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A Personal Introduction

Teaching Credits and Achievements

Dominique De Fazio comes from a bicultural, bilingual background and has pursued a richly diverse education alongside a lifelong career in the professional theatre. Holding dual Italian and American citizenship, he divides his time between Europe and the United States, bringing an international perspective to his work as an artist, teacher, director, and writer.

His artistic training includes studies in singing, violin, and dance, as well as photography through the University of California Extension programs in Berkeley and Los Angeles. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Hope College in Michigan, a Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary in Berkeley, a Master-Level Certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Antioch University.

Beyond the arts, De Fazio is an ordained Daoist Shifu of the American Dragon Gate Lineage, a certified Sumi-e painter, a martial artist in Kenpo, and a dedicated practitioner of Tai Chi Ch’uan and Qigong.

In 1991, he founded Studio De Fazio in Rome, Italy, an international cultural association that has become a respected creative center for professional actors, directors, opera singers, and dancers from around the world. There, artists from more than eleven countries come to explore and develop the original creative approach he has pioneered. In 2013, he founded CREA Studio, an international non-profit cultural association dedicated to the research and study of communication.

Today, Dominique De Fazio is recognized internationally as one of the world's most distinguished theatre teachers and directors, renowned for his innovative artistic vision and his lifelong commitment to creative exploration and human expression.

A former student and subsequent collaborator of Lee Strasberg at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, Dominique De Fazio is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio in New York.  Appointed by Mr. Strasberg to be a Moderator of the Acting Sessions of The Actors Studio, Mr. De Fazio taught periodically at The Actors Studio over a period of years.

 

After the historic seminar given by Lee Strasberg in Bochum, Germany in 1978, Mr. De Fazio was the first teacher to bring a systematic training in the tradition called “The Method” to Germany, Italy, France and Spain.

 

Later, Mr. De Fazio created a new and complete System of Creative Study and Research sometimes referred to as “The Poetic Theatre.” 

 

As a world-renown teacher of acting, Mr. De Fazio was invited to lecture and teach his new system at the conference on Stanislavski held in Paris in 1988:  Le Siecle Stanislavski.  This symposium brought together the most important figures in the world that represent the various developments of the Stanislavski tradition over the past one hundred years. .  From the United States, Sidney Pollack, Stellar Adler, Bobby Lewis, Ellen Burstein, and Dominique De Fazio came to lecture.  

Mr. De Fazio lectured at the Georges Pompidou Centre on his own evolution of the Stanislavski  System, “Toward a Poetic Theatre”.  Three of these directors were invited also to conduct workshops during the symposium to demonstrate their evolution of Stanislavski:  Stella Adler (the Group Theatre), Bobby Lewis (the Group Theatre and co-founder of The Actors Studio), and Dominique De Fazio (The Actors Studio and Studio De Fazio).  

 

 

In 1995, Mr. De Fazio was one of seven European directors invited to participate in the Stanislavski-Brecht International Symposium held in Hannover, Germany.  At this symposium, each director conducted a workshop and presented results of the workshop.  A book on this symposium has subsequently been published in Berlin.   

Directing Credits and Achievements

Throughout his career, Dominique De Fazio has directed acclaimed productions across Europe and the United States, bringing both contemporary and classic works to international audiences.

European Productions

Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute (World Premiere)
By Dominique De Fazio • 2002

Singing Wood (North American Premiere)
By Dominique De Fazio • 1998

Singing Wood (German Premiere)
By Dominique De Fazio • 1996

Agnes of God (Rome Premiere)
By John Pielmeier • 1994

Cages (Italian National Tour)
By Carlino • 1986–1987

From Me To You (Munich Theatre Festival)
By Dominique De Fazio • 1981

New York Equity Productions

​Waiting for Lefty
By Clifford Odets • 1983

Till the Day I Die
By Clifford Odets • 1983

Award-Winning Los Angeles Productions

​Father's Day
By Oliver Hailey • 1980

Hostile Terrain
By Paul Hunter • 1977

Film & Writing

Visual Arts

Beyond theatre and film, Dominique De Fazio is an accomplished Sumi-e artist. His traditional Japanese ink brush paintings have been exhibited at the Japanese American Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California.

Artistic Leadership

Throughout his career, Dominique De Fazio has founded and directed a number of influential artistic organizations dedicated to creative research, performance, education, and professional development.

Studio De Fazio (Rome, Italy | 1990–Present)
An international center for artistic research and professional training, bringing together actors, directors, singers, and dancers from around the world.

Ma-katachi Theatre Company (Rome, Italy | 1994–Present)
Founded to explore innovative approaches to performance and creative expression through theatre.

CREA Studio (Rome, Italy | Present)
An international cultural association dedicated to the study and research of communication, creativity, and human development.

The Circle Theatre Company (Hollywood, California | 1976–1979)
An early professional theatre company focused on performance, artistic collaboration, and actor training.

Hidden Moon Productions, Ltd. (Hollywood, California | 2002–Present)

As President of Hidden Moon Productions, De Fazio has developed and produced film projects that reflect his distinctive artistic vision and multidisciplinary approach to storytelling.

Together, these organizations represent a lifelong commitment to artistic excellence, creative innovation, and the development of artists across multiple disciplines.

International Seminars

For more than four decades, Dominique De Fazio has conducted seminars, workshops, and masterclasses for professional actors, directors, and artists throughout Europe and South America. His work has been presented in collaboration with leading theatres, cultural institutions, universities, festivals, and government organizations.

Italy

1981–Present

Over eighty seminars and workshops conducted throughout Italy, including programs hosted at Cinecittà and sponsored by organizations such as the Province of Milan, Region Lazio, City of Rome, RAI 3, Teatro dell'Orologio, Argôt Studio, DEDALO, Studio De Fazio, and CREA Studio. He also served as a creative consultant for Young & Rubicam Milan.

Germany

1980–Present

Seminars and workshops presented at some of Germany's most distinguished theatrical institutions, including the Hamburg Schauspielhaus, Schaubühne Berlin, Schillertheater, and the Munich Theatre Festival. Additional programs were conducted throughout Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Darmstadt, Frankfurt, and Hannover.

Spain

1981–2001

Masterclasses and seminars for professional actors and directors at the invitation of the Television of Catalonia, the National Theatre of Spain's Centro Dramático in Madrid, the Theatre Institute of Barcelona, the City of Valencia, and AISGE Barcelona.

Argentina

1987

Invited by Teatro San Martín, Argentina's largest theatre, to present a landmark seminar introducing his creative system for artistic study and research.

France

1980–1982

Faculty member and instructor for the Institut Européen de l'Acteur in Paris, teaching professional actors and theatre artists.

In addition to his distinguished career in the theatre, Dominique De Fazio has worked extensively as a filmmaker, screenwriter, playwright, and producer.

Film

Un Arrivo (An Arrival) • 1983
A short film written and directed by Dominique De Fazio. Produced by Gaumont, the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Academy Award-winning cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno served as Director of Photography.

Dancing on a Dry Salt Lake • 2013
A feature film produced, written, and directed by Dominique De Fazio.

Playwriting & Screenwriting

Produced Plays

  • From Me To You (Germany)

  • Singing Wood (Germany and Los Angeles)

  • Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute (Rome)

Screenplays

  • An Arrival (Palme d'Or Nominee, Cannes Film Festival)

  • Appointment at Rome

  • Dancing on a Dry Salt Lake

Camera Filming Setup

Awards & Recognition

Dominique De Fazio's feature film Dancing on a Dry Salt Lake (2013), produced in Hollywood, received widespread international recognition, earning numerous awards for filmmaking, directing, screenwriting, acting, cinematography, and production design.

Selected Honors

  • Best Film (Feature Comedy) — Mountain Film Festival

  • Golden Palm Award (Feature Film) — Mexico International Film Festival

  • Best Actor — Los Angeles Movie Awards (Dominique De Fazio)

  • Best Production Design — Los Angeles Movie Awards (Director: Dominique De Fazio)

  • Best Cinematography — LA Global Film Festival

  • Official Best of the Fest Award — Best of Fest Awards

  • Award of Excellence (Screenplay) — Los Angeles Movie Awards (Dominique De Fazio)

  • Award of Excellence (Feature Film) — Los Angeles Movie Awards

  • Award of Excellence (Feature Film) — Accolade Competition

  • Award of Excellence (Director) — Accolade Competition (Dominique De Fazio)

  • Award of Excellence (Lead Actor) — Accolade Competition (Dominique De Fazio)

  • Award of Excellence (Feature Film) — The IndieFEST

  • Award of Excellence (Director) — The IndieFEST (Dominique De Fazio)

  • Silver Lei Award (Feature Film) — Honolulu Film Awards

  • Silver Lei Crystal Award (Feature Film) — Honolulu International Film Festival

  • Second Place Award (Screenplay) — Los Angeles Art House Film Festival (Dominique De Fazio)

  • Second Place Award (Screenplay) — Los Angeles Reel Film Festival (Dominique De Fazio)

These accolades reflect the film's artistic achievement and international impact, recognizing excellence across multiple aspects of production, storytelling, and performance.

© 2023 di Dominique De Fazio

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