PRESS
Direction
SoHo Shakespeare Company/The Flea (NYC)
2nd Murderer
by Kanika Asavari Vaish
World Premiere
"Directed with precision and aplomb by Frankie DiCiaccio...
Vaish and DiCiaccio achieve something rare: a Richard III refracted through its smallest characters, who refuse to remain accessories to someone else’s tragedy. The result is theatre about theatre that never collapses into mere cleverness or contrivance. Rather, it indicts the culture that equates suffering with authenticity, then dares to imagine a gentler aesthetic—one where empathy becomes the truest form of realism. As Murph concludes, “maybe we just have to keep going, with the story.” This production does exactly that, reminding us that the only art worth remaking is the kind that chooses mercy over mastery."
--Noah Simon Jampol, Thinking Theater NYC
Choreography
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet
"Chicago Shakespeare’s rendition of Romeo & Juliet, adapted and directed by Mikael Burke, has everything you could imagine to attract a younger crowd to an Elizabethan tale. Well-choreographed fight scenes (by Rachel Flesher) between a charismatic cast of Montagues and Capulets, a cross-generational dance number (courtesy of choreographer Frankie DiCiaccio), and just the right amount of heartthrobbing teen love...
If ever there was a good introduction to what Shakespeare’s words could do for a soul, Short Shakespeare! Romeo & Juliet provides it here, bringing the sum of Chicago’s massive acting and production talent to the scene to make it so. Kudos to them that they also squeeze in a modern joust against political polarization to overlap with Shakespeare’s original cautionary tale."
--Kimzyn Campbell, Chicago Reader
"I must say that choreographer Frankie DiCiaccio did some amazing work with the opening number as well as the dance scene,"
--Alan Bresloff, AroundTheTownChicago.com
Performance
The Shakespeare Forum NYC
LEAR
"LEAR features color- and gender-blind casting: Frankie DiCiaccio as Cordelia and Harry Waller as Regan are particularly wonderful, and Rami Margron is beautifully expressive as Edgar. As the play progresses, it becomes clear that this cast could pull off literally anything,"
--Erin Kahn, Stage Buddy
"I still found myself profoundly moved by this production and this cast, staged with casual grace by Bruun-Moss (and assistant director Gwenevere Sisco). And I haven't even mentioned Tyler Moss's witty and unforgiving Fool, Frankie DiCiaccio's delicate Cordelia, or Harry Waller's insecure Regan yet,"
--Zelda Knapp, A Work Unfinishing
Direction/Choreography
Northern Illinois University
Booked and Blessed...OR BUST!
"The production team’s efforts paid off, as the first night sold out, and the audience gave the actors a standing ovation at the last showing of opening weekend,"
--Caleb Johnson, Northern Star