"Camicette bianche" (White Blouses) – the musical is an original ensemble stage production created by Marco Savatteri, who wrote the text, adapted the music, and directed the show. The production brings to the stage a powerful chapter of Italian and Italian American history.
Inspired by the book of the same name by Ester Rizzo, the musical blends historical memory, civic awareness, and live music to tell the story of the great wave of Italian emigration to the United States in the early twentieth century.
At the center of the narrative is Clotilde Terranova, a young Sicilian woman who leaves her homeland in 1907 along with many fellow villagers, driven by the hope of building a better future in New York. There she finds work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, the factory where a devastating fire broke out in 1911, killing hundreds of workers, many of them young Italian and Sicilian women. The tragedy marked a turning point in labor history and contributed to the broader movement for workers’ rights and to the origins of International Women’s Day commemorations.
The musical portrays not only the tragedy itself but also the journey, dreams, encounters, and hardships experienced by those who left Italy in search of opportunity. It explores themes of migration, separation from one’s homeland, the struggle for dignity, and the fight for fair working conditions. Featuring an Italian cast of performers and a score that moves from traditional melodies to songs reflecting the Italian American experience, the production has toured major theaters across Italy and continues to travel nationwide.
In essence, Camicette bianche is a moving theatrical project that restores visibility and meaning to a forgotten story while honoring the cultural legacy of Italian immigrants in America.
