Order "Theatre & Inspiration"

Created by filmmakers Huey, Leland Faulkner, and Richard Searls,
Theatre and Inspiration is a one hour documentary film celebrating the life and work of Tony Montanaro.

Tony Montanaro (1927-2002) was one of the great mime artists of the 20th Century. Theatre & Inspiration celebrates his life and contributions to the world of theater and the joy he brought to audiences across America and Europe. In the film, rare archival footage of Tony is interwoven with interviews and performances. Featured in these scenes are Tony's wife and performing partner, Karen Montanaro, and legendary mime Marcel Marceau.

In 1956, Tony traveled to Paris to study with Marceau and Etienne Decroux (Marceau's teacher). After performing and teaching around the world, Montanaro journeyed to another Paris - South Paris, Maine. There, in 1972, he established Celebration Barn Theater, a mecca for performers who came from around the world to study with this man who was redefining mime and theater.

From here at Celebration Barn, generations of mimes, physical comedians, storytellers, and actors, guided by Tony's genius, have gone on to careers in television, film and theater. Puppeteers with "Sesame Street" and "The Muppet Show," writers for "Between the Lions," the host of "Hollywood Squares," and performers in Cirque du Soleil are just a few of the Celebration alumni seen in the film.

In 2004, thirty eight performers, all past students, came together for a series of tribute concerts in a dynamic and fun filled homage to their teacher. Theatre & Inspiration shows this master's ability to reach beyond the footlights and into the hearts of the audience. This is the legacy of Tony Montanaro.

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