Born in Naples, Pugliese was a pupil of Orazio Costa at the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico,[1] from which he graduated in 1969;[2] the same year he made his professional debut serving as assistant director of Luca Ronconi and directing the Elvio Porta's play Barocco ineffabile con strumenti.[2] In the 1970s, he continued his collaboration with Ronconi, notably assisting him in the critically acclaimed L'Orlando Furioso,[1] and in 1974 he had his breakout with Masaniello, which he directed and co-wrote with Porta and which was a critical and commercial success, spanning numerous editions.[1][2][3]
Between 1981 and 1984 Pugliese served as artistic director of the stage company Cooperativa Teatro Sud, with whom he took part in the 1984 Venice Biennale Teatro.[3] After collaborating with various theaters and institutions such as Teatro Argentina and Teatro Stabile di Catania, in 1997 he started a long collaboration as artistic director with the "Compagnia delle Indie Occidentali" theater company.[3]
During his career Pugliese wrote and directed several plays for Lina Sastri, and his collaborations include Turi Ferro, Mario Scaccia, Enzo Moscato, Luca De Filippo, Pappi Corsicato.[2] As an actor, he appeared in character roles in films by Lina Wertmüller, Pasquale Festa Campanile and Vincenzo Salemme, among others.[4] He died in Naples on 18 June 2024, at the age of 76.[1][3]
