DIONYSUS FESTIVALΜΑΘΗΜΑΤΑ - ΣΕΜΙΝΑΡΙΑ

DIONYSUS Proposal

Designing Arts Consciousness for the New Millennium
The First International  Festival of  Dionysus

THE VOICE OF WOMEN

 ©2018 by  Stratos Tzortzoglou and Coni Ciongoli Koepfinger

“The necessity of the theatrical form to fit the needs of the modern audience is truly a bit more than frivolity, the positive outcome of the advanced evolution ultimately depends on it.”  

Celebrate the Rebirth of  Golden Age of Art

Time: 487 BCE

Place:  Ancient Athens

Mankind has an inherent nature – we must celebrate… and the Ancient Greeks were no different from us today, except in the Festival of  Dionysus,  the Greeks were birthing a new genre of art, alas the theatre was born.  This was a major contribution to the evolution of mankind, as it allowed us to reach a new level of self-realization and self-refection.  Theatre prompts a higher level of cognition and creativity, thus delivering the many psychological, technological and cultural innovations that are surrounding us today. 

Origins of The First Golden Age

More that 2500 years ago, at least 2000 years before Shakespeare, the very concept of Western theatre was born in Athens, Greece.  Legend has it, that it was during this great Festival of Dionysus, that an actor named Thespis, stepped out the Greek chorus and drama as we know it, was born.  Consider the labors of Ancient Athenians whose passion for this art pushed their creative endeavors into reality between 600 and 200 BC and applaud them because they created a culture for us via technique, theatre terminology and art forms that has lasted over two millennia. Not to mention the contribution to philosophic quests embodied in some on the greatest plays penned on this earth. Almost all other periods of great art owe their origins to the Ancient Greeks, who have hands down for innovation and inspirational content.  (Anarchon 2012)

Their Legacy of Past Practices and Purpose

Since Dionysus was the ‘god of the vine’, fertility and procreation, his followers commemorated their appreciation with extensive rituals. Extensive celebrations of wine, women, and song with emotional displays to insure altered mental states known as ‘ecstasies’ evolved during these festivals.  This lucid collective state, where from idea of ecstasy is derived, would also embody the psychological origins of emotional purification, or ‘catharsis’.   Thus, these Ancient Greeks took art quite seriously and used as an attempt to bridge their mental and emotional conditions in the physical world in hopes to understand and access the powers that propel their daily energies from the divine realm.  That is to say, theatre became a sacred, sensate method of unleashing powerful human energies through ritual performative practice. (Arachon 2012) Through the ages, we have certainly calmed our customs to buffer the extremes but the basic forms of comedy and tragedy still live on and exultation of the spirit seems to come effortlessly through a laugh or a tear.  Love, joy and fear still confound the world of medical science yet abound in the private practices of the theatre- the lively arts.

Our Legacy of Future Practices of Creative Promise

As today’s theatre advances with its actors, artists and audiences through the birth pangs of the 21st  Century, we promise to encourage creative, artistic, psychological and philosophic innovation in all of the arts while keeping sacred the kernels of ethos, logos, and pathos that simmer on each and every one of our human souls.  In our practice, we will encourage honest laughter to embrace the joy of our comic natures and more than proffer a tear or two in light of tragic moments. Still, we see this as merely a stepping stone for the new art to come, and we will not end the narrative on a note of simple physical extremity left to chance by individual perceptions. Therefore, we dream to our first season to create The First International Festival of Dionysus: THE VOICE OF THE WOMEN.  A festival that will go beyond realism, expression and absurdism with dramatic themes that embrace ‘actualism’  a new form that probes the desires that lie beyond the heart, beyond the mind, and that reaches for the stars– to that uncharted territory known as the light of the human soul where the ‘actual energy’ that drives each of us and all of us to seek and understand the intent and purpose of universal collective consciousness.  Perhaps, in this next Golden Age, we will come to know the truth of enlightenment through art and be able to learn how to raise our energy levels to live in truly sustainable in peace and harmony.

The Mechanics of the Festival

• PHASE I –  SPRING 2019

To initiate the festival, we plan to present two plays in rep, BACCHAE by Euripides, which Stratos has done with the National Theatre of Northern Greece; and the world premiere of ATHEOPHANIA-  a  modern adaptation based on Bacchae written  by Dimitris Dimitriadis,  a playwright, poet and translator, born in Thessaloniki, 1944. His first play, The Price of the Resistance in the Black Market, (1968) wasdirected by Patrice Chéreau.  Other works staged by Anne Dimitriadis, Stefanos Lazaridis, Yannis Houvardas and Yannis Kokkos. 

Written for Stratos, ATHEOPHANIA, is the antithesis of the Bacchae by Euripides.  In this story, everybody awaits the arrival of Dionysus and his maenads. Pentheus is also there alongside with Agave, Cadmus, Tiresias, Autonoe, Ino and the women from Thebes. It’s been 2460 years. Today. Dionysus arrives with his followers. But he is not who he used to be. He is not who they expected him to be.  Instead of the God of wine and group ecstasy, the God of freedom and the one who immersed in the pleasures of life, before them stands a man rejected and disappointed by love.  He talks about his experiences and he reaches the decision that he wants to die. Agave and the other women plot a plan of vengeance about Dionysus because of all the things the suffered from him in the past. They decide to exterminate him in the most horrendous way. Pentheus states that, he as well is not the same anymore. He says that he learned from his mistakes and that he is willing to live by the way that Dionysus used to live. Under the new circumstances he takes over the place of Dionysus and he is ready to spread the word of his teachings. Agave arrives, holding Dionysus’ head and refuses to accept that her son will become the new Dionysus. After an altercation Pentheus kills her and decapitates her. Cadmus and Tiresias dress him as Dionysus with the clothes and the accessories that they brought in order to welcome the real Dionysus. Pentheus declares the new era for the people of Thebes under his reign. But instead the Thebans rush on him and dismember him because they believe that he has ulterior motives for his own interests. Cadmus and Tiresias are the only ones who will be left behind to mourn this loss.

• PHASE II –  SPRING 2020

After having gathered momentum with internationally-acclaimed directors, actors and designers in Phase I, we will continue expand our vision to create new works based on the classics as well as bring to light developing playwrights of the day. Works include:

Achilleis   “LOST TRILOGY” by Aeschylus written by Elias Malandris a new author who  brought to life after a 10 years research the lost trilogy of Aeschylus using sources and elements from partial texts, Latin authors who copied the plays and dictionary writers, basing hi work on Homer as Aeschylus actually did. WE can suggest that we are in front of the nearest possibility of the form of the lost masterpiece. The play is a unique jewelry for the international literature. In an effort to restore the lost Aeschylus trilogy (Myrmidons-Nereids-Phrygians or Hector’s ransom), one more trilogy with a unitary thematic content, Malandris’ work is based on two constant parameters:The first is the placement of the series of the passages and the reconstruction of the structure and of the plot of each work in accordance with the views /suggestions of great and eminent scholars of Aeschylus. The second is loaning additional passages from scenes of Homer’s Iliad.

EKKENOSIS written by Dimitris Dimitriadis based on the trilogy ORESTEIA by Aeschylus Stratos played the role of Aigysthus in “Ekkenosis-Drain” staged on Onassis Cultural Center in Athens”  October 2013. The internationally celebrated set designer and director, Yannis Kokkos, assumes the direction of the Ekkenosis, a work which, in its author’s words, “talks about today’s world and its extremes through a mythical family, the Atreides” “EKKENOSIS” speaks to us about our present world and its marginal situation through a legendary family,that of the Atreides.”In a scenic setting inspired by stimuli that we usually encounter in Beckett’s works of directors or even better in Colte’s, nine faces are anxious to be redeemed by their own actions and by themselves and to go for the first time to true non-existence, that of forgetfulness. Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Orestis, Electra, Chrysosthemis, Iphigenia, Kassandra, Aegisthus and Food of the House are the persons of the work that immediately after the end of Oresteia we meet in the Inside of Thebes House to construct ways to dismantle her mantle their existence and finally to go to Mother – Night, where the other faces of the work, the Erinyes, defy the endless existence.

In addition, we will be staging THREE NEW PLAYS by selected international authors as well as devising a series of theatre talks, classes, readings and workshops.

The Creative Team

FESTIVAL CREATOR / ACTOR   Stratos Tzortzoglou (Georgeoglou)

Known for his breakthrough starring role as Orestes on the film Landscape in the Mist directed by Theo Angelopoulos  (Palm d ‘ Or Award in Cannes film festival) who talked of Stratos as “someone who can absorb everything, turning this to an advantage”. Also St. Holden wrote in his New York times – review ”Orestes,whom Stratos Tzortzoglou imbues with a winning sweetness, works for an itinerant theater company that has been traveling around Greece. “Landscape in the Mist” has already won many honors, and was the Greek entry for best foreign film in the Academy Awards. A 126-minute work of exceptional beauty”.Next was “Den ena kärleken och den andra” directed by Eva Bergman. Stratos starred opposite Lena Endre(The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Faithless) in which nine-time Academy Award nominee INGMAR BERGMAN ( Fanny and Alexander) compared Stratos to “a Stradivarius violin,” adding that “the great actors are great instruments”.After that, he had a starring role in the film Pano, kato kai plagios opposite to Irene Pappas (Electra,Z,Captain Corelli’s Mandolin) under the direction of the five- times Academy Award nominee Michael Cacoyannis(Zorba the Greek-Trojan Women-Iphigenia) who described Stratos as “that rare phenomenon, a natural who combines striking good looks with that special brand of talent which blends a fiery temperament with easy personal charm”. Stratos reached a summit of his profession with his performance as (Stavros) in the above film which garnered him an Award as Best Actor at the Greek National Awards.In addition to his work in film, Stratos has had an extensive career on stage working with directors such as  JULES DASSIN (Academy Award-nominated, Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival for Rififi) in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a salesman as Biff Loman. His theatrical experience includes classical ancient tragedies such as:Euripides’ The Bacchae (Dionysus) in the 12th European festival with National Theatre of Northern Greece, Euripides’ Phoenician Women (Polynices) at Epidaurus Ancient Theater, Orpheus’ Hymns (Orpheus) in Phedriades theatre in Delfi’s festival, Liturgy of Orpheus (Orpheus) at Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Leah Vitali’s Roast Beef (Oresteia trilogy–Agamemnon), co-starred with Sarah Douglas(Conan the Destroyer – Falcon Crest – Superman ) in Riverside Studios, London, Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound (Prometheus). Stratos also played (Dionysus)in the film The Bacchae  directed by Bruno Coppola and worked with Harvey Keitel in Ulysses’s Gaze – To vlemma tou Odyssea as(Orestes) and in a TV movie”365 days of birth” with the Academy Award for Best Actress for Indochine,Catherine Deneuve.

The chairman of 20th Century Fox JIM GIANOPULOS said about him that “ Stratos is destined for great things, he has a unique way of capturing the audiences with his charm,his authenticity and has truly mastered his art form.He is bound to succeed in the American entertainment industry”, while the Oscar winning actress for Moonstruck  OLYMPIA DUKAKISsaid that  “Stratos has a lot to offer to the American film industry in his unique sense of acting, combing talent, intuition, passion and determination”. PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS TALENT AGENCY, New York, Marilyn Scott Murphy, Agent https://www.stratostzortzoglou.gr/

FESTIVAL CREATOR / PLAYWRIGHT Coni Ciongoli Koepfinger 

Artist and Educator, Coni has taught composition, literature and theatre arts at several work class universities such as Carnegie Mellon, Penn State University, Carlow, Duquesne and University of Pittsburgh. A mhe is currently the co-chair for the National Schoolhouse for Theatre Arts www.tnshta.com and is playwright-in-residence at Manhattan Rep and Cosmic Orchid Theatre. Coni is the host of AIRPLAY and DETERMINED WOMEN; a contributing writer for the Center of Conscious Creativity LA; a former board member of the International Center for Women Playwrights; a member the Media Board of the Lifeboat Foundation; a member of The Dramatists Guild, and the League of Professional Theatre Women.  Koepfinger’s plays speak to the metaphysical oneness of humanity that serves to shatter the imaginary boundaries of race, nation, gender and class. Her musicals, operas, dramas, and children’s plays  have been published and produced Off-Broadway and worldwide. https://newplayexchange.org/users/7796/coni-koepfinger

FESTIVAL ACTOR  Florin Penisoara  

An actor of international repute, Florin has been involved in film and theatre projects both in the United States and Europe, for over 15 years. Having received a scholarship at age 26 from the prestigious Actor’s Studio, he later graduated with an MFA. Since then, he has been featured in films that have shown at Cannes Film Festival, Toronto, Berlin, Vienna, and more. His theatre credits inclue productions that have been a part of Public Theatre in New York City, and has even played Shakespeare’s Othello in his native Romania. He has worked with directors who have won the illustrious Silver Bear, Un Certain Regard from Cannes, and FIPRESCI. Mr. Penisoara’s talent has earned him rave notices from such heavyweights as The New York Times, Dossier Journal, Business Insider to name a few. www.florinpenisoara.com

FESTIVAL ACTOR

Zoe Anastassiou is half Greek half Australian, born in London and educated in England until 18, then came to the USA for her undergraduate and graduate studies in Acting, and now lives in NYC as a working professional Actress. She works in Theatre, Film. TV, and Voiceover, is also a Host, as well as what she likes to call a “365 Blogger”. She also has a knack for dialects so is often hired as a Dialect Coach in addition to performing as many nationalities. And, the icing on top of the cake is…she’s a mum…in denial – that she abbreviates to MiD 🙂 http://www.zoeanastassiou.com/

FESTIVAL ACTOR  Mary Ellen Ashley

has spent her lifetime as a performer in all areas of entertainment from the  time she was discovered at four years old. She was cast in a major role in her first Broadway show The Innocent Voyage, produced by The Theatre Guild Lawrence Langner, Amina Marshall  and Theresa Helburn followed by 3 more Broadway plays and her first musical –in 1946- Annie Get Your Gun, starring Ethel Merman  produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein, composed by Irving Berlin, written by Herbert and Dorothy Fields and directed by Joshua Logan. 

FESTIVAL ACTOR  Lothair Eaton

is excited to return to the states after fifteen years in Europe. A Carnegie Mellon grad, he has performed the role of Poppa the Old Steam Train in STARLIGHT EXPRESS in Germany, The UK, New Zealand and Las Vegas in 2,976 performances. He was also seen in the original Off Broadway company of NUNSENSE A-MEN as Sister Mary Hubert. Other favorite credits include UK Tour of 5 GUYS NAMED MOE, the Voice of the Plant in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, C C White in DREAMGIRLS and the Bigger is Better character in WHEN PIGS FLY.  TV credits include COP ROCK, and SHOW BOAT for PBS GREAT PERFORMANCES. http://lothaireaton.de/

FESTIVAL TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Lindsay Shields 

serves as Co-Chapter Director and teaches drama at Flushing High School, Troupe #7892, in Queens.  She serves on both the New York and NorthEast Thespian Boards.  She studied theater at Brevard College in North Carolina and received her Master’s in Educational Theater from New York University and a Master’s of Theater Studies in Production and Design from Southern Oregon University.  She is involved in several off-Broadway productions as Technical Director and Stage Manager.  @ActingPolitical.

FESTIVAL COMPOSER / PLAYWRIGHT Joe Izen

is a singer/songwriter/playwright from the New York area. As well as being a host on AIRPLAY, He is currently working on the script and music for three shows with his writing partner, Coni Koepfinger, as well as just having signed with BMI Music for his songs which will be heard on various Network Television shows.  https://newplayexchange.org/users/7846/joseph-izen

FESTIVAL STAGE MANAGER  / PLAYWRIGHT Victor Vauban Junior

is a former circus performer Brazil in love with the art of writing. As a dramatist, Mr. Vauban has had his works feature at the Writer’s Guild, The Guild magazine and have had his plays read at the Classical Theater of Harlem’s workshop. He started his writings at the, “Writers in Performance” at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center under the tutelage of Mario Giacalone Program Director of the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, in 2012. Mr. Vauban’s works are attentive to the inevitable dilemmas society has faced since the beginning of its history. As a circus performer he has taught at the social program of Cirque du Solei, Cirque du Monde and performed with a number of international circus companies such as: UniverSoul Circus, Gran Circus Norte-Americano, Beto Carrero Show, Gran Bartholo Circus and Circus Amok. Mr. Vauban is an eternal admirer of the arts and is always willing to share his passion for arts with his students, friends, and community. 

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR  John Gould Rubin 

is a founding member of The Private Theatre for which he currently serves as Artistic Director and with which he will direct two shows next season: Royston Coppenger’s new translation of A Doll House and Rocco, Chelsea, Adriana, Sean, Claudia, Gianna and Alex, a piece he’s been devising for five years on the political polarization of American as seen through the consciousness of Conflict-Insight theories of Bernard Lonergan. Also, for The Private Theatre he directed a radically explicit deconstruction of Strindberg’s one-act Playing with Fire, staged at The Box (the notorious sexual night club) and the 2010 site-specific production of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler staged in a 19th c townhouse for 25 people per night. He just remounted Turn Me Loose, at the Wallis Annenberg Theater Center in LA, a dramatization of the comedy, activism and life of Dick Gregory with Joe Morton starring as the legendary black comedian, which he premiered off-B’way last season (and for which Mr. Rubin was a finalist for the Joe Calloway Award from the SDC for Best Direction of 2016.) Other recent projects include American Buffalo with Treat Williams and Stephen Adly Guirgis and Outside Mullingar with Michael Hayden and Mary Bacon two seasons ago both for the Dorset Theatre Festival, the premiere of Michael Ricigliano’s Queen For A Day with David Proval and Vinnie Pastore off Broadway and an environmental production of The Cherry Orchard for The Actors Studio with Ellen Burstyn in which he surrounded the audience with the action of the play. Mr. Rubin directed I, Peer, a re-imagining of Ibsen’s Peer Gynt, which he presented at the International Ibsen Festival at The National Theatre of Norway and developed at The Old Vic in London; John served as Co-Artistic (with John Ortiz and Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Executive Director of LAByrinth Theater Company, for which he directed the premieres of Philip Roth in Khartoum and Penalties & Interest (both as part of Public/LAB at The Public Theater); STopless; The Trail of Her Inner Thigh by Erin Cressida Wilson; John Patrick Shanley’s A Winter Party; and co-created and directed two devised pieces: Dreaming in Tongues; and Mémoire. Other projects co-created or directed include The Erotica Project for The Public Theatre; Trial By Water for Ma-Yi; Blood in the Sink at Urban Stages; both A Matter Of Choice and NAMI for Partial Comfort; Six Passionate Women by Mario Fratti, The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute, The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, Maria Irene Fornés’ Fefu and her Friends, David Gow’s Relative Good, Rinne Groff’s The Ruby Sunrise, Dark of the Moon, Rebecca Gilman’s The Land of Little Horses; Frank McGuiness’ Factory Girls; Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Three Birds Alighting on a Field, Ivanov, The Crucible, Richard Nelson’s Franny’s Way, David Mamet’s Boston Marriage, Picnic, Israel Horvitz’ North Shore Fish, Reza de Wet’s Three Sisters, Two and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead for the Stella Adler Conservatory; a radical Hamlet with 7 Hamlets for Columbia’s MFA Program, and he has directed for both EST’s and Naked Angel’s Marathons. He recently directed an environmental production of Mother Courage for The Harold Clurman Lab which also produced his two-theater production of “The Seagull,” and he directed a multi-media, stage adaptation of “Double Indemnity” with Michael Hayden for The Old Globe in San Diego; Riding the Midnight Express, Billy Hayes’ personal tale of imprisonment and escape in Turkey (memorialized in the film Midnight Express,) at the Edinburgh Festival, off-Broadway and at the Soho Theater in London; the Off-Broadway production of The Fartiste, a musical he also premiered for The Private Theatre in 2006 at the New York International Fringe Festival (winner of Outstanding Musical award); Jack’s Back, a new musical about Jack the Ripper; Open Marriage (a site-specific, one-woman show about Elsie Clews Parsons at Venfort Hall, in Lenox, Mass., in co-production with Shakespeare & Co.); Little Doc at Rattlestick, The Importance of Being Ernest for Twin Tiers Theatre; and In the Daylight at the McGinn-Cazale. He wrote (and played Ivan Boesky in) The Predators’ Ball (collaborating with Karole Armitage and David Salle) for the Teatro Comunale in Florence, Italy, and at BAM’s Next Wave Festival.  Mr. Rubin also directed the film, Almost Home, for Trigger Street Independent, which was presented at The Berkshire Film Festival. M.F.A.: Yale School of Drama Faculty: Stella Adler Studio, ESPA at Primary Stages and the Columbia Film School. Former faculty: SUNY Purchase, Harvard Summer School, Fordham University, and the Playwrights Horizons theater school at NYU. http://www.bretadamsltd.net/content/client/directors/john-gould-rubin/

FESTIVAL ACTOR Sandra Bargman

actress, singer, and voice over artist based in New York City, holds BFA in theatre and music from Carnegie-Mellon University, has worked around the world, from New York City to Toyko, from Times Square Broadway to regional theatre, from nightclubs to cabaret rooms. I was seen in the critically acclaimed Broadway National of Madison Square Gardens production of CINDERELLA (starring Eartha Kitt) as Evil Stepsister Joy. My Off -Broadway credits include STREAKIN’ as both Angela and Assist. Dir. and Jennifer Pierce in TUSK in the NYMF Festival. Other NYC credits include GRAVE CONCERNS at Genesius Theatre Guild. Sandra starred in leading and principle roles in regional theatres across the country, including Judy in BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR at The Walnut Street Theatre, directed by the legendary Billy Wilson, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Eva in EVITA and Mrs. Walker in TOMMY at the Byham Theatre in Pittsburgh, Mona Kent in Dames at Sea and Lucille in Joh Patrick Shanley’s PSYCHOPATHIA SEXUALIS at the Public Theatre of Maine. I’ve been a soloist at StageWest in SOME ENCHANTED EVENING, at Capital Reperatory, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, aboard cruise ships internationally, and in her cabaret performances in the clubs of NYC and across the country. She can be seen in – and my distinct voice can be heard on – both radio and television commercials and in books on CD. I am a proud member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA. http://sandrabargman.com/bio/4526839225

FESTIVAL ADMINSTRATOR Gerald vanHeerden

is an award-winning director of new musical theatre works and plays. He has been directing since the 90’s, and has worked at numerous theatre venues in the New York City and the regional area, including the Hudson Guild, the June Havoc Theatre, the Dorothy Streslin Theatre and the Harry du Jur Theatre. His focus is on the discovery and development of new plays, the conceptualization of new musical theatre, and the shepherding of new talent through his work as a teaching artist. He holds a BFA in musical theatre from the Boston Conservatory, and is a proud member of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

FESTIVAL FINANCIAL MANAGER Byron C. Saunders

Arts Management Consultant / Actor / Director / Producer / Historian  working as an independent Arts Management Consultant helping artists and arts organizations with grants administration, fund development, marketing, public relations, event planning, and capacity growth and development. an expert administrator of the arts, given he has worn practically every hat that can be worn in theatre as a performer, dramatist, writer, playwright, director, stage manager, actor, patron, actor, grant writer, business manager, stage designer, light designer, talk show host, historian and and and and…valuable team player.

FESTIVAL MEDIA PRODUCER Rachel Ann Love 

is the Executive Producer at Woman’s Radio Today, New Earth Television, Skywatchers/Awakened Radio and AirPlay. Her studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma broadcasts globally through an internet base over more than a million listeners world wide.

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR  YIANNIS PARASKEVOPOULOS

is an Actor, Stage director, acting instructor. He was born in Germany in 1971 and he lives in Thessaloniki. Graduated from the “Higher School of Dramatic Art of the National Theatre of Northern Greece” in 1993 and  is founding member of the Theatre Company “New Forms” in 1996.”Psychology” in Center of Philosophy and Social Studies,”Movement-Theatre Expression” by M.Mandaka,«Bio-energy» by M. Marmarinos,”Theatrical and Cultural Animation” by M. Chrisafi ,”Stage Expression” by the Teatr Prawdziwe,”Expressive Movement” (TaiChi),“Contact improvisation.” By Daelik Just DaelikThe young directors’ attendance in Pelussin, France (summer 2002- European Theatre Convention)International workshops of Drama School in Sinaia (June 2003)World festival of Drama Schools (28 May-5 June 2004 — Mexico)  1994-1996: Theatre Workshop in CAY Thessalonica. .1997-2001: Nees Morfes’ Theatre Workshop, 2002-2010: Drama School of the National Theatre of Northern Greece, 2003, 2006: Summer Theatre Academy (National Theatre of Greece), 2005: International workshops if drama schools. “Ancient Greek Theater” Sinaia, Romania. [UNESCO] 2006: Diaspora, National theatre of Scotland, 2007-2009: Aristotelion University of Thessaloniki, 2012: International workshops of drama schools. “EXODUS, a different life perspective” Sinaia, Romania. [UNESCO], 2013: Facultad de Artes Escenicas. UANL Monterrey Mexico, IX international meeting of theatre college, Mexico City, 1990:  Eurirides’ “Iphigenia in Avlides” (Achilles b) directed by M. Kitsopoulou, 1991: J. Αnnuille’s “Dear Birds” (One Eye man) , 1992:   H. Heisenbrutel’s  “Love poem” directed by J. Burkert, 1994: Euripides’ “Electra” (Messenger) andnEuripides’ “Iphigenia en Tavris” directed by A. Miga, 1995: B.M. Coltes’  “Dans la solitude des camps de cotton” (Client) 1997: V. Papageorgiou’s  “Play it again Ham” (Clove) directed by M. Bekri and himself,  J. Genet’s  “Les bonnes” (Solange) directed by M. Bekri, 1998: E. A. Poe’s “Red Death” (Writer) directed by K. Yerardos and himself, 1999: A. Dimou’s “The flowers to the Madame” (Anestis) directed by M.Bekri,2000: M. Markakis’  “Stories of the rocks” (Father Maximus) 2003: D.Kehaides’ “Tavli” (Kollias) directed by Y. Rigas G. Buchner’s “Woyzeck” (Woyzeck) directed by M. Bekri and himself 2004:  Neil LaBute’s “Bash” (Young man) directed by V. Bacacou and himself 2006: Sophie Treadwell “Machinal” directed by N. Konturi. 2007: Nikos Kazantzakis “Ioulianos” directed by N. Tsakiroglou.2008: Anneli Xirogianni “Volume” Directed by H. Hatzivasiliou.2009: Euripides “Women of Troia” directed by N. Kontouri. 2010: 9, 58 FM “I can’t take it anymore. They keep coming.” directed by himself.Theo Grigoriade’s “Bad readings” directed by himself 2011: Shakespeare’s “The taming of the shrew”   directed by Robert Stouroua 2012: Euripides’ Orestes, or the refusal of witnesses Directed by himself. 2013 Henrik Ibsen “Peer Gynt” directed by Yiannis Margaritis.  He has directed 1997: Per Olive Enquist : “I Lodjurets Timma   Nees Morfe;  V. Papageorgiou’s “Play it again Ham” (Co-directed with M. Bekri) —Nees Morfe; 1998: E. A. Poe’s  “Red Death” (Co-directed with K. Gerardos);E. Volf’s «Paper Flowers” Nees Morfes; 1999: A. Staikos’  “Karakoroum” Nees Morfes.;2000: N. Silver’s “Fat men in skirts” Nees Morfes.; 2001: W. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet version Ι” Nees Morfes G. Xenopoulos’ “Stella Violandi” —National of Northern Greece;  “Hamlet version ΙΙ”  Nees Morfes.  2002: Sarah Kane’s “Phaedra’s’ Love” —Nees Morfes/Nea Skini; B. Brecht’s “Baal” —National Theatre of Greece-Piramatiki Skini; 2003: M. Lambrakis’ “Happy Birthday” —Nees Morfes (Participation to the Biennale of Athens; G. Buchner’s ; 2004: Neil La Bute’s “Bash” (co-directed with V. Bacacou) —Nees Morfes;2005: W. Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” National Theatre of Craiova, Romania; 2006: Euripides “Medea” National Theatre of Craiova, Romania;2007: Marivaux “Dispute” and Sarah Kane “Cleansed” NTNG; 2008: Euripides “Helena” National Theatre of Northern Greece; 2009: Alfre Zarry “Ubu Roi” National Theatre of Northern Greece; 2010: Lucas Berfus “Sexual neurosis of our parents” Theater Organization of Cyprus,; 9,58 FM “I can’t take it anymore. They keep coming.” Written by the radio audience through sms. NTNG; Theo Grigoriades “Bad readings” State theatre of Kavala.; Eugeniou Triviza “The snow man and the girl” NTNG, Children’s stage; 2011: K. P. Cavafi “Word in Silence: Arab portraits and places in his poetry” NTNG; 2012: Euripides “Orestes, or the refusal of witnesses” Visual performance, 1st Di.P. Art Festival Thessaloniki and BOOZE COPERATIVA Athens; 2013: Aristophanes’ “Lysistrata” National Theater Marin Sorescu, Craiova-Romania. ; “Supporting” Performance based on texts that occur after crowdsourcing on social media.; 2014: “Lysistrata Project” NTNG, European Parliament in Brussels.; Alan Ayckbourn’ s “Absurd Person Sinular” NTNG, Royal Theater. ; 2015: Thanasis Triaridis “Zyclon” Black Box Theater ; Chehcov’s “Seagull”. National Theater Marin Sorescu, Craiova-Romania.; 2016 Lena Kitsopoulou M.A.I.R.O.Y.L.A Nees Morfes; Claudiu Shfischi-Laubat “OBSESSIONS” ARCUB Bucharest ; 2017 Tomas Vintenberg “FESTEN” National Theatre of Northern Greece; 2018 Elise Wilk  “THE GREEN CAT” State Theatre of Kozani. 

FESTIVAL PLAYWRIGHT  Dimitris Dimitriadis

was born in Thessaloniki in 1944. He studied theatre and film in Brussels from 1963 to 1968, and it was in the Belgian capital, in 1966, that he wrote his first play; The Price of Resistance in The Black Market was directed by Patrice Chéreau in 1968 and staged at the Theatre d ‘ Aubervilliers, Paris. His first novel (Dying As a Country) was published in 1978, a collection of poems (Catalogues 1-4) in 1980, and a play (The New Church of Blood) in 1983. A large number of works  followed: Anthropody – The Assignment: Prelude to a Millenium (novel, 1986),  Catalogues 5-8 (poetry, 1986), Elevation (play, 1990), The Unknown Harmony of the Next Century (play, 1992), Catalogues 9 – The Terms (poetry, 1994), The Beginning of Life (play, 1995 – staged that year by  Stefanos Lazaridis at Notos Theatre), The Stunning of Animals Before the Slaughter(play, 2000 – directed by Yiannis Houvardas at Notos Theatre), Oblivion and Four Other Monologues (plays, 2000 – the monologue Oblivion was staged at the Petit Odeon in Paris, in 1998, by J.C. Bailly, also in 2001 at the Theatre de Bobigny by A. Dimitriadis and a year later in  Attis Theatre by T. Terzopoulos), Catalogues 10-12(poetry, 2002), Anthropody 1 and Anthropody 7 (novel, 2002 – won the State Prize for Novel in 2003), Settlement Proceedings (play, 2003 –  directed by Yiorgos Lanthimos and staged at Notos Theatre), and others. The French Odéon theatre paid a tribute to Dimitris Dimitriadis in the 2009-2010 season, as did the Onassis Cultural Centre in 2013 with performances, directed readings, presentations and discussions. His play The Circle of the Square was presented at the Festival D’Avignon in 2014, directed by Dimitris Karatzas.He got systematically involved with the translation of prose works –  Jean Genet, Georges Bataille, Witold Gombrowicz, Maurice Blanchot, Gerard de Nerval, Balzac, Bernard-Marie Koltes –, as well as the translation of plays –  Molière, Euripides, Jean Genet, G. Courteline, Tennessee Williams, Shakespeare – for various theatres. After 1980, he closely collaborated with “Agra” publications that have issued the bulk of his work and, more recently, with “Saixpirikon”, a publishing group based in Thessaloniki.

FESTIVAL PLAYWRIGHT  Elias Malandris

was born in Athens and he is originated from Kasos island. He studied Theatre at the Drama School of the Athens Conservatory. He completed Theatre Studies and Film and Television Studies at New York University and is now studying humanities / Greek and European culture at the Department of Greek Studies of the Open University of Patras. Since 1987 he works in radio and television. He has collaborated with a number of Greek television channels ERT (Hellenic Radio TV) ANT-1, ALFA, SKAI and with the channel Blumberg in New York. He has directed more than 1000 variety programs and from 1992-2001 he was presenting the TV show ” Estin oun”(It was back then) on the revival of ancient Greek drama on channel Seven-X and from 2008 until today in the channel of the House of the Parliament. The series of “Test: A Fourth Dimension” that was a dramatization of the works of the poet Yannis Ritsos was honored by the Department of Modern Greek Studies at the Complutance University of Madrid and it is taught at the courses there. https://youtu.be/ynhDq9xO200 He had presented some appreciable TV emissions that were tributes to the history of the Greek National Theatre, Theatre of Art, of Amphitheatro and of the Theatrical Organisation of Cyprus. He also presented at the channels Seven-X and the Channel of the House of Greek Parliament the series called “The Streets of the archangel” about the life and art of the composer Mikis Theodorakis. He has made three short films: “The Water,” ” The Songs of Agony”, “The Twelve Words of the Gypsy.” On 2000 he completed and presented a documentary about the ancient customs in Thrace under the title of “Tsaousli.” In 2004 he presented the musical TV program “The sea tells me a lot when it echoes …”. On 1997, in collaboration with the Euro Info Media and the European Cultural Centre of Delphi, he presented and directed two dramatic works of the poet Angelos Sikelianos “The Last Orphic Dithyramvos” and “Daedalus in Crete” in a first world performance at the Ancient Theatre of Delphi with the participation of Christos Changas, Stratos Tzortzoglou, Dina Ritsou, Mario Frangoulis, Lambros Tsangas and Olga Tournaki. The music was by Jiannis Markopoulos and the scenography by Denny Vachlioti. From 1998 he travelled around the world with the musical “The Liturgy of Orpheus’ (Orpheus ‘ Ritual) with the music of Jiannis Markopoulos.He had directed performances in the most of the Ancient Greek and Roman theatres. In 2000 he directed two performances “Re-birth” at Herodium (Herodes Atticus Roman Theatre under Acropolis) and “The Song of Achilles” in the theatre Brachon.(Theatre of the Rocks) The summer of 2001 he presented in the Herodium the “24 Pyrrhic dances” with Konstantinos Papadimitriou and the Symphony Orchestra of ERT ( Hellenic Radio TV) and completed his first long film entitled “The Yusuri” with the participation of Turkish actor Amet Tzorta and of V. Bisbikis, A . Papadimitriou, T. Manesi, Dina Ritsou with the music of Stavros Xarchakos and with the traditional band Palaiina Schefferia (Old armies) which is a metaphor of the ‘Words of the ship-head “of the novelist Andreas Karkavitsas. On 2002 he presented “The Liturgy of Orpheus” and “The Paper Dreams” at the Athens Concert Hall Megaron with Mario Frangoulis and Deborah Mayers, and «The Lightwell” by the actress Anna Synodinou at the theatre Brettania in Athens. On 2003 he presented “The Muddy Waters” of the poet Nikos Kavvadias in Athens Concert Hall, Megaron with numerous famous Greek artists such as Demetra Galani, Mariza Koch, Nena Venetsanou, Marios Frangoulis, Andreatos, Jiannis Koutras which was a production of The Company of Friends of the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, starting then a collaboration of almost a decade when presidents of the Company were the ladies A. Ntaifa and E. Meleti. In the same summer he presented “Piraeus and the sea” in Veakio Open Theatre of Pireus with Stelios Dionysiou, Memos Begnis Sofia Michaelides, Andreas Smirnakis, the participation of Marios Frangoulis choreographed by John Giaple. Also “The Liturgy of Orpheus” at the archaeological site of the Tomb in the Marathon with Zachos Terzakis and Kostas Kazakos and also in the Ancient Theatres of Ephesus and of Delphi.On 2004 he published the study “Achilleis” which is a reconstruction of the lost Aeschylus trilogy, Myrmidones, Nereides, Phrygians and was presented by the Greek festival and the Cyprus Theatre Organisation at Epidaurus ancient theatre in the summer of 2004 with the collaboration of Despina Bebedeli, Jenny Gaitanopoulou, Stelios Kafkaridis, Marios Frangoulis, rising protests by Greek philologists but he was vastly praised by the international press and divided the critics. In 2004 he published the book “Mikis Theodorakis” with DVD edited by E. M , project produced by FM records.
On 2005 he directed the play “Old Neighbourhood” with Tanya Tsanaklidou and Mario Frangoulis, with the participations of John Tsimitselis, Sia Koskina and Fotini Darra at the Veakio Open Theatre of Piraeus.

At 2006 he presented at Herodium the musical project dedicated to the Nobelist poet Odysseus Elytis “When I speak about the sun” with Marios Frangoulis, Fotini Darra and Manolis Lidakis on the songs and and of Despina Bebedeli and Grigoris Valtinos reciting the Nobel prized poem “Axion Esti”. During the winter he presented two projects at the Second and the Third Public radio programs , first “The Siege of Leningrad” with the actresses Antigone Valakou and Maya Lymperopoulou and secondly the first reading of the reconstructed lost drama of Sophocles “Colchis” with Tzortzoglou, Koutsaftiki, Mariza, Derebei, Smirnakis . Also a TV tribute to Odysseus Elytis with the actors Niki Triantafyllidi, Titika Nikiforaki, Kostas Messaris, Olga Tournaki and the singer Maria Dimitriadi. The 2007 he presented a tribute to Lorca and its tour around Greece with “The Dark Love” with Frangoulis, Derebei, Perris, Klironomos and the guest participation of Eleni Peta. He also directed the concerts of Marios Frangoulis worldwide. For seven years he was the artistic director of the festival of Kasos island. In the summer of 2008 he represented Greece in the international festivals of Ephesus (Izmir) with the reconstruction of Euripides’ Phaethon “directed by Nikos Haralambous and with the actors Despina Bebedeli, Stelios Kafkaridis and the music of Michalis Christodoulides. He also directed a musical tribute to the god Apollo under the title “Dorion Phos'” (Doreian Light) with Grigoris Valtinos and Christianna Matzourani. This was also a political event as Cypriot artists set foot in Turkey for a first time under a special permission of the Prime Minister of Turkey. The show was performed in the ancient Library of Celsus. On 2009, in collaboration with Marios Frangoulis and the Athens Academy they presented a program for world peace that was performed in the same summer at Herodium and in the winter of 2010 in many cities of USA, starting with Boston, under the title “The Light of Greece”. In the summer of 2010, under the spectrum of the same project, the ancient theatre at Pergamon in Turkey opens for the first time with the show “Aeschylus: Prometheus Bound” with the participation of great artists such as Antigone Valakou, Jenny Drivala, Apostolis Totsikas, Anna Koutsaftiki, with the original music of Constantine Psachos, choreography by Vassia Angelidou and the collaboration with the Lyceum of Greek Women the later under the direction of Kostas Karamanos and the “Spiritual march” with the music of Mikis Theodorakis, with George Perris. In 2014 he directed and participated in the play as the main character “John Gabriel Borkman” by Henrick Ibsen. In 2015 he directed the animated film, “Axion esti” by Mikis Theodorakis and Odysseus Elytis.
On 2005 the fourth book was published with his participation titled “Forward Greece’s children.” On 2005 he presents also the TV series called “Ihni” (Traces) at ERT1 (Hellenic radio TV) in the broadcast Triton hotel ‘in collaboration with Jiannis Lignadis at the texts and with the actors Anna Synodinou, Christos Loulis, Memos Begnis,, Dina Ritsou, Anna Koutsaftiki, Olga Tournaki, Christianna Matzourani, Christos Changas, Manos Karatzogiannis , Irene Derebei and others, with the music of Zacharias Spyridakis. He has often collaborated with newspapers as “Kathimerini” “Imeresia” and “Acropolis” and his articles have been published at “the Political Issues” in the magazine Passworld of Axon Airlines of which he was had the chief-editor. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3583640/bio