Gabriella Lev

Gabriella Lev is a theatre director, writer and performer. She co-founded the “Theatre Company Jerusalem” and currently serves as its artistic director. She has won many awards, including the Kipod Hazahav award for life achievement in fringe theatre, the "My Jerusalem Award" for contribution to cultural life in Jerusalem 2010, and the Wizo award.[1][2]

In 2016 Theatre Company Jerusalem spearheaded the first International Festival of Jewish Performance Arts. The festival has now become an annual event.

Biography

Gabriella Lev graduated from University of New South Wales where she majored in theatre in 1969. There she played many varied roles, including Gertrude in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Joan in George Bernard Shaw's "St.Joan".

In 1971 Lev attended the London Film School, where she joined an alternative theatre company, "The Low Moan Spectacular" and helped create "El Coca Cola Grande" in which she also performed. Lev performed in various theaters in the U.K. including The Hampstead Theatre Club, Greenwich Theatre, The Close, the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, The National Theatre of Wales and Bristol Old Vic as well as appearing in various theaters in Europe.[3]

Influences

Lev was influenced by the alternative theatre scene in London in the 1970s where she first came into contact with such troupes as the People Show and practitioners such as Charles Marowitz.

In 1973 Gabriella Lev made Aliyah to Israel. Which had a great effect on her work. She participated in a 10-day workshop given by Andre Gregory and Jaques Chwat at Mishkenot Sha'ananim. This exposure to work inspired by Jerzy Grotowski influenced her artistically. Later she collaborated with Serge Quaknine a student of Grotowskis. Also in this period she first came into contact with the voice work of the Roy Hart Theatre and co-operated with members of the theatre particularly Barry Coglhan for many years. In her first year in the country she worked in various schools and community centers teaching drama.

Ensembles Created

Lev established the Odot Company which produced two original Israeli theatre pieces, "Nashim Odot Nashim" and "Anashim Rakim”. She later helped establish The Jerusalem Drama Workshop and was its director for three years. This establishment grew into the Theatre Company Jerusalem which she co-founded and today is its artistic director. The original works of TCJ have won much acclaim and recognition. The company has been invited to perform at many theatre festivals around the world.

Lev lectures and demonstrates the unique theatrical modes developed by her and her company in many universities and institutions of higher learning, both in Israel and abroad. Such as Yale university, Wesleyan University the University of California in Berkeley and Harvard University.

Works

initiated and Co-created

Maaseh Bruria - with Aliza Elion Israeli, Ruth Wieder Magan, Joyce Miller 1982

Elef Ester VeEster - with Aliza Elion Israeli, Ruth Wieder Magan, Joyce Miller 1984

Al Mita Vemitot - with Aliza Elion Israeli, Mario Kutler, Joyce Miller 1989

Sara Take 2 - 1993

Sota - 1997

At Rosa's Café - 2004

Ahava Atika - 2010

Her Story - 2014

Mochot - 2014

Written and Performed

Ester - 1990

Shulem - with Serge Ouknine, Ayellet Stoller, Avishi Fish, Gershon Weisfierer 2005

Directed

Even the Birds - by Aliza Elion Israeli 1987

Echoes of Prayer - with Ruth Wieder-Magan 1992

Are You Happy Already? - by Varda Ben Chur

Rondo - by Aliza Elion Israeli

Ancient Loves

Sait of the Earth by Dan Kedem

She רה texts by Agi Mishol and Dorit Weisman

Ben and Sara by Ayellet Solomon

Good Intentions by Rasel Dickstein

Impressions of Zelda  texts by Zelda Schneurson Mishkovsky https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelda_(poet)

Measure for Measure by Shakespeare

When a Special Child is Born texts from

Three Queens and a Concubine texts from Samuel 1and 2 Yona Wallach, Yoav Michaeli,Merav Meshulam

The Spotted Tiger by Yaakov Shabtai 2018

Reviews

Lev's performances combine story telling, lecturing, and interactive dialogue with the audience. They have also been received with critical acclaim: In 2000, the Baltimore Sun source praised her work Esther, based on the Biblical queen, as "an extremely well-crafted Sunday school lesson."[4]


References
  1. "News1 | אות הוקרה לגבריאלה לב". www.news1.co.il. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  2. "Award for Israeli director Gabriella Lev | The Magdalena Project - international network of women in theatre". themagdalenaproject.org. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
  3. "Gabriella Lev – Global Day of Jewish Learning". www.theglobalday.org. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  4. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2000-03-15-0003150202-story.html
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