“ROAD TO THE LEMON GROVE”

BY FABRIZIOCATALFAMO

Actor, writer, musician Charly Chiarelli, 71, what will you do when you grow up?

The term growing up infers there is an end point to growth, I do not believe there is. I will address this question by altering it to what will I do while I continue to grow? I will continue to write, I have a couple of new film scripts in mind; continue to act, I expect my performance in my film will interest other film makers - and I will write myself into my original scripts; continue to re-mount some of my one man performances; to play harmonica and sing songs - existent in my plays, and continue to play with various bands. Also, I am compelled to write new works for the stage; to assist my birthplace of Racalmuto, Sicily to establish a school for learning Italian; and to love and contribute to the lives of those closest to me, like the love of my life, Barbara, children, grandchildren and friends.

What attracted you to begin a career as artist?

Art itself attracted me, in the form of singing, writing songs, playing the harmonica and writing and telling stories. I have sung to myself as long as I could speak and taught myself harmonica since I was eight. And storytelling as an artform was very important for me in my neighborhood because it was a way to prevent from getting beat up by the tough guys ... by distracting and entertaining them with stories.

I heard that you recently filmed a movie in Siracusa, since it is also my city of origin, why did you choose this city?

Forty years ago when I first returned to Sicily, I made some wonderful friends in Siracusa: hippies-free thinkers, lovers of beach scenes, musical activity and just wonderful, kind, enlightened folks. They loved Siracusa, and hanging out with them demonstrated the reason for this love: it’s history - well represented by the island of Ortigia, the Greek and Roman amphitheaters, the surrounding towns and villages, and of course the turquoise sea and beautiful beaches.

Which traits of the Sicilian man still remain in your personality?

The understanding that have a right to be complex and a lover of such diverse components of life - because Sicily is all of that. As a Sicilian I’m attracted to many cultural representations of food, music, language and social, philosophical and political perspectives - everything from couscous to pasta and classical to Celtic music. My birth island is eclectic and so am I.

What did it represent to be immigrants in the years of your youth?