As Hollywood navigates shrinking opportunities, digital auditions and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, Serricchio is taking matters into his own hands, building a platform rooted in artistic independence, collaboration and human connection.
Known for Netflix’s Lost in Space, Clint Eastwood’s The Mule and the television series Bones, Serricchio has launched Avanti, an independent artist collective bringing together theater, visual arts and other creative disciplines. Its inaugural theatrical production of TAPE by Stephen Belber has been running for the past month at TruLove Post in Culver City, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and a possible additional performance on October 24.
For Serricchio, who has spent approximately 25 years in film and television, the initiative represents a return to the fundamentals of artistic expression while creating a platform for others navigating an increasingly unpredictable entertainment industry. “It all started generally just to feel, to be active, to act, and to put on a show just for the love of it,” Serricchio said. “Ultimately, it was just about us taking things into our own hands and creating work, and that was the goal.”
The collective’s first production of TAPE centers on two former high school friends who reunite at a Michigan motel during a film festival. Their encounter takes an unexpected turn when a woman connected to both arrives, reopening unresolved tensions from their past. Written in 2002, the play explores memory, accountability and the consequences of personal choices, themes Serricchio said have prompted lengthy audience conversations following performances.
The experience has reinforced his belief that live theater offers something increasingly difficult to capture through Hollywood’s reliance on self-taped auditions. “In an industry that just purely hires off of tapes, self-tapes, and can only see the actors, you know, from the chest up, I think the acting, true acting, happens all over your body,” he said.
Beyond showcasing talent, Avanti reflects Serricchio’s determination to focus on what artists can control rather than waiting for casting directors, producers or studios to provide opportunities. “Even after 25 years of me doing this, it still gets to me, but it gets to me because I care,” he said of the uncertainty surrounding auditions and casting decisions.
Producing the theatrical project independently has brought a different sense of accomplishment. “I don’t see a movie or a TV series that’s more important than this play - this fills me with joy way more than TV and film, ‘cause in TV and film, you get there, and it’s all built for you, it’s all done for you. And with this, I get to build it myself and watch it all grow from the ground up.”
That philosophy extends beyond the stage. Through a collaboration with TruLove Post, Serricchio has transformed the production into a multidisciplinary experience, inviting visual artists to exhibit their work while audiences gather for live performances.
Among those featured is Argentine-born artist Damian Acosta, who displayed his work over one weekend, presenting tango-inspired pieces alongside artwork reflecting California’s coastline, ocean and local wildlife. “I see honest work from an artist, and this is talking about Ignacio specifically, that he wants to help other artists by creating work, and he has a vision for talent, and this is just the beginning.”
Acosta, originally from Rosario, Argentina, draws inspiration from cultural memory, movement and personal experience. His work moves between realism and abstraction, reflecting an evolving artistic identity. “I’m still discovering it - sometimes I go very realistic, and other times, I go abstract, depending on how I feel.”
His participation in Avanti follows a previous monthlong multidisciplinary exhibition, Recuerdos de Rosario (Memories of Rosario), exploring his Argentine heritage and the influence of tango on his upbringing. Inspired partly by memories of his grandparents, the presentation incorporated paintings and imagery, photography, music, records, instruments and live tango performances.
Acosta sees Avanti as an extension of that interdisciplinary approach, particularly at a time when technology is transforming how creative work is produced and experienced. “I like that he’s combining different disciplines of art, like acting, visual art, music. I’m glad I got to experience it,” he said.
While acknowledging the emergence of new creative tools, Acosta expressed concern that artificial intelligence risks making artistic expression increasingly uniform. It’s just making everything very similar and fast,” he said.
For Acosta, the value of live theater, music and tangible artwork lies in the human experiences behind them. “These performances, like music, theatrical performances, tangible paintings, presented by the artists themselves, I think are very important for humans, to show what a human is,” he said.
Equally important are the relationships that emerge when artists and audiences share physical spaces. 'Those create connections, and those connections lead us to friendships, relationships, deeper ones,” Acosta said.
That emphasis on community is central to Serricchio’s broader vision for Avanti. Rather than creating a single theatrical production, he hopes to develop an ongoing platform where artists across disciplines can collaborate, experiment and reach new audiences.
The concept also presents potential opportunities for arts communities such as Santa Monica, where independent performance, visual arts and cultural programming remain important elements of the city’s identity.
Serricchio expressed openness to bringing future Avanti projects to Santa Monica and other Los Angeles communities, although no specific expansion plans have been announced. “This is the first project, the inaugural, I guess, project of the collective, in order to, from now on, start creating more work and giving artists a platform,” he said.
Despite competing with a crowded Los Angeles entertainment calendar, Serricchio said the production has attracted encouraging audiences and generated meaningful conversations, reinforcing his commitment to continuing the initiative.
He is already considering additional productions and collaborations, with Avanti envisioned as a growing creative community rather than a one-time project.
For an actor accustomed to working within established film and television productions, the opportunity to build something independently has become its own reward. As Hollywood continues to evolve, Serricchio believes artists need not wait for permission to create. “It’s been giving me so many more ideas,” he said. “It was just the beginning.”
Avanti’s inaugural theatrical production is presented at TruLove Post in Culver City, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, with an additional performance on October 24.