A Soul Divided Between Stage and Desk

ELIZABETH ANNABLE, A BOCCONI GRADUATE WITH A DIPLOMA FROM ACCADEMIA DEL PICCOLO TEATRO, HAS FOUNDED AND MANAGES THE ALTA LUCE THEATER IN MILAN, WHERE SHE IS ALSO A DIRECTOR AND ACTRESS

It is an intense summer for Elizabeth Annable, 32, as always split in two – behind a desk, organizing the scheduling of the new season that starts in September, and on stage, attending acting workshops. Elizabeth combined her passion for cultural management, which she studied at Bocconi, with a passion for acting, with diplomas from Accademia del Piccolo Teatro and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, by opening a theater in Milan four years ago. She oversees all aspects of the theater, from organization and management to staging shows, which she also stars in.

Her passion for the theater started with her first acting courses in secondary school. But when it was time to choose what to do after graduation, her father, a Bocconi graduate, suggested an economics program. Elizabeth chose the Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management for Arts, Culture and Communication. “It was the program that was closest to my dream, cultural management. And during my studies, I attended evening acting classes at Teatro Libero,” says Elizabeth.

After graduation, she decided to attend Accademia del Piccolo Teatro for a 2-year acting program. Then, she made a more informed decision to return to Bocconi and attend the Master of Science in Economics and Management in Arts, Culture, Media and Entertainment. “As part of the program, I did an internship with the Fanny&Alexander theater group, where I had my first experience promoting and managing, and I wrote my thesis on the Santarcangelo Festival. And my passion for the stage returned.”

After graduation, Elizabeth started at an acting company in Lugano where she not only acted by also worked on promotion, ticket sales and fundraising. “It was a great experience where I realized I liked implementing my management training.”

Then she went to London, to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, for a course on contemporary theater. “After these various experiences, I understood it was time to realize my dream and combine my two passions. I found a space in the Navigli area and I converted it into a theater. Then, in September 2012, the first season was launched. The name of the theater, Alta Luce, was inspired by a peak in the Gressoney Valley that’s important to me, as a hiking fan. And the theater is like a mountain – success and self-discovery can only be reached one step at a time.”

“My professors at Bocconi, Anna Merlo and Claudio Tacchino, also helped me design the space – including social aspects. We understood the importance of giving a soul to this space, including as a place for socializing and having fun. I work a lot with the local community,” she says.

At Alta Luce, Elizabeth divides her time acting as a manager, director, actress and instructor of acting courses for adults and children. “I have two souls. I spend my mornings in the office in a suit and in the afternoons I transform during courses and plays, and I finish my day at 11pm. I’m on the stage 2 or 3 times a year with my shows. The days are long but I’m having so much fun.”




 

by Tomaso Eridani
Translated by Alex Foti