Author Profile:  Albert T.  Viola

Albert T.  Viola was born in 1919 and passed away in 2007.  His broad range of talents included appearances on Broadway, Off-Broadway, motion pictures and television.  He was in The Balcony, Come Share My House, A Man Is A Man, Macbeth and other stage productions. 

Viola wrote, directed and starred in Preacherman, a 1971 American comedy film.  He also wrote, produced, directed or distributed many feature motion pictures including Nobody's Boy with Jim Backus, Mondo Balordo with Boris Karloff, As You Like It with Laurence Olivier, The Richard Petty Story with Darren McGavin, Children of Concrete with Martin Sheen and others.

Viola co-authored the book and composed the music for The Velveteen Rabbit and Little Red Riding Hood published by Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.  His The Theatre Machine Trilogy, acting manuals for teachers and coaches — based on the Stanislavski System — are also published and distributed by Pioneer Drama.  He authored the book, lyrics and music for two one-act musicals:  The Carpenter's Son and Juan Diego and the Dark Lady.  He co-authored Hand In Hand, a full-length musical based upon Milton's Paradise Lost, with William S.  Kilborne, Jr.

Viola also taught for twenty years in the Independent School Network, eventually becoming the Director of the Richard L.  Swig Arts Center and Director of Performing Arts at The Peddie School.  He lived in New Jersey with his wife of 39 years, Helen Pallas-Viola.