PEPPINO
IMPASTATO
UN GIULLARE CONTRO LA MAFIA
"A JOKER AGAINST THE MAFIA"
A play by Ignazio Chessa
Produced by Anissa Felix
Based on the graphic novel by Marco Rizzo and Lelio Bonnacorso
IN COLLABORATION WITH
PEPPINO IMPASTATO
THE VOICE THAT WOULDN'T STAY SILENT
At 30 years old, Peppino Impastato led a one-man rebellion against the Sicilian mafia. An activist, poet, and founder of the underground Radio Aut, he confronted corruption with sharp wit and fearless truth-telling. His broadcast, Onda Pazza, mixed satire with outrage, calling out mob bosses and complicit politicians by name. In 1978, they murdered him, but they could not silence his voice.
This solo performance by Ignazio Chessa resurrects Peppino Impastato's memory. Chessa embodies a range of characters: a grieving mother, a mafia kingpin, and of course, the iconic Impastato himself. Seamlessly blending satire with a deep sense of justice, the performance leaves audiences with a lasting sense of empowerment and the courage to stand up against oppression.
"IF WE TAUGHT PEOPLE BEAUTY, WE'D ARM THEM AGAINST RESIGNATION, FEAR, AND SILENCE."
IL NOSTRO
PROGRAMMA
This multimedia production cleverly incorporates animation projection, puppetry, and quick costume changes to bring the graphic novel and memory of Peppino Impastato alive. In collaboration with a Netflix animator, the award-winning author and illustrator
PEPPINO IMPASTATO
THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
UN
GIULLARE
CONTRO LA
MAFIA
The book won some important Italian prizes such as the "Premio Satira" Forte dei Marmi, 2009, the Journalistic Prize "Giancarlo Siani" in Naples in 2009, and "Boscarato Award" for best screenplay in Treviso.
"IF WE TAUGHT PEOPLE BEAUTY, WE'D ARM THEM AGAINST RESIGNATION, FEAR, AND SILENCE."
OUR
TEAM
IGNAZIO CHESSA
ACTOR, PLAYWRIGHT
Ignazio Chessa is a leading Italian actor, dramatist, and director from Sardinia, known for his socially engaged, politically charged work across theatre and film. He is the founder of Lo Teatrà in Alghero, and is deeply committed to projects rooted in cultural heritage, education, and artistic activism.
He is also an accomplished film actor. His recent screen credits include the role of Morin in Milarepa (2024), directed by Luis Nero, a filmmaker known for his visionary approach to cinema, and Judge in Anna (2022) by Marco Amenta, acclaimed for his powerful anti-mafia narratives. Earlier in his career, Chessa appeared in films by legendary Italian directors Carlo Lizzani (Stato d'emergenza, 1994) and Luigi Magni (Franceschiello 'o Re, 1994), both central figures in postwar Italian cinema.
ANISSA FELIX
DIRECTOR, PRODUCER
Anissa Felix (born April 9, 1991, in Manassas, Virginia) is an actor and director currently a Directing Fellow at Westport Country Playhouse, where she has served as assistant director on productions such as A Sherlock Carol and Theatre People and is directing the playreading of Paris by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Eboni Booth.
She began her career on Broadway, performing in Motown The Musical, Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close, and as part of the ensemble in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. Felix is best known to television audiences as India on Netflix's Survival of the Thickest, and her screen work also includes appearances on Diarra from Detroit and Blue Bloods.
ROTIMI OLOWU
ANIMATOR
Rotimi Olowu is a 2D animator and director working in broadcast animation for major television networks and streaming platforms. His professional credits include work for Adult Swim, Nickelodeon Jr., HBO, Hulu, and FOX, spanning both adult and children's programming across cable, broadcast, and streaming.
Trained in animation at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, he has contributed to high-profile animated content developed for some of the most influential outlets in contemporary television.
LELIO BONACCORSO
ILLUSTRATOR
Lelio Bonaccorso (born 2 August 1982 in Messina, Sicily) is an acclaimed Italian comic book artist, illustrator, and teacher at the Comics Academy in Palermo and Messina, recognized for his work in graphic journalism and mainstream comics. Trained in Messina and at the School of Comics in Palermo, he began a long-standing collaboration with writer Marco Rizzo, creating influential graphic novels such as Peppino Impastato, un giullare contro la mafia, Gli ultimi giorni di Marco Pantani, Que Viva el Che Guevara, Jan Karski. L'uomo che scoprì l'Olocausto, and the reportage works Salvezza and …A casa nostra. Cronaca da Riace.
His work has appeared in major publications including Corriere della Sera, La Gazzetta dello Sport, and Wired, and he has collaborated internationally with Marvel, DC Comics/Vertigo, and Disney/Marvel. His books have been published worldwide and have received major honors including the Satire Prize, the Giancarlo Siani Prize, the Boscarato Prize, and the Andrea Pazienza Award.
MARCO RIZZO
AUTHOR
Marco Rizzo is one of Italy's leading figures in graphic journalism. In 2022, he joined the select group of Spider-Man writers, contributing stories to Spider-Man Magazine published by Panini Comics. Between 2008 and today, often in collaboration with illustrator Lelio Bonaccorso, he has created acclaimed graphic novels reconstructing the lives of figures such as Peppino Impastato, Che Guevara, Marco Pantani, Jan Karski, Mauro Rostagno, and Ilaria Alpi, as well as award-winning graphic reportages on migration including Salvezza and …a casa nostra. Cronaca da Riace.
His works have been translated into ten countries and have received major honors including the Micheluzzi Award at Napoli Comicon, the Boscarato Award, the Forte dei Marmi Satire Prize, the Giancarlo Siani Prize, and France's CEZAM Award. He has been an editor for Panini Comics since 2010 and a contributor to Disney Publishing since 2019.
GIADA FARIN
TRANSLATOR
Giada is a fellow at the Fondazione Milano - Civica Scuola Interpreti e Traduttori Altiero Spinelli.
FABIO LOI
PROP DESIGNER
Fabio Loi is an Italian theatre scenographer and costume designer who works in theatrical design and prop creation, engaging with visual storytelling and the material crafting of stage environments.