L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 11 L'Italo-Americano C harming, energetic and passionate about the arts, Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi has been a shot in the arm for Seattle's ACT Theatre since he joined the staff in 2007. Initially, S cand iuzzi ran ACT's Central Heating Lab, which supports new works and theatrical talents. In 2008, he took over as A CT executive director, a position he holds today. But S candiuzzi's res ume doesn't stop there. In fact, it encompas s es enou gh career highlights for two or three indi- viduals. Over the decades, this artist and arts advocate has been a stagehand, actor, music pro- ducer, independent film promot- er, savvy businessman and arts philanthropist. S candiuzzi w as born and raised in Geneva, the son of Italian immigrants. "My father first took me to the opera when I w as 12," he s aid. "I s aw Rigoletto, still my favorite opera today." Inspired by the story-telling and grandeur of opera, he stud- ied directing and acting at the theater conservatory in Geneva. When he was 19, he met his future wife, Eulalie, a Seattle native living in Geneva. After a yearlong courtship, they married and moved to Seattle a few years later. Scandiuzzi could speak little English but he was able to lever- age his theater training into a stagehand position at the Empty Space Theatre. His first acting role, also at Empty Space, was playing Carlo in The Return of Pinocchio. During that produc- tion, he met fellow actor Kurt Beattie and started a friendship that endures to this day. In 1979, Scandiuzzi and sev- eral others began M odern Productions which presented punk-rock shows at Seattle's his- toric Showbox theater. "We put on bands that no one ever heard of, like DNA or D.O.A.," said Scandiuzzi. "But we also pre- sented big acts like Iggy Pop, Devo, the Police, Nina Hagen and the Ramones." Introducing seminal punk-era music to local rock fans helped inspire and re-energize Seattle's s leepy mus ic s cene. "It w as around this time that Seattle s tarted to explo de," s aid Scandiuzzi, "not only on the music scene, but with restau- rants, hotels, films, theater." S everal years later, Scandiuzzi decided to return to his firs t love—acting—and moved to Los Angeles to try to make it in the movies. He quick- ly found out what so many had before him: Making a living in Hollywood is extremely diffi- cult. Back in Seattle, he turned his attention to movie production, founding a company called UFO which produced action and sci- ence fiction films. With that experience in hand, he went on to create IndieFlix with fellow producer Scilla Andreen. Called the "Netflix of inde- pendent film" by Var iety Magazine, IndieFlix works with independent filmmakers to pro- vide a distribution channel with- out the middleman. Today it offers film lovers access to more than 8,000 high-quality films from around the world. "Our mission at IndieFlix was to give filmmakers the opportu- nity to generate money up front," said Scandiuzzi. "They got 70 percent and we'd take 30 per- cent. We'd put their movies out there, and they'd get a quick return. This is very different from what usually happens with film distribution." In 2007, Scandiuzzi's career came full circle when his friend Kurt Beattie, now artistic direc- tor at ACT Theatre, called. At that time, ACT was having seri- ous financial difficulties, beset by the same problems facing regional theaters everywhere: spiraling production costs, an aging subscriber base and a lack of connection with younger audi- ences. Enter on cue: Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi. H ired firs t to run A CT's Central Heating Lab, Scandiuzzi partnered with local artists and fringe companies to offer great theater and keep ACT's stages busy. "We provided resources to these smaller companies, such as box office or production support, and they contributed bold ideas and excellent art, "s aid Scandiuzzi. "We saw it not as a rental proposition but as a co- production. In return, our theater became more of a lively and dynamic cultural arena." This approach, now called ACTLab, has been wildly suc- cessful. In two years, ACT went from offering 12 productions to 48. Today, serving as ACT exec- utive director, Scandiuzzi contin- ues to celebrate the arts and make them more affordable. "I wanted to break down barriers to access," said Scandiuzzi. "You say you can't afford the theater? Well, ACT has a true pay-what- you-can performance. Contribute anything from 50 cents to 50 dol- lars . There is no longer any excuse." Scandiuzzi also pioneered the A CTP as s to engage w ith younger audiences. "Young peo- ple want to go to the theater this weekend, not in three months," he explained. "The traditional s ubs cription model does not work for them." The ACTPass is a membership-based program. For $30 a month, members can see any or all productions, any day of the week. It now serves as a model for other theaters around the country. Throughout his wide-ranging and dis tinguis hed career, Scandiuzzi credits his Italian heritage as providing a touch- point. "Italians have a tremen- dous need to savor beauty," he said. "I celebrate my Italian-ness through my quest in the arts. I may have been rais ed in Switzerland, but when I go to Italy, I know I am home." RITA CIPALLA Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi (right), executive director of Seattle's A Contemporary Theatre with Actor Tom Skerritt, one of the many guests who joined Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi and his team to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ACT Theatre in October. (John Ulman) Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi transfor ms local theater into a thriving cultural center SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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