Beyond Words Theatre Retreat:
A 7 day cross cultural workshop culminating in a town performance, September 1 to 8
Beyond Words / Oltre le Parole is not simply a theatre workshop. It is an immersive creative exchange set in the stone heart of Vallo di Nera, a pristine medieval village in Umbria where daily life still unfolds slowly and authentically. For one week, American and Italian participants live and work side by side, sharing meals, walking ancient cobblestone lanes, and creating together in a dedicated rehearsal space overlooking the Valnerina valley.
Here, the setting is not a backdrop — it becomes part of the work. Language barriers dissolve through movement, voice, and emotion. Evenings unfold with village dinners, lantern-lit strolls, and conversations that continue long after rehearsal ends. This is a rare opportunity to experience theatre as cultural exchange, artistic exploration, and human connection — all within the intimacy of a small Umbrian community.
George Feaster
Your USA Theatre Leader
George Feaster is a veteran stage and screen actor with a career spanning nearly four decades. A graduate of the renowned Acting Conservatory at SUNY Purchase, he trained alongside Steven Weber, Stanley Tucci, Wesley Snipes, Parker Posey, Edie Falco, and others. He has performed at prestigious theaters including Yale Repertory Theatre, Center Stage in Baltimore, The American Ibsen Theater, and The Joyce Theater in New York City, with standout roles such as Salvador Dalí in Dali, The Musical.
His television credits include multiple appearances on Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, Third Watch, and Tommy. In film, he has appeared in Arthur, 13, and numerous independent productions, and has collaborated extensively with writer-director Hal Hartley, appearing in six of his films, including Where to Land, which he plans to screen privately for workshop participants and the local community in Italy.
Inside the Retreat
A 6-Day Sanctuary of Mindful Movement, Ancient Stone, and Umbrian Soul
Vallo di Nera: Where Art and Village Life Meet
When you step through the medieval gates of Vallo di Nera, you enter a living village where stone lanes and open sky become part of the creative process. Our workshop takes place just above town in a rehearsal space overlooking the Valnerina valley, grounding the work in both landscape and history.
American participants stay immersed in village life, while Italian collaborators join us each day for an intensive cross cultural exchange. Through movement, voice, improvisation, and writing, we explore how emotion becomes language and how the body carries story beyond words.
Evenings return to the rhythm of Umbrian life — shared meals, the glow of the garden oven, quiet walks through lantern lit streets. The week culminates in a public theatrical postcard, a performance rooted in place, connection, and collective creation.
Home Base: Casa Della Zia
Casa Della Zia is more than lodging. It is the heart of the retreat and the place we return to each day. Tucked at the end of a small uphill lane, the stone house offers warmth, privacy, and space to exhale after the intensity of workshop hours. Fireplaces glow in cooler evenings, windows open to valley views, and the rhythm of the village hums just beyond the walls.
The garden becomes a gathering place, whether for morning coffee, quiet reflection, or evenings around the antique oven. Below the house, the cantinas hold stories of another era, along with a curated collection of Umbrian wines that we share throughout the week. Casa Della Zia is not a rental property; it is a lived in home, layered with history and hospitality, where conversation continues long after the day’s creative work is done.
Village Integration
Our retreat is woven into the daily life of Vallo di Nera through long standing relationships with Taverna del Bordone and Locanda Cacio Re. Meals are not outsourced or generic; they are prepared by neighbors who know the village and welcome our group as part of the community. From shared aperitivi and rehearsal lunches to celebratory dinners after the final performance, these partnerships anchor the week in authentic Umbrian hospitality.
While the workshop itself is intensive, with up to seven hours of focused creative work each day, there is meaningful free time built into the schedule. During those open hours, participants are free to wander the stone lanes, linger in the piazza, or simply sit with a coffee and watch village life unfold. It is not uncommon for a casual conversation to turn into an invitation into someone’s home or an unexpected exchange with a local resident. The work we do during the day flows naturally into evenings around local tables, where collaboration and connection continue in ways that cannot be staged.
Evening Excursion: Assisi
One evening we travel to Assisi, a hill town layered with centuries of spiritual, artistic, and architectural history. As the light begins to soften over the valley, we walk its stone streets and absorb the creative energy that has drawn pilgrims, painters, and seekers here for generations. The scale of the basilicas, the quiet of the courtyards, and the sweep of the Umbrian landscape remind us that art and faith have long shared the same ground.
Our visit is guided by Maura Baldoni, a licensed Umbrian guide whose knowledge brings the town’s stories vividly to life. With her, Assisi is not just admired, it is understood. This evening offers perspective, inspiration, and a deeper sense of the cultural roots that continue to shape creative expression in this region.
Small Group Intimacy
The retreat is intentionally small, allowing for focused attention and genuine connection. With a limited number of American participants collaborating closely with Italian artists, the work remains personal and engaged rather than crowded or performative.
This scale creates space for trust to develop naturally. There is time to listen, to experiment, and to support one another as an ensemble. The experience feels less like attending a program and more like becoming part of a temporary creative community.
The Theatrical Postcard
The week culminates not in a full scale production, but in a concentrated public performance we call a theatrical postcard. Intimate, focused, and emotionally resonant, this 30 minute piece is created from the collective work of the ensemble over seven days. Movement, voice, writing, and improvisation are woven together into a shared expression rooted in the experiences of both American and Italian participants.
Presented for the local community in Vallo di Nera, the performance is both offering and celebration. It is not about polish or spectacle, but about presence and connection. What begins as individual exploration becomes a unified artistic moment, shaped by the village, the collaboration, and the courage to create across language and culture.
The Final Aperitivo
After the performance, we gather once more at Casa Della Zia for a relaxed aperitivo with prosecco in hand. It is a gentle exhale after an intensive week of creation. Italian and American participants, leaders, and guests come together in the garden to reflect, laugh, and savor what has been built in just seven days.
This closing gathering is intimate and unhurried. Stories are shared, toasts are made, and the sense of ensemble lingers in the warm Umbrian evening air. It is not simply a celebration of the performance, but of the trust, vulnerability, and connection that made it possible..
