Documenting Contemporary Italian Theatre and Storytelling: The Work of Marco Paolini (2009–Present)

This project contributes to an ongoing scholarly study of contemporary Italian theatre focusing on the work of Marco Paolini, one of the most influential practitioners of teatro di narrazione in Italy. Paolini’s work is situated at the intersection of theatre and storytelling: his performances combine historical research, civic narration, and oral storytelling practices, often addressing themes such as memory, environmental history, and social responsibility.

The broader research project supports the preparation of a scholarly monograph titled Marco Paolini: A Deeper Map, which examines Paolini’s theatrical production from 2009 to the present.

Because theatre performances are ephemeral and recordings are not always publicly available, theatre scholarship often reconstructs productions through archival traces and documentary materials, including press reviews, interviews, festival programs, and critical commentary. The objective of this project is therefore to create a structured research archive documenting Paolini’s performances from 2009 onward through their public record and critical reception, while also situating them within the broader field of contemporary storytelling.

Students will assist in compiling and organizing materials related to these performances,including:

• press reviews and journalistic coverage
• theatre festival and venue programs
• interviews with the playwright and collaborators
• available video excerpts or televised adaptations
• scholarly commentary on Paolini’s work, narrative theatre, and contemporary storytelling practices

More broadly, the project approaches Paolini’s work as part of a wider tradition of contemporary storytelling, examining how narrative practices function as forms of cultural memory and public discourse.

The project draws on methods from theatre studies, cultural history, and archival research, while also incorporating storytelling as an analytical framework.

Students will be introduced to several research practices commonly used in the humanities:

• archival and documentary research using digital newspaper and media databases
• bibliographic research in academic databases and library catalogues
• source evaluation, distinguishing primary documentation from secondary commentary
• annotation and summarization of research materials
• research data organization through structured documentation

Particular attention will be given to storytelling as a methodological lens, allowing students to examine how narrative structures, voice, and audience address function within Paolini’s performances and their reception. Knowledge of Italian is strongly recommended.

Students will work with Italian-language sources such as press coverage, interviews, and theatre documentation. Guidance will be provided to support students in navigating these materials.

Students will learn how scholars reconstruct theatrical productions through documentary evidence and how narrative practices can be analyzed within broader cultural and historical frameworks.

Students participating in this project will develop transferable research skills relevant to humanities scholarship, including:

• archival and documentary research methods
• academic source evaluation and verification
• bibliographic compilation and citation practices
• summarization and annotation of cultural materials
• organization of research data and documentation
• understanding storytelling as a cultural and analytical framework

Students will also gain experience participating in a faculty research project and will learn how research in the humanities develops from the collection and interpretation of primary materials.

The project will produce a structured research archive documenting the public record and reception of Paolini’s performances from 2009 onward. This archive will include:

1. a chronological list of performances and premieres
2. an annotated bibliography of press coverage and scholarship
3. a curated collection of interviews and documentary materials
4. a conceptual map of Paolini’s performances and narrative strategies 

The project will also contribute to a broader understanding of storytelling as a form of cultural production in contemporary Italy. These materials will support ongoing scholarly work and will contribute to the preparation of the monograph Marco Paolini: A Deeper Map.