Arts & Culture

UK Theatre's Peter Allen Stone Enjoying Award-winning Film Festival Season

Watch a short trailer for Peter Allen Stone's "Va Bene Così" above.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2021) "Va Bene Così," a short film written and directed by Peter Allen Stone, assistant professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance, is enjoying a busy and award-winning film festival season. 

Shot in Florence, Italy, the film follows Carlotta who travels to Florence to escape her chaotic life in New York City. The host at the villa, sets her up on a blind date with her nephew from Naples. This may be a match made in heaven … but there is only one problem, he doesn’t speak English. In the end, Carlotta discovers that she must find happiness within herself before she shares her life with a man.  

When asked about the experience, Stone said, "It was an honor to shoot 'Va Bene Cosí' at Villa Montereggi, the former home of the famous Italian painter Cosimo Rosselli (1493-1507) and with such a talented Italian crew."

"Va Bene Così" was a quarter finalist at Stockholm Film and Television Festival in Sweden and screened at the Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival, South Film and Arts Academy Festival in Chile and the South Dakota Film Festival. The film earned Best Comedy Short Film and Best Costume Design for Elissa Galasso at the South Film and Arts Academy Festival. "Va Bene Così" also was named Best International Comedy at the South Dakota Film Festival. 

Peter Allen Stone is an actor, writer, director and teacher. He began his career in Los Angeles, but he has spent the majority of his time working in New York City.

Stone is the former chair of Acting for Film at the New York Film Academy in New York City. In 2017, he launched NYFA’s new campus in Mumbai, India, and he has taught acting for the camera with the academy in Florence, Italy, for many years. In addition, he has taught workshops at Dongguk University in Seoul, Korea, in Berlin, Germany, and at NABA University in Milan, Italy (Matter of Identity Conference). His former students have appeared on Broadway, off-Broadway, in Hollywood and Bollywood films, on major television series, and numerous commercials. 

As a playwright, Stone co-authored the critically acclaimed play "Unnatural Acts," which premiered at Classic Stage Company in New York City. The play received a 2012 Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Play, G.L.A.A.D. Media Award Nomination, Off-Broadway Alliance Award Nomination, and an Honorable Mention for Top 10 Plays by The Advocate. His play, "Everygirl," premiered in January 2019 at Kallio School of Performing Arts in Helsinki, Finland. Also, he is the author of the book "Acting for the Camera: Back to One" (published by Routledge Taylor & Francis Group).

Stone's film and television credits include: "Florence in Love," "Beyond Depth," "One Life to Live," "As the World Turns," "All My Children," "The Guiding Light" and commercials. Also, he assisted as an audition reader and camera operator for major film and television projects at Mackey Sandrich Casting in New York City. His New York and regional theatre credits include: Classic Stage Company, American Conservatory Theater, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Portland Stage Company, ATL’s Humana Festival of New American Plays, Loessin Theater, Riverside Theater, and NYC and DC Fringe Festivals.

Stone received his Master of Fine Arts in acting from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, is a founding member of Plastic Theatre Company in New York City, and is a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.

The Department of Theatre and Dance, part of UK College of Fine Arts, is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Students in the department get hands-on training and one-on-one mentorship from professional theatre and dance faculty and renowned guest artists in acting, directing, playwriting, theatrical design and technology, and dance. From mainstage productions to student-produced shows, students have plenty of opportunities to participate on stage or backstage. Special programs include a musical theatre certificate, education abroad, as well as a thriving dance program that emphasizes technique, composition, performance and production.

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photo of Carlotta in "Va Bene Cosi" with Florence in the background
photo of poster for "Va Bene Cosi"
photo of Peter Allen Stone directing "The Thanksgiving Play" rehearsal

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.