La MaMa Announces International Slate For This Summer At La MaMa Umbria

Artistic directors from eight international theater companies - representing Palestine, Russia, Pakistan, Singapore, Germany, US and Ukraine - will lead workshops for directors at La MaMa's 24th Annual International Symposium in Spoleto, Umbria, with residencies July 10 to August 8, 2023, it has been announced by David J. Diamond, Curator of La MaMa Umbria International, an essential program for experimental theater artists since 1990.

Mr. Diamond has also announced La MaMa's annual International Playwright Retreat, featuring symposiums with playwright Chay Yew at La MaMa Umbria starting August 10, 2023. Applications for both programs are being accepted now.

For information and applications visit www.lamama.org/programs/umbria-international.

The roster of leading directors participating in the symposiums include:

IMAN AOUN (Ashtar Theatre, Palestine); Dmitry Krymov (Krymov Lab, Russia); SHAHID NADEEM (Ajoka Theatre, Pakistan); ONG KENG SEN (Theatreworks, Singapore); Thomas Ostermeier (Schaubuhne Theatre, Berlin); HANA SHARIF (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); VIRLANA TKACZ (Yara Arts Group, Ukraine/NYC); and TORANGE YEGHIAZARIAN (Golden Thread Theatre, San Francisco).

The workshop themes range from 'theatre of the oppressed,' politically and socially engaged theatre, engaging community in performance creation, and staging poetry.

Chay Yew - author of numerous plays including A LANGUAGE OF THEIR OWN and former artistic director of Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - will conduct a 10-day retreat for professional playwrights developing new work.

Participants in previous workshops at La MaMa Umbria include Basil Twist, Ping Chong, Andrei Serban, Andre De Shields, Lee Breuer, Anne Bogart, Tina Landau and Ellen Stewart.

La MaMa Umbria was established by La MaMa's late founder Ellen Stewart to serve mid-career artists as they explore their creative process while experiencing the restorative atmosphere of the natural environment of Umbria in central Italy. The 700-year-old former convent has been transformed into an artists retreat with rehearsal studio, gallery space, café, music room, outdoor stage and accommodations for artists.

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