No Summary 2024

Iman Aoun

Iman Aoun is Co-Founder and Executive Director of ASHTAR Theatre (Actress, Director, Producer), and an award-winning actress who works in theatre, TV series, and films. Holds a Bachelor Degree in Social Studies and a Diploma in Psychodrama. Started her acting career with El-Hakawati Theatre Company in Jerusalem in 1984 and co-founder ASHTAR for Theatre Productions and Training in 1991. Ms. Aoun received various notifications for her work from different countries and international organizations and festivals. In 2020 was a finalist at the Gilder/Coigney Award – NYC. She runs ASHTAR International Youth Theatre Festival since 2012. Written and published several articles on the subject of theatre in Palestine, and co-written two books on theatre training. She was panelist in a number of international conferences and World Summits, and participated at the UNESCO Arts Lab. An internationally recognized theatre trainer specialized in Theatre of the Oppressed. She is the initiator of various international projects, most notable: “One Hundred Artist for Palestine” in 2003 with IETM, “The Gaza Monologues” in 2010 and “The Syrian Monologues” in 2015

Emile Saba

Emile Saba, born in September 1989, is a Palestinian director and actor, and currently assumes the role of Artistic Director at ASHTAR Theatre. Originally from Jaffa but was born and lives in the city of Ramallah, Saba’s artistic journey reflects a passion for exploring the realms of magical realism and pushing the boundaries of the audience-performer relationship. Saba’s academic and theatre foundation was laid at ASHTAR Theatre and later was developed at the University of Connecticut, where he earned his Master of Fine Arts in stage performance. The core of Saba’s artistic identity lies in his curiosity to understand the human behavior and thinking. Among his notable acting productions is “2077, Who Wants to Survive,” a compelling piece created by the director Simon Eifeler at Bridgeworks Theatre. His contributions to ASHTAR Theatre include noteworthy productions like “Free Play” and “Love on the Shelf,” where he continues to push the boundaries of immersive theatre. Saba’s artistic canvas taps into different genres and styles; such as “Taming of the Shrew” at Al Kasaba Theatre, and “Monodrama Jabra" at Inad Theatre. His collaboration with the Amwaj Choir Group in “Opera Amal” and “People by the Sea” at The Palestinian Museum and the circus show “Asimo” showcase his commitment to diversifying his artistic portfolio. Saba is currently preparing to start rehearsals on his new production “Guernica- Gaza”, a new collaboration between ASHTAR Theatre and two prominent playwrights, Naomi Wallace and Ismail Khalidi. The production will open in July 2024 and will participate at “Uncaging Our World” festival in Oxford.

Ash Marinaccio

Ash Marinaccio, PhD, is a multidisciplinary documentarian working in theatre, photography, and film. She is dedicated to storytelling, highlighting the socio-political issues defining our times, and regularly works throughout the United States and internationally. For her work, Ash has received the Lucille Lortel Visionary Award from the League of Professional Theatre Women, a Drama League Residency, fellowships from the Mellon Foundation, NY Public Humanities, and National Endowment for the Humanities, been listed as one of Culture Trip’s “50 Women in Theatre You Should Know”, and is a two-time TEDx Speaker. Ash is the founding artistic director of the United Nations recognized NGO Girl Be Heard and founder of Docbloc (docbloc.org), which is dedicated to bringing artists across documentary genres together for live performance collaborations.

ASHTAR Theatre

ASHTAR is a Palestinian non-profit NGO found in 1991 by two prominent actors, Edward Muallem and Iman Aoun. Today ASHTAR has a group of professional female and male actors and directors, who use theatre beyond its artistic means to create social change in our society. ASHTAR’s work is spread out in Palestine and internationally. Working with young people, youth and women, focusing on human rights issues. One of ASHTAR’s specialty is ‘Theatre of the Oppressed – Forum Theatre’ methodology, that transforms a commonly passive audience into active and involved participants. Through the use of Forum Theatre, ASHTAR stands as an agent of change in Palestine. ASHTAR’s Mission:  To contribute to the creation of a cultured society that adopts the principles of freedom, justice and equality.  To utilize theatre as a tool to encourage and assert marginalized groups, youth and women to become agents of social change.  To help create imaginative, progressive and productive Palestinian youth, able to express themselves, and communicate with their surrounding creatively.

Marina Barham

Marina Barham, cofounder, General Director of Al-Harah Theater, President of the Palestinian Performing Arts Network from 2019-2021. An active cultural operator in Palestine, the Middle East and in Europe since 1998. A Fellow of ISPA [International Society for the Performing Arts] and Salzburg Global Seminar. IETM [International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts] Global Connector and Board member in 2023. A Trainer in the field of Cultural Management in the Arab World since 2006 with Al Mawred Resource, Tamasi Collective and Goethe Institute in Berlin and in Palestine. A speaker at several international conferences, festivals and events.

Marina Johnson

Marina Johnson is a PhD candidate in TAPS at Stanford University (MFA in Directing, University of Iowa). Her dissertation research concerns Palestinian performance from 2015 to the present. Johnson is the co-host of Kunafa and Shay, a MENA theatre podcast produced by HowlRound Theatre Commons, and they are also a member of Silk Road Rising’s Polycultural Institute. Johnson’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in TDR: The Drama Review, Theatre/Practice, Arab Stages, “Decolonizing Dramaturgy in a Global Context” (Bloomsbury), “Milestones in Staging Contemporary Genders and Sexualities” (Routledge), and “Women’s Innovations in Theatre, Dance, and Performance, Volume I: Performers” (Bloomsbury). Prior to her PhD, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Beloit College for three years. Select recent directing credits include: The Wolves (Stanford) The Shroud Maker (International Voices Project), Shakespeare’s Sisters (Stanford), The Palestinian Youth Monologues (Stanford), Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche (Beloit College), and In the Next Room (Beloit College). www.marina-johnson.com

Al-Harah Theatre

Al-Harah Theater is a non-profit organization founded in 2005, based in Beit Jala- Palestine. It aims at raising awareness, creating positive change in the society, enhancing the cultural level and artistic taste of people and delivering the Palestinian voice through the production and distribution of theater work at a high artistic level to all members of the Palestinian Arabs and international societies in general, children and youth in particular. In addition to training and capacity building of young theater cadres and developing partnerships with local, Arabs and internationals organizations and networks.

Amer Khalil

Amer Khalil was born and resides in Jerusalem. He began his theater career early with the El-Hakawati troupe in 1980, volunteering to sell tickets and assist during local tours in Palestine. Amer’s relationship with the late François Abu Salem, director and founder of El-Hakawati, was distinctive and very special. Under François’ guidance, Amer received intensive training in theater. In 1983, Amer co-founded the El Nozha Hakawati Theater, later known as the Palestinian National Theater. Initially working behind the scenes in technical roles, he soon transitioned to acting. His stage debut was in 1985 with the play “The Eye and the Sun,” and he subsequently participated in most of the Hakawati troupe’s productions. Throughout his career, Amer took numerous courses and workshops in acting and directing, learning from many Arab and international artists. From 1988 to 1991, he lived in Paris, where he studied French and worked extensively with various theater groups as a resident artist. He gained valuable experience and training from French and Dutch directors and collaborated with European theater groups to further his education and skills. Amer’s love for singing and traveling has always been an integral part of his theatrical work.

Kate Moore Heaney

Kate Moore Heaney (she/her) is a theatre director, producer, and dramaturg. She is the Artistic Producer of Noor Theatre, a founding board member of the Middle Eastern and North African Theater Makers Alliance (MENATMA), and Associate Producer at Long Wharf Theatre. She has directed and/or developed new work with The Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, The Playwrights Realm, Premiere Stages, The Civilians’ R&D Group, New York Theatre Workshop, NYU Abu Dhabi Institute (NYC), The Amoralists, The Flea, The Shakespeare Society, The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, and other NYC companies. She has assistant or associate directed with Ibex Theatricals/The New Vic, McCarter Theatre, Clubbed Thumb, Yale Institute for Music Theatre, and The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. B.A.: Yale.

El-Hakawati Theatre

The El Hakawati National Theatre officially opened its doors to the world on May 9th, 1984 as the first Palestinian specialized cultural center and theatre. One year later, the theatre’s administration was handed to an independent Board of Trustees that included a number of authors, artists, poets, and Palestinian figures that are active on community and national levels. The National Theatre, El Hakawati, made it its mission to be the theatre that acts as a cultural and artistic platform that provides the grounds to develop strategies and activities that upscale the theatrical and artistic works on the national level. The activities of the theatre evolved to become not only preservers of the Palestinian cultural heritage, but also a method to implant this civilizational record in the heart of the Palestinian society, add further achievements to it, and look for unprecedented ideas and constructive guidance to allow more room for Palestinian artists for experimentation and innovation.