Fouad Awad
Encyclopedia
Fouad Awad (born October 7, 1956) is an award-winning avant-garde Israel
i-Palestinian
theatre director, and a prominent figure in the Palestinian theatrical movement.
He's considered a leading figure in the Palestinian theatrical movement in Israel.
to Palestinian
parents. He attended Nazareth Baptist School, where he and for the first time experienced theatre by participating in school performances. In 1979, he made his directorial debut with the production "The King is The King" (based on a novel by the late Syrian playwright Saad Alla Wannous). He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Tel Aviv University
in 1982. While at Tel Aviv University, he directed "Miss Julie
" written by August Strindberg
and "Men in the Sun
" written by the Palestinian writer, Ghassan Kanafani
. "Men in the Sun
" deals with the journey of four Palestinians seeking to travel to Kuwait in a hope of finding a job there during the oil boom. They went through a checkpoint after another, driven by the elusive dream of better future, only to be found dead upon reaching Kuwait. From 1983 until 1987, He worked at the Municipal Cultural Centre in Nazareth. While working at the Cultural Centre, he directed several plays, including, "The Dervishes are Looking for the Truth" written by the Syrian writer, Mustafa Al Hallaj as well as "Ashater Hasan" based on the folktale known by the same title.
In 1986, he directed "A Song of a Deformed Soldier" which constituted a turning point in the theatrical production, combining sundry forms of theatrical art such puppets and masks. The play dealt with the compulsory military service amongst the Druze
community. In 1987 he directed "Birds" a play written by Ibrahim Khalaileh which deals with the Palestinian desire to break free from the Israeli occupation. The play was well received in many European countries. In 1989, Awad received "Best Theatre Director" award as well as "Best Theatrical Work" award for the play "Jaber's Head" from Acre Theatre Festival.
In 1991 along with his long-time mate, Mohammed Aoudtalla, he established Alsadaka Cultural Centre. In 1992 he directed "The Alley" in collaboration with Samia Kazmouz Bakri, which deals with the expatriation of Palestinians and the memories of one's home and city; places undergoing demographic changes. In 1993 he directed "The Night and The Mountain" written by Abed Alghaffar Makawi and produced in the Hebrew language. "The Night and The Mountain"- a Yemeni legend dealing with the fear caused by occupation- was a production of "Hakhan Hayerushalme" Theatre in Jerusalem.
In 1994, he and his colleague, Eran Bene'el, directed "Romeo and Juliet
" by William Shakespeare, a play that opened Lille Festival in France. It was a collaborative production between Al Kasaba Theatre in Ramallah
and Al Khan Theatre in Jerusalem. The play was considered a huge success and received international acclaim.
In 1995, "The Night and The Mountain" was remade, for Alkasaba theatre.
From late 1995 and until 1/4/1998 he worked as the manager of Nazareth Contemporary Cultural Centre, a centre that was a product of a self initiative. During that time, the centre hosted numerous art galleries, folklore dance groups, seminars, and movies.
In 1998, he directed a play by the name "Le Montrer" for Almidan Theatre. The play – which is about the humanization and rebellion of an artist's marionettes and their attempt to poison him - was written by Andrée Chedid
.
Starting from mid 1998 and until late 2002 he worked as the artistic manager of Almidan Theatre. And during that time, numerous productions were made, such as "Suhmata", "Edrab Maftouh", "Abeir File No.96/63", "Jazerat Al Ma'az", "Athkur" (a Musical), "Bayt Assayida", and "Zaghroudat Al Ard".
In 1999 he directed "Abeir File No.96/63", a play based on the novel "The Collector
" by the British author John Fowles
. The play portrays the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; a settler kidnaps a Palestinian artist and holds her in a public bunker, with the claim that he wants to live with her in peace, which is impossible. The play harvested success and recognition due to the boldness in which the play addresses the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The play can be described in terms of production as confluence of cinema and theatre, where a cinematic footage is embedded in a theatrical production.
In late 2002 he finished his term as a manager of Almidan Theatre, marking 5 years of success and achievements that catapulted the theatre to prominence and consequentially becoming a leading theatre serving as the national theatre for the Palestinian minority in Israel.
In 2003 he directed "The Bus
", a play portraying the post-intifada relations between Palestinians and Israelis and the Israeli perspective towards Palestinians in the light of suicide bombings that emanated at that time.
Awad participated it numerous theatrical conferences and festivals in Europe and the Arab world, and was a guest lecturer in some of them, including Berlin Festival, Carthage Festival and Avignon
, where he shared his experience and talked about the Palestinian theatre.
He served as an artistic consultant in the Israel Film Fund.
He served as a member of the artistic committee of Acre (Akko) Theatre Festival for a year.
2004-2007 He was the general manager of Almidan Theatre. At that time, the theatre was going through hardship. Therefore, upon becoming manager, he had to reestablish the theatre's former stature. He increased the number of productions per year, and managed to revive the theatre. During this period, he established the Almidan Theatre Festival.
He finished writing his autobiography "Law Kont..." (If You Were...) which was written by the author and journalist Naji Daher.
In 2008 he started to work as the manager of the Cultural Department in Nazareth Municipality. During that time, he established Nazareth International Children's Theatre Festival.
He participated in the 24th ACCO, and Theatre in a Multicultural Society Jerusalem Conference, 7–9 January 2008.
He's considered a leading theatre director since he had a leading role in shaping the Palestinian
theatrical movement in Israel; Awad was the first to bring a cinematic approach to theatre, embedding a cinematic footage in a theatrical production.
Currently, he teaches theatre at the Drama Academy in Ramallah and works as the head of the Cultural Department in Nazareth.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i-Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
theatre director, and a prominent figure in the Palestinian theatrical movement.
He's considered a leading figure in the Palestinian theatrical movement in Israel.
Biography
Awad was born on October 7, 1956, in NazarethNazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
to Palestinian
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
parents. He attended Nazareth Baptist School, where he and for the first time experienced theatre by participating in school performances. In 1979, he made his directorial debut with the production "The King is The King" (based on a novel by the late Syrian playwright Saad Alla Wannous). He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
in 1982. While at Tel Aviv University, he directed "Miss Julie
Miss Julie
Miss Julie is a naturalistic play written in 1888 by August Strindberg dealing with class, love, lust, the battle of the sexes, and the interaction among them...
" written by August Strindberg
August Strindberg
Johan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg's career spanned four decades, during which time he wrote over 60 plays and more than 30 works of fiction, autobiography,...
and "Men in the Sun
Men in the Sun
Men in the Sun is a novel by Palestinian writer and political activist Ghassan Kanafani , originally published in 1963....
" written by the Palestinian writer, Ghassan Kanafani
Ghassan Kanafani
Ghassan Kanafani was a Palestinian writer and a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. He was assassinated by car bomb in Beirut, allegedly by the Mossad.- Early years :Ghassan Fayiz Kanafani was born in 1936 in the then Acre , British Mandate of Palestine...
. "Men in the Sun
Men in the Sun
Men in the Sun is a novel by Palestinian writer and political activist Ghassan Kanafani , originally published in 1963....
" deals with the journey of four Palestinians seeking to travel to Kuwait in a hope of finding a job there during the oil boom. They went through a checkpoint after another, driven by the elusive dream of better future, only to be found dead upon reaching Kuwait. From 1983 until 1987, He worked at the Municipal Cultural Centre in Nazareth. While working at the Cultural Centre, he directed several plays, including, "The Dervishes are Looking for the Truth" written by the Syrian writer, Mustafa Al Hallaj as well as "Ashater Hasan" based on the folktale known by the same title.
In 1986, he directed "A Song of a Deformed Soldier" which constituted a turning point in the theatrical production, combining sundry forms of theatrical art such puppets and masks. The play dealt with the compulsory military service amongst the Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
community. In 1987 he directed "Birds" a play written by Ibrahim Khalaileh which deals with the Palestinian desire to break free from the Israeli occupation. The play was well received in many European countries. In 1989, Awad received "Best Theatre Director" award as well as "Best Theatrical Work" award for the play "Jaber's Head" from Acre Theatre Festival.
In 1991 along with his long-time mate, Mohammed Aoudtalla, he established Alsadaka Cultural Centre. In 1992 he directed "The Alley" in collaboration with Samia Kazmouz Bakri, which deals with the expatriation of Palestinians and the memories of one's home and city; places undergoing demographic changes. In 1993 he directed "The Night and The Mountain" written by Abed Alghaffar Makawi and produced in the Hebrew language. "The Night and The Mountain"- a Yemeni legend dealing with the fear caused by occupation- was a production of "Hakhan Hayerushalme" Theatre in Jerusalem.
In 1994, he and his colleague, Eran Bene'el, directed "Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
" by William Shakespeare, a play that opened Lille Festival in France. It was a collaborative production between Al Kasaba Theatre in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
and Al Khan Theatre in Jerusalem. The play was considered a huge success and received international acclaim.
In 1995, "The Night and The Mountain" was remade, for Alkasaba theatre.
From late 1995 and until 1/4/1998 he worked as the manager of Nazareth Contemporary Cultural Centre, a centre that was a product of a self initiative. During that time, the centre hosted numerous art galleries, folklore dance groups, seminars, and movies.
In 1998, he directed a play by the name "Le Montrer" for Almidan Theatre. The play – which is about the humanization and rebellion of an artist's marionettes and their attempt to poison him - was written by Andrée Chedid
Andrée Chedid
Andrée Chedid was a French poet and novelist of Lebanese descent.-Life:Chedid was born in Cairo on 20 March 1920. When she was ten, she was sent to a boarding school, where she learned English and French. At fourteen, she left for Europe. She then returned to Cairo to go...
.
Starting from mid 1998 and until late 2002 he worked as the artistic manager of Almidan Theatre. And during that time, numerous productions were made, such as "Suhmata", "Edrab Maftouh", "Abeir File No.96/63", "Jazerat Al Ma'az", "Athkur" (a Musical), "Bayt Assayida", and "Zaghroudat Al Ard".
In 1999 he directed "Abeir File No.96/63", a play based on the novel "The Collector
The Collector
The Collector is the title of a 1963 novel by John Fowles. It was made into a movie in 1965.- Plot summary :The novel is about a lonely young man, Frederick Clegg, who works as a clerk in a city hall, and collects butterflies in his spare time...
" by the British author John Fowles
John Fowles
John Robert Fowles was an English novelist and essayist. In 2008, The Times newspaper named Fowles among their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".-Birth and family:...
. The play portrays the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; a settler kidnaps a Palestinian artist and holds her in a public bunker, with the claim that he wants to live with her in peace, which is impossible. The play harvested success and recognition due to the boldness in which the play addresses the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The play can be described in terms of production as confluence of cinema and theatre, where a cinematic footage is embedded in a theatrical production.
In late 2002 he finished his term as a manager of Almidan Theatre, marking 5 years of success and achievements that catapulted the theatre to prominence and consequentially becoming a leading theatre serving as the national theatre for the Palestinian minority in Israel.
In 2003 he directed "The Bus
The Bus
The Bus may refer to:* TheBus public transportation operated by Cornwall Transit in Cornwall, Ontario.* TheBus public transportation in Honolulu, Hawaii.* TheBus bus system serving Prince George's County, Maryland....
", a play portraying the post-intifada relations between Palestinians and Israelis and the Israeli perspective towards Palestinians in the light of suicide bombings that emanated at that time.
Awad participated it numerous theatrical conferences and festivals in Europe and the Arab world, and was a guest lecturer in some of them, including Berlin Festival, Carthage Festival and Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, where he shared his experience and talked about the Palestinian theatre.
He served as an artistic consultant in the Israel Film Fund.
He served as a member of the artistic committee of Acre (Akko) Theatre Festival for a year.
2004-2007 He was the general manager of Almidan Theatre. At that time, the theatre was going through hardship. Therefore, upon becoming manager, he had to reestablish the theatre's former stature. He increased the number of productions per year, and managed to revive the theatre. During this period, he established the Almidan Theatre Festival.
He finished writing his autobiography "Law Kont..." (If You Were...) which was written by the author and journalist Naji Daher.
In 2008 he started to work as the manager of the Cultural Department in Nazareth Municipality. During that time, he established Nazareth International Children's Theatre Festival.
He participated in the 24th ACCO, and Theatre in a Multicultural Society Jerusalem Conference, 7–9 January 2008.
He's considered a leading theatre director since he had a leading role in shaping the Palestinian
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
theatrical movement in Israel; Awad was the first to bring a cinematic approach to theatre, embedding a cinematic footage in a theatrical production.
Currently, he teaches theatre at the Drama Academy in Ramallah and works as the head of the Cultural Department in Nazareth.
Work
Stage Productions- The King is The King (1979)
- Men In The Sun (1982)
- Miss Julia (1982)
- The Dervishes are looking for the Truth (1985)
- A Song of a Deformed Soldier (1986)
- Birds (1987)
- Jaber's Head (1989)
- The Alley (1992)
- The Night and The Mountain (1993)
- Romeo And Juliet (1994)
- Le Montrer (1998)
- Abeer File No.96/63 (1999)
- The Bus (2003)
External links
- "Arab-German Literature", Iman O. Khalil and Jeannette Iocca, World Literature Today, Vol. 69, No. 3, Multiculturalism in Contemporary German Literature (Summer, 1995), pp. 521–527
- ""Sahmatah": Awakening History", Edward Mast, TDR (1988-), Vol. 44, No. 3 (Autumn, 2000), pp. 113–130
- http://www.aljabha.org/index.asp?i=2801
- http://www.newsweek.com/id/124721 Newsweek Article