Aleandri, Emelise (Francesca)

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ALEANDRI, Emelise (Francesca)

PERSONAL:

Born in Riva del Garda, Italy; daughter of John Baptista (a mail carrier) and Elodia Vladimira (a teacher; maiden name, Lutterotti) Aleandri. Education: Hunter College, M.A. (theatre); City University of New York, Ph.D. (theatre).

ADDRESSES:

Office—Center for Italian-American Studies, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY 11210. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director. Director of stage productions, including Not Every Thief Will Bring You Grief, off-Broadway; Discovering Bodies, New York Theatre Ensemble, New York, NY; Schizzo Hey Ride, Stage 73, New York; Applejuice, Joseph Jefferson Theatre Company, New York; Duo, Forum; Peanuts (children's play), Boerum Hill Children's Theatre workshop, Brooklyn, NY; Doctor's Duty, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn; Superman, Bennington College, Bennington, VT; The Marriage Proposal, College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY; Willpower, New York City Community College, New York; and The New Americans, St. Patrick's Theatre, New York.

Also worked on other stage productions, including (as assistant to producers) As You Like It, Broadway production; (as assistant director) Onward Victoria, Broadway production; (as assistant director) Peep, South Street, New York; and (as assistant director) Winning Hearts and Minds, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre. Choreographer of Middle Eastern dances for The Birds, Drama Committee Repertory, New York; and Schizzo Hey Ride, Stage 73, New York.

Actress in stage productions, including (as Molly, Queen of the Hoboes) Hobo Christmas, American Theatre of Actors (ATA), New York, 2000; (as Italian model) 96A, Eccentric Circles Theatre; (as Princess) The Bandit Princess, staged reading, Kikue Tashiro; (as Good Deeds) Everyman, Galaxy Theatre Company; (as Maria Antonia) Mon ami Angelique, Provincetown Playhouse, Provincetown, MA; (as Opal Jewel) Power, People's Performing Company; (as Tillie) Sweatshop, ATA; (as Aunt Mary Masiello) Italian Funerals and Other Festive Occasions, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA; (as Antonietta) Festa Primavera, LaMaMa Etc., New York; (as the Good Christmas Witch) La befana, New York and U.S. cities; (as Suzie Merluzzi) Perfidia, New York and U.S. cities; (as dancer and singer) Carnevale, New York and U.S. cities; (as dancer) Salute to King Tut, Central Park Band-shell, NY; (as dancer) Lincoln Center Gestical, Damrosch Park, NY; (as dancer) Gateway Showcase '80, Gateway Community Restoration; (as dancer) George White Ensemble, Marymount Manhattan; Festive Occasions; Winning Hearts and Minds, New York Shakespeare Festival; Show Biz Applauds Lincoln Center, Avery Fisher Hall, New York; La vita, Danny's Skylight Room; and The Gondoliers.

Actress in films, including (as Florence) Crooklyn, 1994; (as Angela Patera) West New York (also known as Paperblood), 1996; (as Italian woman at murder site) Summer of Sam, Buena Vista, 1999; also appeared (uncredited) in All That Jazz; Raging Bull; The World according to Garp; King of the Gypsies; The Night of the Juggler; King Kong; Defiance; Willy and Phil; Out to Lunch; This Is Videx; Snooze; Searching for Paradise; The Yards; The Frequency; Mickey Blue Eyes; Isn't She Great; 1967; Sleepers; Godfather III; My New Gun; Age of Innocence; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Hejdran; Cookie; Married to the Mob; Jerky Boys; Moonstruck; Jumping Jack Flash; Car 54; Turk 182; Fort Apache-the Bronx; John and Yoko; Danger Adrift; Regarding Henry; and Rooftops.

Played Elenora Duse in television movie Of Penguins and Peacocks, 2000. Actress in television series, including (as Italian nurse/nun) Loving, American Broadcasting Companies (ABC); and (as lead) Pirate TV Comedy Show, Music Television (MTV). Guest star on television series, including Nurse, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS); Eischeid, National Broadcasting Company (NBC); All My Children, ABC; The Sopranos, Home Box Office (HBO); Our Family Honor, ABC; One Life to Live, ABC; Guiding Light, CBS; Internal Affairs; Tattingers, NBC; Donohue, syndicated; Another World, NBC; Equalizer, CBS; Mathnet; Law & Order, NBC; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NBC; and America's Most Wanted, Fox.

Producer and host of television series Italics Magazine Show, CUNY-TV, New York, 1987-97. Director and producer of television specials, including Teatro: The Legacy of Italian-American Theatre, 1995; and Festa: Italian Festival Traditions, CUNY-TV, 1997.

MEMBER:

Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, American Guild of Variety Artists, Guild of Italian American Actors (formerly the Italian Actors Union).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Elena Cornaro Award, New York State Grand Lodge Order of the Sons of Italy in America, 2001, for work in Italian-American culture.

WRITINGS:

The Italian-American Immigrant Theatre of New York City, Arcadia Publishing (Charleston, SC), 1999.

Little Italy, Arcadia Publishing (Charleston, SC), 2002.

Author of The Legend of La Befana; translated various plays from Italian to English; contributor of articles on theatre to journals.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

ONLINE

Frizzi & Lazzi Web site,http://www.frizzilazzi.com/ (July 16, 2003).

Guild of Italian American Artists Web site,http://www.nygiaa.org/ (July 16, 2003).

New York State Lit Tree Web site,http://www.nyslittree.org/ (July 16, 2003), "Emelise Aleandri."*