NEW YORK, NY (SMI-ENTERTAINMENT-DEC 04-08.22)-Italian artistic director, and
co-founder of "I Giullari Di Piazza"(the Players of the Square") "Alessandra Belloni " hosted its 2022 annual Artistic benefit event last Sunday's evening December 04,  honoring legendary Italian-American Actor & film director " Armand Assante ", Eleanora Pieroni (Italian Actress) and philanthropist Jesus Puerto in celebration of 40+ years performances by the artists at " Local 92" restaurant in Lower East Village, Manhattan, NYC.

This annual benefit or fundraising event raises money every year with the purpose to

produce new live performances,  preserve online courses, and covering the cost in paying professional fees to artists, technical and administration as well hire professional marketing and public relations personnel.

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The Featured Performers of the evening were:

Alessandra Belloni - Artistic Director, Percussions and Vocals

John La Barbera - Music Director, Composer, Guitar, Mandolin, Chitarra Battente

Wilson Montuori - Guitar

Mara Gerety - Violin

Steve Gorn - Bansuri Flutes, Saxophones, Clarinet

Dancers - Francesca Silvano, Peter De Geronimo, Greta Campo

Mark Mindek - Stilt Dancer

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About the Honorees:

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ARMAND ANTHONY ASSANTE: US actor/writer/director, has enjoyed a career as a movie and TV actor spanning five decades.  Often cast as a tough guy, he is best known for his movie roles as mobster John Gotti, Nietzsche in "When Nietsche Wept," Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer in "I, the Jury," and a powerful mobster in "Hoffa".  He has been nominated four times for Golden Globe Awards, and received the Capri Hollywood Award in Capri, Italy, for his performance as Gotti.  Dropping the 50 "Gotti" pounds, he appeared in Andre Konchalovsky's "The Odyssey" in Greece, where he was honored at the Acropolis.  

 

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ELEONORA PIERONI, born in Italy and now a U.S. resident, started as an international model and was finalist of Miss World Italy contest. She is a presenter of events and festivals in Italy and the U.S. and a philanthropist committed to promoting culture and Made in Italy around the world.  As an actress, she can be seen in the movie "Dante," directed by maestro Pupi Avati, and the soon to be released "State of Consciousness" with Hollywood actor Emile Hirsch.

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JESUS PUERTO, a Tampa native of Cuban descent, became a popular restauranteur in Florida.  After surviving a near death experience from spinal meningitis, where doctors gave him a few hours to live, Puerto added humanitarian and philanthropist to his life's work, serving as a peace Corps Volunteer, a United Nations Volunteer, and as a Charter Board Member and Executive Director of Habitat for humanity in Western Samoa.  He has also worked in Washington D.C. as country officer for Peace Corps programs in the Caribbean and Central America, and with Paul Newman's Assn. of Hole in the Wall Camps to develop and support programs and activities in Thailand, Southern Africa, and Japan.

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Alessandra Belloni is the author of very successful book Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna published by Inner Traditions-Bear & Company, which has a foreword by best-selling author Matthew Fox. The book is consistently rated at 5 stars on Amazon, and it has also been published in France by Le Duc. 

The Company is featured in a PBS documentary series, titled Dream of Italy, filmed in the south of Italy, including an episode dedicated to two important Black Madonnas based on Belloni's book and featuring Marisa Tomei.   Belloni was subsequently hired by Ms. Tomei and the Roundabout Theater Company as consultant for the 2019 Broadway Production of The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams.

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