Studio Theatre, E.O. Bull Center for the Arts, 2 E. Rosedale Ave., West Chester, PA.
- Cost/Tickets: Tickets are available through the university’s performing arts ticketing website.
- More Info: https://wcupatix.com/theatreanddance
The production offers audiences an opportunity to revisit a historic legal controversy through a theatrical approach that combines documentary material, Italian performance traditions and original storytelling. Its West Chester performances also provide a chance to see a work that has attracted professional theater recognition and international academic interest.
Also at WCU: Opera Theatre Presents Cabildo
West Chester University Opera Theatre will also present Cabildo on Nov. 13 and 14.
The performances offer another opportunity to experience live theater and music at the university ahead of the Department of Theatre & Dance’s production of Sacco & Vanzetti.
Additional ticket information is available at https://wcupatix.com/theatreanddance.
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