Bio...
Education & Training...
Prete holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University, a bachelor's in Theater and Creative Writing from The University of Memphis, and he also graduated from the New Actors Workshop conservatory where he studied with Mike Nichols (Tony and Academy Award winning director of The Graduate, Angels in America), Paul Sills (co-founder of Second City), and George Morrison who also taught Dustin Hoffman, Edie Falco and Gene Hackman. David also studied Grotowski’s plastiques for three years with Andre Gregory (My Dinner With Andre), has taken workshops with members of the SITI Company, and Shakespeare & Co. Prete also studied theatrical mask with Paola Coletto and Amy Russell -- 2 of only 40 students who have ever been certified as a pedagogical specialist under the direction of Jacques Lecoq himself.
Professional Theatre Work...
As an actor and director, Prete has worked in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and at many regional theaters in America including Steppenwolf’s garage and main stage, The Goodman Theatre, and A.C.T. (including the American premiere of Tom Stoppard's The Hard Problem). His Chicago acting credits include, Objects in the Mirror and The Sign In Sydney Brustein’s Window at The Goodman Theater, My Name is Asher Lev and Spill (Jeff Award nomination) with Timeline Theatre Company, and Golden Boy with the Griffin Theatre. Chicago directing credits include Fat Pig and The Three Sisters (AD) at Steppenwolf, and I And You (2014 Steinberg Award winner) at RedTwist. Prete co-founded Water Theatre Company in New York where he worked as an actor and producer. He co-starred in the world premiere of the Off-Broadway play On The Line produced by Mike Nichols and Bill Haber. He has also acted in independent films screened at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, the Long Island Film Festival, and the International Film Festival of NYC.
Publications...
Prete published two critically-acclaimed books of fiction with W. W. Norton: Say That to My Face (2003) and August and Then Some (2011), a Chicago Tribune Editor’s Pick. Prete has published short stories in magazines including Narrative where his Three Thursdays in The Bronx was a "Story of the Week." He also has pieces in American Book Review, and others. He's at work on his third novel...
Teaching...
Prete is currently an Instructional Assistant Professor at Illinois State University where he teaches acting and directing, and lectures on theatre. Since 2005, he has taught acting, directing, and writing courses and workshops at twenty different universities as well as public and private classes, including Studio A.C.T. and a course at the New School in NYC for the MFA writing students called "The Art of Public Readings." He's also taught at elementary and high schools, as well as a writing workshop at the Mark H. Luttrell Correctional Center, Memphis, TN.
Prete founded The Plastiques Project, where he offers workshops based on the physical work of Jerzy Grotowski called plastiques, which is used to help actors create a relationship to their impulsive bodies and voices.
On A Personal Note...
Prete was born in The Bronx, NY, grew up in Yonkers and lived in Manhattan for 15 years. As an advocate for bystander empowerment, Prete lectures about consent, professionalism, and non-violent communication to students and other groups. He claims to make world class pizza and can do so while spitting fire.
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