Flaminio Scala (27 September 1552 â€" 9 December 1624), commonly known
by his stage name, Flavio, was an Italian stage actor of Commedia
dell'Arte, scenario writer, playwright, director, producer, manager,
agent, and editor. Considered one of the most important figures in
Renaissance theatre, Scala is remembered today as the author of the
first published collection of commedia scenarios, Il Teatro delle
Favole Rappresentative, short comic plays that served as inspiration
to playwrights such as Lope de Vega, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson,
and Molière.Scala was born in Rome on 27 September 1552. Little is
known about his early life and his aristocratic family, except that
his father's name was Giacomo. Scala's career as an actor and began
sometime prior to 1577 in Florence, where he is thought to have played
the role of the innamorato in the Compagnia dei Comici Gelosi
(1568-1604) whose name was established after the company's creed:
Virtu`, fama ed honor ne fer gelosi; meaning, zealous to please their
audience. However, circa the year 1610, Scala became the company's
resident stock character, Flavio. Much of the company had been made up
of actors who were seeking work after separating themselves from
Ganassa. Scala also held the position as director with the Ganassa
Company from 1571, up until practicing under Francesco Andreini in
1577. Members of the company included: Vittoria Piisimi, Isabella
Arreini, Lodovico da Bologna, Giulio Pasquati, Simone da Bologna,
Gabriele Panzanini, Orazio Nobili and a host of other notable
playmakers. Recordings also show that Scala also invested him time
into another theatre company under the name, Confidenti, which also
ended up being successful. The company, Confidenti, made a home for
itself in France in the year 1571. While the company had established a
positive reputation for itself, much of its members were shareholders.
This stock character made up the male half of the pair of young lovers
that were central to the plots of scenarios in Italian Commedia
dell'arte. Typically, the innamorati were as much in love with one
another as they were with themselves and frequently kept apart by
circumstances outside their control. Scala is credited with bringing
the famous sixteenth-century actress and poet Isabella Andreini into I
Gelosi to play opposite him as his inamorata and being considered the
stage's first professional producer. The sixteen-year-old wife of the
actor Francesco Andreini (whose stage name was Capitan Spavento) went
on to become such a celebrated actress in her own right that a new
role known as the "Isabella" was created in her honor. She later died
while traveling from Paris to Italy in 1604. Following his work with I
Gelosi, Scala was associated as an actor and occasionally as an agent
with the i Accesi (Stimulated Ones), i Desiosi, (Desired Ones), and i
Uniti (United Ones) from 1579 through 1596.Scala wrote in a way that
called for a specific facility in order for his scenarios to be
performed for they called for a great amount of jeux de scene.
Although, Scala and the Gelosi company did not produce extravagant
performances, Scala's detailed opening at the beginning of the
scenario would deceive audiences to believe so.
by his stage name, Flavio, was an Italian stage actor of Commedia
dell'Arte, scenario writer, playwright, director, producer, manager,
agent, and editor. Considered one of the most important figures in
Renaissance theatre, Scala is remembered today as the author of the
first published collection of commedia scenarios, Il Teatro delle
Favole Rappresentative, short comic plays that served as inspiration
to playwrights such as Lope de Vega, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson,
and Molière.Scala was born in Rome on 27 September 1552. Little is
known about his early life and his aristocratic family, except that
his father's name was Giacomo. Scala's career as an actor and began
sometime prior to 1577 in Florence, where he is thought to have played
the role of the innamorato in the Compagnia dei Comici Gelosi
(1568-1604) whose name was established after the company's creed:
Virtu`, fama ed honor ne fer gelosi; meaning, zealous to please their
audience. However, circa the year 1610, Scala became the company's
resident stock character, Flavio. Much of the company had been made up
of actors who were seeking work after separating themselves from
Ganassa. Scala also held the position as director with the Ganassa
Company from 1571, up until practicing under Francesco Andreini in
1577. Members of the company included: Vittoria Piisimi, Isabella
Arreini, Lodovico da Bologna, Giulio Pasquati, Simone da Bologna,
Gabriele Panzanini, Orazio Nobili and a host of other notable
playmakers. Recordings also show that Scala also invested him time
into another theatre company under the name, Confidenti, which also
ended up being successful. The company, Confidenti, made a home for
itself in France in the year 1571. While the company had established a
positive reputation for itself, much of its members were shareholders.
This stock character made up the male half of the pair of young lovers
that were central to the plots of scenarios in Italian Commedia
dell'arte. Typically, the innamorati were as much in love with one
another as they were with themselves and frequently kept apart by
circumstances outside their control. Scala is credited with bringing
the famous sixteenth-century actress and poet Isabella Andreini into I
Gelosi to play opposite him as his inamorata and being considered the
stage's first professional producer. The sixteen-year-old wife of the
actor Francesco Andreini (whose stage name was Capitan Spavento) went
on to become such a celebrated actress in her own right that a new
role known as the "Isabella" was created in her honor. She later died
while traveling from Paris to Italy in 1604. Following his work with I
Gelosi, Scala was associated as an actor and occasionally as an agent
with the i Accesi (Stimulated Ones), i Desiosi, (Desired Ones), and i
Uniti (United Ones) from 1579 through 1596.Scala wrote in a way that
called for a specific facility in order for his scenarios to be
performed for they called for a great amount of jeux de scene.
Although, Scala and the Gelosi company did not produce extravagant
performances, Scala's detailed opening at the beginning of the
scenario would deceive audiences to believe so.
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