State Legislature Recognizes Dell’Arte in its 50th Year

BLUE LAKE – As we began our 50th year, our state representatives honored us with a Resolution from the California Legislature in April of 2024. Full text follows the image below.

By the Honorable Mike McGuire, President pro Tempore of the California State Senate; 
and the Honorable Jim Wood, 2nd Assembly District;
Relative to Commending 

Dell’ Arte International

WHEREAS, The work of an extraordinary community of artists located amid the redwoods and rugged beauty of California’s North Coast, Dell’Arte International is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary of service as a center for theater training, research, and performance, and it is appropriate at this time to highlight its many achievements and underscore the positive impact it has made in the local community and beyond; and

WHEREAS, Established by Carlo Mazzone-Clementi and Jane Hill, Dell’Arte International has served the Northern California community of Blue Lake since 1974, and throughout its five decades of service, the artistic institution has strived to create resonant works of theater that are visceral and dynamic and engage the power and yearning of the imagination, truth, and mystery underlying the human experience; and

WHEREAS, Committed to its mission of bringing physical theatre training traditions to the United States, Dell’Arte International has nurtured actor-creators through comprehensive training in mime, mask, movement, and ensemble creation, and the artistic institution has evolved into a multifaceted organization encompassing a company, school, laboratory, incubator, presenter, artistic community, and home; and

WHEREAS, Dell’Arte International has made significant contributions to the cultural life of California and the nation, receiving national and international recognition for the style and artistry of its work, including support from esteemed organizations such as the California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and Irving Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Renowned for its ability to create works of theater inspired by the people, land, history, and issues of Northern California, Dell’Arte International has enriched and enlivened California’s cultural scene through its performances, many of which are free to the public, and it has also established a collaborative working relationship with the local Wiyot tribe and its prison arts project, highlighting its commitment to fostering relationships between art and place; and

WHEREAS, As one of the few rural professional ensemble theaters in the United States, Dell’Arte International has garnered recognition for its unique contributions to American theater, emphasizing a nonurban perspective, a 50-year history of ensemble practice, and groundbreaking work in physical theater forms that appeal to a wide audience; and

WHEREAS, Since its inception, Dell’Arte International has weaved a rich tapestry of history and innovation while continuing to evolve, reinvent itself, and return to its source, and through its 50 years, the artistic institution has inspired and influenced countless artists, teachers, staff members, and students; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE MIKE MCGUIRE AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER JIM WOOD, That they congratulate Dell’Arte International on the celebration of its fiftieth anniversary and commend it for its many accomplishments and the invaluable contributions it has made to the cultural life of the people of the State of California and beyond.

Joint Members Resolution No. 134
Dated this 26th day of April, 2024.

Honorable Mike McGuire
President pro Tempore of the California State Senate

Honorable Jim Wood
2nd Assembly District