(1944-2022)
Rest in joy
dearest Joan
They arrived today
on a wooden canoe on the Mad River
They suddenly appeared on the crisp water
skillfully stirring on the current
They left the canoe by the bridge
and they are now walking in the streets of Blue Lake
Isabella Andreini is leading the company
We heard the news
she says with a smile
We are here for Joan
We are here to take her with us
Zanni is cursing and swearing
hiding his face behind his furry eyebrows
Arlecchino is jumping around
hopping his sadness away
Sta’ fermo !
Brighella shouts at him
Be quiet!
He’s holding a bottle of Carlo Rossi in his hand
and a barrel of tears in his belly
Colombina is humming a joyful tune
to push back her tears
It was such a joy and an honor
to be serving you Joan
Il Dottore is composing a tirata
Ludum vincit mortem
Play conquers death
Joanna pulcherrima est
Il Capitano is hitting the clouds with his sword
Yo soy, Yo soy, Yo soy…
so lost without you Joan
Pantalone is speechless
holding his head in his hands
No xe vero
It can’t be true
Not yet, not you, not now
C’est pas vrai Ostia!
The Innamorati are sobbing in tunes
I love you so much Joan !
I love you more !
Not as much as me !
Even Menato is here
He jumped off from another century
cursing loudly in his wild Paduan dialect
Putana mo’ del vivere
Damn bitchy life
Prima Carletto e desso ti
First Carlo and now you Joan
You still had so many scenes in the show!
Damn it!
Far in the distance
the Redwoods are weeping
and the Ocean is more pacific than ever
Isabella
the magnificent Isabella Andreini from Padua
orders everybody to stop in front of Dell’Arte
Joan is there
dressed in white
with her suitcase full of masks
and her witty blue eyes wider than the sky
She stands at the door of that vessel full of dreams
known as Dell’Arte
the magnificent gem
she carried in her body and soul
for decades of poetic joy
I am ready
she says
It is a little too soon
but I am ready
It has been an honor and a joy
to serve the Muses with your masks
She is smiling
Isabella walks towards Joan
and gently bows in front of her
The two women are standing there
in silence
they are whispering thank you
Two pillars of beauty and rigor
opera and joy
They are hugging each other
holding the universe in between their hearts
I died giving birth to my eighth child
Isabella says
You have lived giving birth
to a multitude of artists and poets
and to countless acts of joy
play, rigor and beauty
On behalf of all of the Masks
I thank you Joan
And I wish you Happy Birthday
Everybody is crying
the Masks, the birds, the clouds, the sky
the hills, the trees, the wind
and the Mad River
today madder than ever
And all the people of Blue Lake
and beyond
gathered here for Joan’s birthday
All the hearts she touched
and the countless masks who came into existence
under her caring fierce witty eyes
Brighella comes bobbing towards them
Carlo is waiting for you with Prosecco
You two have a lot to catch up on
Colombina picks up the suitcase
with a skip and a giggle
It’s time to go now
And Joan followed Isabella and the Masks
on their way back to the Mad River
They took a long time to leave
walking through her birthday party
There were so many hugs to give
tears to dance
and goodbyes to sing
And that’s how Joan left Blue Lake
in the company of the Masks
on her birth day
on a winter morning of Twenty Twenty-Two
They walked to the Mad River
and their canoe floated away
into the ocean and beyond…
Joan Schirle – Dell’Arte Website
Joan Schirle: The Ascent of a Legend , on American Theatre
A video link: Arlecchino Appleseed—How Carlo Mazzone Clementi Brought Commedia dell’arte to the New World—July 7, 2015 Blue Lake, CA
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