“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.”
“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.”
“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! ”
“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.”
“Filling the space with glorious song and suggestive images…simulacra of dreams and music made visible”
Marya Ursin, Executive Director of The Dragon’s Egg Studio, Co-Director of Mystic Paper Beasts Theatre Company
“The Mystic Paper Beasts were privileged to host Tony and Francesco on creative retreat twice at the Dragon’s Egg. They worked tirelessly, filling the space with glorious song, and with suggestive images, simulacra of dreams and of music made visible. ”
“Moving something deeply in my soul... it was an astonishing experience”
-Jean Gheur, High School Principal, Belgium
“Seeing your show was a privilege. Before that, I found mime performances rather boring and I did not like the music of Bartók. Actually I loved so much Apocalypse Man! During your performance, I realized that, in fact, you were not just moving in the space of the room, but in my thoughts... moving something deeply in my soul. It was an astonishing experience.”