March 20, 1950 - August 17, 2023
Santo was born in the village of Lupia, in the region of Calabria, Italy. He was the second born, first surviving son of Julio and Maria Cervello. He immigrated to Canada in 1956 and grew up in the town of Hope BC, where his sister Rosina was born.
Santo worked as an actor, director, writer, and producer of Canadian theatre, presenting innovative and transformative drama that reached millions of people in Canada, the US, and Great Britain.
He wrote plays for the CBC and BBC radio, a TV series for Singapore Television, and performed his one man play Hemingway at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City.
Santo was awarded the distinction of being the best actor in BC for his legendary solo performance of Nikolai Gogol's Diary of a Madman. His two-person play, Steven Truscott questioned the guilt of a convicted murderer, decades before Truscott's conviction was overturned. In life and in art, his objective was always to make the world a better place for everyone.
In 1972, Santo established Erewhon Theatre which created vibrant trends in Children's Theatre until 2011. Santo was a consummate artist of his own passionate convictions: never afraid to provoke, think out of the box, or share his point of view.
With first wife Kathryn, he moved to Toronto where their son Julian was born. With second wife Grace, he moved to Solvang California, reinvented himself as a chef, and founded the Actor's Corner Cafe: a restaurant like no other.
Santo blossomed in his final years as a visual artist, poet, sculptor, philosopher, and was recognized by his friends as a man of unique clairvoyance and other worldly insight.
His final work, Time Gates: published in five volumes, is now available for purchase on Amazon.
Santo is survived by spouse Grace, son Julian (Naomi), sister Rosina (Dan), nephews Justin (Marcy) and Michael (Dayna).
He was a member of the Toronto Theosophical Society, Edgar Cayce's A.R.E, and was a supportive member of Soka Gakkai International, promoting world peace.