PHOTOS: Sara Jahn

Challenges for the New Theatre Artist
A symposium in dialogue 22. January 2012 at Dramatikkens Hus, Oslo

Program
10.00 – 12.30
Panel 1 - What are the (artistic) demands for the future contemporary theatre maker/artist? How to sustain the artist as a maker across disciplines and methodologies? What role is art and the performing artist, expected to play in the future?

In the panel:
Henny Dörr, Mellika Melouani Melani, Serge von Arx, Hanne Tømta, Joshua Sofaer

Introduction by moderator Camilla Eeg-Tverbakk

Do you wish to listen to the first part of the seminar? Click here

Panel 2 - How to write in the slippage between roles such as 'character', 'self' and 'other'? Reflecting upon a multifaceted society, different notions of identity formation, and how these aspects are treated in writing for contemporary stage arts.

In the panel:
Kim Atle Hansen, Claire Hind, Kai Johnsen, Christian Lollike, Nirav Christophe 

Introduction by moderator Karmenlara Ely: Who do we want to make theater about, and for? 
Do you wish to listen to the second part of the seminar? Click here

Biographies

Serge von Arx, professor in scenography at Østfold University College, artistic director of the scenography department at NTA since 2006. In 1997 he completed his degree in architecture at the ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). Since then he works as an independent scenographer, designer and architect. In 1998 he began his collaboration with Robert Wilson on various stage, exhibition and installation design projects all over the world. And since 2003 he is a regular mentor and architectural consultant at the “Watermill Center” on Long Island, New York. Aside from his academic activities von Arx works as an independent scenographer and architect.

Nirav Christophe (1959) is a playwright for the stage, for radio and television. His radio plays have been broadcasted in 12 countries. He took Masters in Theatre Studies and in Dutch literature. He is an internationally renowned writing lecturer and educationalist. In 1992 at the Utrecht School of the Arts he founded the Netherlands’ first and only four-year fulltime course in Writing for Performance, of which he was artistic leader for nine years. Since 2005 he is professor in Theatre Making Processes at the Utrecht School of the Arts’ Theatre Faculty. His PhD-focus is the pedagogy of playwriting.

Henny Dörr is since september 2010 Head of the School of Theatre at Utrecht School of the Arts, and artistic and didactic manager of 5 bachelor courses of the Faculty of Theatre. She was artistic director of the Theatre Design department from 1992. She has been responsible for the theoretical courses as well as project work and practice based research. Henny Dörr graduated at the University of Amsterdam in 1986 on a ‘practice based research project ‘avant le lettre’, on the relation between movement and music in both thesis and performance (interrelated). After her graduation she combined a practice as dramaturg/advisor with teaching in different institutes in Higher Arts Education, leading to a position as lecturer and manager of the BA Theatre Design in Utrecht. Currently she works with Nirav Christophe to develop a Master of Arts in Writing for Performance.

Camilla Eeg-Tverbakk (b. 1967, Norway) is currently a research fellow at NTA and Roehampton University (UK). She holds an MA in Performance Studies from New York University and an MA in Theatre Science from University of Oslo. She has been active as an artist, curator, writer and teacher within both the performing arts and visual arts. She is active as a dramaturge and held the position of Artistic Director, Acting at NTA from 2007-11.

Karmenlara Ely, artistic director of the acting program at NTA since 2011. She spent nearly 10 years teaching theater and performance theory at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. She also held the position Artistic Director of the Tisch New York Summer Drama Intensive, 2008-2011. She is an active part of the historic Spiderwoman Theater based in New York City, the oldest Native American theater organization in the country and one of the founders of the 1960’s NYC avant-garde.  Karmenlara Ely has collaborated as a performer, dramaturg and scenic costumer on theater, performance works and installations in the New York area since 1996. Some of her published work appears in Jeffrey Chock's Trinidad Carnival, in Women in Performance and Performance Research.  

Kim Atle Hansen (b. 1981, Norway) is educated as a playwright from Khio, Oslo and actor from Norwegian Theatre Academy, Fredrikstad. He works in Oslo, both independently by producing performances played at Dramatikkens Hus and Black Box Theatre, and in collaboration with larger theaters by writing autonomous plays.

Claire Hind is a UK based theatre maker, teaches at York St John University and has a practice led PhD from the University of Leeds. She is interested in the relationship between writing and performance, play and psychoanalysis as material. Claire has collaborated on several writing projects with Claire Macdonald including the curated trans-Atlantic short work project York/NEW YORK and the International Writing Encounters Symposium that led to two published journals that Claire Hind edited entitled The Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, intellect 2010. www.clairehind.com

Kai Johnsen is a stage-director, dramaturge and critic. Educated at the National College of Arts/Theatre dept./directing, and theatre history/University in Oslo. Presently artistic director of the Development department at Dramatikkens Hus.

Mellika Melouani Mellani is a director and artist, currently artistic director of the Stockholm Folk Opera. She has gained attention for her performances ”Rigoletto – djurisk åtrå” at Uppsala State theatre, ”Publikförolämpning”, ”Ebberöds bank” and ”Ulrike Maria Stuart” at Theatre Tribunalen, “Woyzeck” at the Radio Theatre, and lately "Köpmannens Kontrakt" at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. Mellani’s performances question the form and function of theatre, and builds new personal rituals regarding existential issues. Her performances have been presented at festivals such as Göteborg dance & theatre festival, Baltic Circle and the European festival in Wiesbaden. She was awarded the Swedish theatre critics prize in 2010 for the performances ”Carmen”, ”Babel” and ”Arabiska Mäns Mobbade Kroppar”.

Christian Lollike (b. 1973, Denmark) educated as dramatist at the drama writers education/ Aarhus Theatre. Debuted in 2002 with an adaption of KABALE UND LIEBE by Friedrich Schiller. His plays are produced in countries such as Sweden, Norway, Germany, Finland, Austria, Letland, Slovenia, Greece, Australia, US and Denmark. Lollike was “house dramatist” at Aarhus Theatre between 2005-11, and currently occupies the position as artistic director of the Café Theatre in Copenhagen. Lollike’s plays and performances are known to be controversial and have stirred political debate at several occasions. Lollike has received Prix Europa in 2007, Danish Justice-political Price, and the Reumert Price in 2009 for the play KOSMISK FRYGT ELLER DEN DAG BRAD PITT FIK PARANOIA.
He was the curator for Aarhus Festival 2008-2010 and mentor for the drama writing education at Aarhus Theatre 2009-2011.

Joshua Sofaer (b. 1972 Cambridge, England) is an artist who is centrally concerned with modes of collaboration and participation. He acts as curator, producer or director of a broad range of projects, including large-scale events, intimate performances, and publications. After a BA in Drama & English at Bristol University, Joshua went on to complete an MA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design and was subsequently awarded a PhD from Dartington College of Arts. Joshua was a winner of the 2009 Bank of America CREATE Art Award, and the first Artist Fellow on the 2010/11 Clore Leadership Programme.
Hanne Tømta (b. 1968, Norway) is currently artistic – and general director of the
National Theatre in Oslo. She was artistic director at Rogaland Theatre in
Stavanger between 2005-08. Tømta is educated as director from the Russian National Theatre Academy in St. Petersburg. She has directed a series of performances in theatres around Norway since 1999.