NYU CASA ITALIAN ZERILLI MARIMO’ PRESENTS: LA CANTATA DI NATALE from the production "LA CANTATA DEI PASTORI" (The Shepherd's Cantata) December 18 at 7:00pm 24 West 12 Street – RSVP needed Celebrating I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA 40th Anniversary and home base at New York University honoring Prof. Stefano Albertini and Kostja Kovic A Neapolitan Renaissance Christmas show - Based on the Traditional Southern Italian Play Written by Andrea Perrucci in the 17th century and still performed annually in the environs of Naples. Written and directed by Alessandra Belloni, music composed and arranged by John La Barbera Told by masked character of Commedia dell Arte, narrated in English by LA BEFANA (the Good Witch of Christmas) and featuring the Italian bagpipe. The concert will feature the southern Italian traditional Christmas music of the show, narrated by la Befana . The story of the play is set just before the birth Christ, during Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, and the devil has dispatched his demons to stop the Savior's birth. Their escapades are entwined with those of Razzullo, one of the Pulcinella masks here depicted as a comic, mischievous Neapolitan scribe to is always hungry. Conjuring up tempests, dragons and other unseemly tricks, the demons try to do away with the play's characters, but all are under the Angel Gabriel's protection and the holy couple finally reaches Bethlehem. Before good triumphs over evil, there is an incredible clash, in dance between the archangel and the devil and a grotesque, but humorous, depiction of heaven and hell. I Giullari di Piazza will be celebrating their 40th anniversary! and this production was first presented at NYU in 1984 with the sponsorship of the Italian department, where the company was in residence for 10 years. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ITALIAN MUSIC THEATER AND DANCE COMPANY I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA! We are a non profit organization and WE NOW NEED ALL THE HELP OF OUR SUPPORTERS! I hope in this holiday season you will feel also like giving!