“The overwhelming impenetrability of it all was conveyed without a wasted impulse… Lopresti’s face became a map of memories”
-Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times
“Mr. Lopresti came closest to communicating the mime’s silent messages. He had a fine moment when, his back to the audience, he considered a painting at a museum. A tentative stroke of the neck, a slow scrath of the head. The overwhelming impenetrability of it all was conveyed without a wasted impulse. And Mr. Lopresti’s face became a map of memories with one unhurried gaze in ‘Man at the Grave.’”
“The ability of Charlie Chaplin… making the audience laugh and cry in the same moment”
-Moni Yakim, Founder & Artistic Director, New York Pantomime Theatre, Teacher (Stella Adler, Juilliard)
“Tony has the ability of Charlie Chaplin to make the audience laugh and cry in the same moment.”
“Always creative and innovative... storytelling talents as an actor and a writer”
-William J. Bratton, Former New York City Police Commissioner
“Tony’s work has always been creative and innovative. He took his storytelling talents as an actor and a writer and applied them to communicating with cops in New York and other parts of the country. Through training and motivational videos, he consistently reflected back to police officers the best of themselves.”
“A monumental work with clear storytelling”
-Jeremy Rhizor, Artistic Director, Academy of Sacred Music, New York City
“A monumental work with clear storytelling.”
“Unexpected and remarkable complicity between two forms… different but in perfect harmony”
-Daniel de Montmollin, Brother of Taizé, Potter
“An unexpected and remarkable complicity between two forms of artistic expression. Who, familiar with Bartok’s sonata, would have imagined that a mime could accompany it? And yet the gamble paid off: it is as if the music and the language of gesture were made for each other, like two fraternal twins, born together, different but in perfect harmony.”
“Always clear, effective mime… a stroke of genius”
R. Zam, La Provincia di Sondrio
“Then, it was time for the Aurora’s Challenge, based on a story by the members of the Youth Orchestra and brought to life on the stage by the... always clear, effective mime choreography of Lopresti....
And here, the choice of mime choreographer Lopresti to represent Aurora’s dreams and doubts with two ‘mini-Auroras’ who embody her inner struggles throughout the show turned out to be a stroke of genius. The two little mime-actors were endearing and accomplished performers.”
“Physically and in silence… totally orchestral”
-Giorgio Senese, Director, Experimental School of Music
“What Tony does with the group physically and in silence is totally orchestral.”
“Joyful and optimistic”
-Elisabeth Avery, Writer, New York City
“Joyful and optimistic!”
“Movement was able to create a living environment… so many emotions”
-Linda Gottfried, President, GraffitiWall LLC
“Wow! I loved how the movement was able to create a living environment and to reflect so many emotions.”
“Profoundly moving… artistically delicate rendering of a brutal story”
-Miriam Giovanna, Founder and Director, Terre di Mezzo Publishing House, Milan
“...a profoundly moving, artistically delicate rendering of a brutal story…”
“A powerful experience… following along and watching, appalled and transfixed… very moving”
-Linda and Tom Dickey, Parishioners
“Being part of the parish group watching Tony’s Living Stations of the Cross was a powerful experience. The procession and the tableaux of figures recreating each Station conveyed what it might have been like when Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa, people like us following along and watching, appalled and transfixed. Very moving!”
“Beautiful… our multi-lingual community was able to profoundly experience the Passion of Christ”
Rev. George Sears, Pastor, Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Director of Vocations, Archdiocese of New York
“Tony Lopresti produced and directed a beautiful Living Stations of the Cross, taking a group of parishioners who had no or little experience in acting and working with them to express the heart of Christ and His companions wordlessly, with only the use of their bodies and faces. As a result, our multi-lingual community was able to profoundly experience the Passion of Christ.””
“One of the most moving, spiritual experiences… a three-dimensional, living and breathing human representation of the passion of Jesus Christ”
-Michael Archer, Parishioner
“The Living Stations of the Cross was one of the most moving, spiritual experiences I have ever had. For the first time the reality, suffering, and emotions that certainly occurred that day on Calvary were brought to life as we moved along the streets near our church. The depiction of the final hours of Jesus’ life have never been more poignant, more real, more painfully sad, and, ultimately, more redeeming and hope-giving.
Tony Lopresti and his troupe of mostly amateur actors drew from deeply seated faith and a commitment to serve their fellow parishioners to create a unique connection to our religious heritage.
Tony’s vision and spiritually-inspired creativity took the familiar depiction of the stations of the cross from paintings, stained glass, and statues, to a three-dimensional, living and breathing human representation of the passion of Jesus Christ.
I was not sure what to expect that Good Friday afternoon, but I can assure you I will never forget the experience. Now weeks after the presentation of Christ’s passion on the streets of New York, I am filled with great emotion and gratitude to be closer to my faith and Savior.”
“The freshest, most delightful thing I’ve seen in years”
-Jenna Lyle, Program Director, The Arts Club of Chicago
“The most refreshing, delightful thing I’ve seen but can’t explain in the last half-decade.”
“Extremely expressive performance... movement and music were integrated”
-Alexis Silver, New York Baroque Dance Company
“Extremely expressive performance. I loved how the movement and music were integrated.”
“If you’ve never seen mime, you NEED to see this!”
-Michael Archer, CEO, Manhattan Innovation Lab
“If you’ve never seen mime, you need to see this! ”
“An amazing piece that immediately draws you in... fall in love with this story”
-Jen Beck, Comedian, New York City
“An amazing piece that immediately draws you in! Beautiful and full of energy. There’s no way you won’t fall in love with the story.”
“You will fall in love... get emotionally invested and root for him”
-Meryl Danzinger, Author, Sing It! A Biography of Pete Seeger
“You will fall in love with this character, get emotionally invested and root for him.”
“One of a kind… music and gesture create worlds and emotions that flow through the senses"
-Sara Galassini, Interdisciplinary Performing Artist, USA / Italy
“It is one of a kind. I haven’t seen anything like this anywhere else. Music and gesture create worlds and emotions that flow through the senses.”
“Deeply emotional and very engaging… a unique merger of two artistic languages into a new kind of unity”
-Nico Galperti, Industrialist, Italy
“Deeply emotional and very engaging. It is very clear to me what this is about and how it captures our current times. A man comes to work everyday and does the same thing over and over. What is his purpose? What is he waiting for, living for? And at the end we are presented a glimmer of hope hinting at joy. The music and the movement are inseparable – a unique merger of two artistic languages into a new kind of unity.”