THE DECAMERON
Overview
Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron, a 14th-century Italian masterpiece, tells the story of a group of ten young people who flee plague-stricken Florence to isolate themselves in a country villa. To pass the time, they tell stories of love, wit, and tragedy, exploring themes of human nature, morality, and the power of love and connection. This timeless work connects directly to the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown of 2020, as it explores similar themes of isolation, the human response to crisis, and the transformative power of narratives in times of adversity. Boccaccio’s tales offer a window into the resilience and creativity of the human spirit when faced with the challenges of a pandemic.
Imagine an enchanting summer evening at The Spruces in Williamstown, MA. As dusk falls, the park transforms into an immersive theatrical setting — the Italian countryside depicted in Boccaccio’s Decameron. As the audience gathers at sunset, they are transported to the hills of Tuscany, their senses tantalized by beautiful music, beautiful people, and the beauty of nature. Authentic Italian food and drink, carefully curated to transport the senses to 14th-century Italy, are served throughout the performance. The air is filled with anticipation as the stories of Boccaccio’s characters come to life, capturing the essence of their struggles, triumphs, and quest for joy. This immersive experience takes us on a captivating and emotional journey, reminding us of the resilience of the human spirit and the universality of our shared experiences. It invites the audience to escape the confines of their everyday lives and immerse themselves in the richness of Italian culture, fostering a renewed sense of connection and a celebration of the power of art. This ten-night extravaganza offers a unique and unforgettable experience, inviting the audience to step into the world of the Decameron and witness the timeless power of storytelling firsthand.
About Margo Neely
Margo Neely is an internationally recognized polymath creator-inventor whose work pioneers new technologies, media forms, and cultural systems through practice, experimentation, and execution rather than trend-following pipelines. Working at the intersection of art, philosophy, technology, and human behavior, Neely conceives, designs, engineers, and launches original intellectual property that operates simultaneously as artwork, tool, and lived system.
Neely is best known as the inventor of the Neely Air Freestyle • Neely 33 Sound Shoe, a wearable drum-machine technology that fused music production, movement, and design into a category-defining object, achieving more than six billion in global reach organically. She is also the creator and director of Ladies Revenge Club, an award-winning television series named “Best of the Festival” and “Best Series” at New York Comic Con and New York Super Week’s Geekfest for its innovative narrative and production model.
Neely’s interdisciplinary practice spans art, writing, and invention, producing precedent-setting work studied, built upon, and activated across artistic, academic, and technological contexts, shaping models for how original ideas become durable cultural infrastructure.
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