FULL BIO
GIULIANA MUSSO
Actress, researcher, playwright, director.
Critics’ Award (ANCT), 2005
Cassino Off Award, 2017
Hystrio Award for Playwriting, 2017
Critics’ Award (ANCT), 2021
Ipazia Award for Theatre, 2023
She is one of the leading figures in contemporary investigative theatre. Since 2001, she has been writing and performing original works based on sociological research and first-hand testimonies. Hers is a “theatre of the living”, born out of a fundamental need to give poetic value to lived experience.
Her performance style draws on the traditions of popular theatre and socially engaged storytelling theatre: a direct relationship with the audience, the use of the body, humour and improvisation, and a visceral approach to building characters and exploring their emotions.
This distinctive artistic language runs through all her work, while taking on a variety of different dramaturgical forms.
2001 - 2008
Birth, Sex and Death. A Trilogy.
Nati in casa (Born at Home). A storytelling monologue co-written with Massimo Somaglino. It remained in the repertoire for 17 years and became something of a manifesto for the active birth movement in Italy.
Sexmachine. Based on extensive research into the male demand for commercial sex, this monologue unfolds through six different characters, four of them male. It is accompanied live by Gianluigi Meggiorin on guitar, in a continuous interplay with the performance.
Tanti saluti (Farewell). Based on testimonies collected from healthcare professionals on end-of-life care, this performance for three actors alternates clowning with monologues rooted in investigative theatre.
2009 - 2016
An Analysis of Patriarchal Culture: Origins, the Language of the Sacred, and Systemic Violence. A Trilogy.
La città ha fondamenta sopra un misfatto (The City Is Founded on a Crime). The work of Maria Gimbutas and Riane Eisler, together with Christa Wolf’s Medea: Voices, are the main sources of inspiration for this play for seven actors (adapted into a monologue in 2017 under the title Odiare Medea - Hating Medea). By rewriting Medea’s story through the traces of the pre-Euripidean myth, the work maps the fundamental features of patriarchal ideology.
La fabbrica dei Preti (The Priests' Factory). Emotional education in pre-Vatican II seminaries is the central theme of this monologue. The literary work of Don Pietrantonio Bellina, the studies of theologians Eugen Drewermann and Uta Ranke-Heinemann, and the first-hand testimonies of Don Giuseppe Stoppiglia and Don Gaetano Farinelli are its main sources. Three elderly priests recount their personal search for happiness. With this work, Musso’s storytelling style begins to move towards a “theatre of compassion”, an approach that would be further developed in her subsequent works.
Mio Eroe (My Hero). The trilogy concludes with a monologue inspired by real events connected to Italy’s recent military mission in Afghanistan. The work gives space to a form of thought rooted in feeling — the minds “of mothers” — to question us about the meaning of war itself. Three contemporary women who have lost their soldier sons in Afghanistan share their experiences and, through their stories, confront us with their questions.
2017 - 2020
The Trauma of Violence: Taboo and Adaptation. A Diptych.
Since 2016, Musso has pursued a personal investigation into taboo and the ways in which we adapt to the codes of violence, guided by the work of two groundbreaking thinkers in evolutionary psychology and psychoanalysis, Carol Gilligan and Alice Miller.
La scimmia (The Ape). Inspired by a short story by Franz Kafka, from an idea by Monica Capuani. Kafka’s A Report to an Academy is interwoven with neuroscientist Antonio Damasio’s research into the relationship between feeling and thought. The work explores the normalisation of violence, adaptation, and the resulting loss of self.
Dentro (Inside). A play for two actresses, inspired by a true story, exploring our relationship with the truth of abuse, the role of justice, and the taboo surrounding violence within the family. Its subtitle is “A True Story, If You think so". The work originated from an invitation by Antonio Latella to take part in an edition of the Biennale Teatro devoted to the themes of censorship and concealment.
2023 - 2025
Care and Hope.
Cattivo (Bad). In 2023, Musso directed a monologue adapted from Maurizio Torchio’s novel Cattivi, performed by Tommaso Banfi. A moving account of life in solitary confinement.
La Notte dei Bambini (The Children's Night). In 2025, Musso wrote and directed a monologue performed by Gaia Nanni, with research and texts by Giuliana Musso and Gaia Nanni. Inspired by a true event that took place in Florence in 2007, the work explores the themes of universal care and solidarity.
Since 2008, almost all of her productions have been produced by La Corte Ospitale in Rubiera (Reggio Emilia).
Over the years, her works have been broadcast on radio (RSI – Swiss Italian Radio, France Culture and Rai Radio 3) and television (Rai 5 and Rai 3). Her texts have been published in Italy and abroad in anthologies, journals and collections.
As a teacher, she has worked in advanced training programmes in acting and playwriting, as well as on special projects, with a particular focus on investigative theatre and its relationship with local communities and territories. She has led intensive workshops at the Nico Pepe Academy, the Paolo Grassi School of Dramatic Arts, IDRA Teatro/Artistic Residencies, Centro Teatrale Umbro and Accademia Teatrale Veneta, as well as being invited to teach at public and private theatres.
In recent years, she has also mentored young theatre companies through their creative processes as part of artistic residency programmes.
List of Major Works
2025
The Children's Night
By Giuliana Musso and Gaia Nanni. Performed by Gaia Nanni. Directed by Giuliana Musso. Music by Giovanna Pezzetta. Set design by Francesco Fassone. Produced by Solares Fondazione delle Arti.
2023
Bad
Performed by Tommaso Banfi. Directed by Giuliana Musso. Inspired by a novel by Maurizio Torchio. Set design by Francesco Fassone. Original music by Claudio Parrino. Produced by Aria Teatro.
2020
Dentro (Inside).
A true story, if you think so.
Written and performed by Giuliana Musso. With Maria Ariis. Original music by Giovanna Pezzetta. Set design by Francesco Fassone. Technical direction by Claudio Parrino. Directed by Giuliana Musso. Produced by La Corte Ospitale.
2019
The Ape
Written and performed by Giuliana Musso. Dramaturgical consultant Monica Capuani. Original music by Giovanna Pezzetta. Movement by Marta Bevilacqua. Costume by Emanuela Cossar. Make-up by Alessandra Santanera. Technical direction by Claudio Parrino. Directed by Giuliana Musso in collaboration with Eva Geatti. Produced by La Corte Ospitale.
2016
My Hero
Written and performed by Giuliana Musso. Music performed live by Andrea Musto. Set design by Tiziana De Mario. Directed by Giuliana Musso. Technical direction by Claudio Parrino. Produced by La Corte Ospitale.
2012
The Priests' Factory
Written and performed by Giuliana Musso. Photographic research by Tiziana De Mario. Music research by Riccardo Tordoni. Directed and designed by Giuliana Musso. Consultant Massimo Somaglino. Produced by La Corte Ospitale.
2008
Farewell
Written and performed by Giuliana Musso. With Gianluigi Meggiorin, Beatrice Schiros (2008–2013), and Marcela Serli (since 2016). Directed by Giuliana Musso and Massimo Somaglino. Produced by La Corte Ospitale.
2005
Sexmachine.
Written and performed by Giuliana Musso. With Gianluigi Meggiorin. Music by Gianluigi Meggiorin. Directed by Massimo Somaglino. Produced by Teatro Club Udine (2001–2007) and La Corte Ospitale (2007–2017).
2001
Born at Home
Performed by Giuliana Musso. Written by Giuliana Musso and Massimo Somaglino. Directed by Massimo Somaglino. Music by Glauco Venier. Produced by Teatro Club Udine (2001–2007) and La Corte Ospitale (2007–2017).
Other Projects, Writings and Productions
2026
Something Invisible
A concert reading dedicated to the life of Lev Sergeyevich Termen and to the invisible forces that shape the universe. Text by Giuliana Musso. Performed by Giuliana Musso. Piano by Giovanna Pezzetta. Theremin by Leo Virgili. Produced by Aria Teatro.
2023
Which Comes First, Water or Land?
Performance / final outcome of the Bloom 23 Summer Camp. A special project organised by La Corte Ospitale in Rubiera (Reggio Emilia). Fifteen young artists and sixty local residents explore investigative theatre under the guidance of Giuliana Musso, with the collaboration of Francesco Fassone.
Vajont 23.
A collective civic theatre event curated by Marco Paolini. Produced by Teatro Stabile del Veneto to mark the 60th anniversary of the Vajont disaster. Directed by Giuliana Musso.
2022
Something Sacred.
With Giovanni Sollima, cello; Sonig Tchakerian, violin; Giuliana Musso, spoken voice. Music by Johann Sebastian Bach, texts by Pier Paolo Pasolini. A concert reading for *Le Settimane Musicali al Teatro Olimpico*, Vicenza.
Deliver Us from Evil.
Based on the works of Luigi Meneghello. A reading with Giuliana Musso and Mirko Artuso. Music by Sergio Marchesini and Francesco Ganassin. Produced by Operaestate Festival and Teatro del Pane.
2018 - 2019
Powerful and Fragile.
A performance and conversation by and with Ascanio Celestini and Giuliana Musso. Produced by Fabbrica Srl, Teatro Biblioteca Quarticciolo and La Corte Ospitale.
White rabbit, red rabbit.
Text by Nassim Soleimanpour. Teatro Laura Betti, Casalecchio di Reno. Produced by 369gradi.
2015 - 2016
Wonder Woman.
Written and performed by Giuliana Musso, Marta Cuscunà and Antonella Questa. *Wonder Woman* is an original play that weaves together statistical data, biographical stories and satirical sketches on women and the economy. Produced by La Corte Ospitale.
Plasterboard.
A reading based on the novel by Francesco Maino (Calvino Prize, 2013). With Giuliana Musso, Mirko Artuso, Patrizia Laquidara and Piccola Bottega Baltazar. Produced by Bel Teatro, Teatro del Pane and La Corte Ospitale.
2010 - 2011
Dreams.
With Silvia Gribaudi. Research and dramaturgy by Giuliana Musso. A socially engaged dance-theatre performance exploring new forms of poverty and the phenomenon of over-indebtedness. In collaboration with Mag-Venezia.
The Base.
A performance developed through a permanent investigative theatre workshop for the Giovani a Teatro project, Fondazione Venezia. The work explores the construction of the controversial U.S. military base “Ederle 2” in Vicenza. Workshop led and directed by Giuliana Musso.
2007
Possessed Women.
Dramaturgy by Carlo Tolazzi and Giuliana Musso. Inspired by an episode of collective hysteria that took place in Carnia in the late 19th century. Directed by Massimo Somaglino. Produced by Teatro Club Udine and Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Translations, International Events and Performances
2025
France and the United States
The play À l’intérieur. Une histoire vraie, si vous le voulez was selected as one of the ten works recognised by the international competition Les Journées de Lyon des Autrices et Auteurs de Théâtre.
On 23 January, a full staged reading of À l'intérieur. Une histoire vraie, si vous le voulez took place at the Petit Angle theatre in Grenoble, directed by Geoffroy Pouchot-Rouge-Blanc.
On 15 March in Philadelphia, Giuliana Musso gave the opening address at the annual conference of the American Association for Italian Studies.
In March, Dentro toured the United States.
Annenberg Center - Harold Prince Theatre - Penn Live Arts di Philadelphia
Wharton Center for performing arts - Michigan State University di East Lansing
Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio State University di Columbus.
Juliet Guzzetta won the 2025 ASTR Translation Prize from the American Society for Theatre Research for her translation of Dentro (Inside): A True Story, If You Think So.
2023
France and Finland
À l'intérieur. Une histoire vraie, si vous le voulez (Dentro). Translated by Julie Quènehen. Awarded a translation grant by Maison Antoine Vitez (MAV).
In March, in Helsinki, Finland, Giuliana Musso was one of three guest artists invited to take part in the World Stage Project, a programme promoting international contemporary playwriting in Finland, organised by Theatre Info Finland (TINFO).
2018
United Kingdom
Giuliana Musso was a guest at the Italian Cultural Institute in London for Contemporary, a series of events on contemporary theatre curated by Monica Capuani.
2010
France and Spain
Nati in casa was selected for Face à Face – Parole d’Italia per scene di Francia, a programme supported by ETI and the Italian Cultural Institute in Paris, and presented as a staged reading in French at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris. Translated by Amandine Melan.
University of Salamanca, Spain. Giuliana Musso, with her production Nati in casa, was a guest at Máscaras Femeninas, the 7th International Seminar of the Escritoras y Escrituras Research Group.
2008
France
Sexmachine was translated into French by Amandine Mèlan. An excerpt from the French translation was published in Frictions (no. 13, September 2008) and in Dormirajamais. Readings of the French text were presented at the Foire du Livre in Brussels on 17 February 2011 and at the Salon du Livre Italien in Paris in October 2011.
Publications
2023
Inside (Dentro), translated by Juliet Guzzetta, was published in Delos: A Journal of Translation and World Literature, published by the University Press of Florida (USA).
2021
An excerpt from Farewell! (Tanti Saluti) was published in the anthology 1990–2020: Le Théâtre italien en résistance, Les Cahiers de la Maison Antoine Vitez, no. 13, translated by Amandine Mèlan and edited by Olivier Favier and Federica Martucci.
2021
Dentro, Hystrio no. 1/2021
2021
Fabbrica dei preti, Scalpendi Editore, Teatro Series.
Mio Eroe, Scalpendi Editore, Teatro Series.
Dentro, Scalpendi Editore, Teatro Series.
2019
Mio Eroe (My Hero), translated by Patricia Gaborik, in New Plays from Italy, Vol. 3, edited by Frank Hentschker and Valeria Orani, Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, New York (USA).
2019
Mio Eroe, Hystrio no. 1/2018
2017
Fabbrica dei preti in Italian Literature in Translation. Vol. II Theatre
edited by Monica Capuani, Italian Cultural Institute in London.
2015
La città ha fondamenta sopra un misfatto in Donne che non seguono il copione
edited by Milagro Martín Clavijo, Aracne Editrice.
2009
Nati in casa in Senza Corpo. Voci dalla nuova scena
edited by Debora Pietrobono, Minimun Fax Media (2009).