Anthony (Tony) Bottagaro is a native of New York City and a longtime
resident of Colorado. He is a seasoned executive, an acclaimed speaker,
an award winning and bestselling author, and now an inspiring theatrical
performer with his one-man show Mario the Peddler.

Others simply see Tony as a social activist with a spiritual perspective
who has traveled extensively bringing his challenging message of love,
justice, and peace to noted leaders, individuals, and institutions in all
segments of society including the United Nations, the U.S. Congress,
the State Department, the Pentagon, the White House, and Pope
John Paul II at the Vatican.

Mario the Peddler is based on the main character in Tony's bestselling
novel The Poet, The Count, and The Peddler, a novel that is grounded
in reality with an underlying message that transcends its fictional aspects.
The show was written and is being performed by Tony as another way
to present this timeless underlying message about solving social
problems with unconditional love.

Tamara Durstine, Major Gifts Officer, Colorado Historical Society, says
this about the show:

Tony captivated the audience with his wit, wisdom, and whimsical
spirit. The audience's response was one of compassion for Mario,
and Tony's representation of Mario is inspirational. We all need to be
reminded of our uniqueness as we embrace the diversity around us.

Mark A. Roy, a human rights advocate and former Advocate for
Administrative Justice in the United Nations, says this about
The Poet, The Count, and The Peddler:

The actions of (Tony's) hero, Mario, virtually echo the author's
own actions in that they demonstrate one man's devotion
to divine love, compassion, truth, liberty, freedom, human
rights, and peace among all peoples and nations of the world.

Tony also was awarded a prestigious Angel Award for Excellence
in Media for To Create A World More Human and More Divine.
He later narrated and produced an award-winning documentary
adaptation of the book that premiered at the United Nations' Dag
Hammarskjöld Auditorium. In 1988 he received yet another Angel
Award for his second book, Revolution: A Challenge of Love.

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Contact Anthony Bottagaro.