Photo Flash: First Look At US Premiere Of Reut Shemesh's LEVIAH

Theaterlab (Orietta Crispino, Artistic Director; Jolene Noelle, Program Director) presents the US premiere of Leviah-choreographer Reut Shemesh's award-winning memoir about vulnerability, power, conformity and loss of agency-October 23 and 24, 2018 at its Midtown home (357 West 36th Street). The piece is part of Theaterlab's 2018 Homecoming season.

Composed of a collection of memories from service in the Israeli military, Leviah brings to light a phenomenon that is rarely spoken about: the emotional trauma and despair that female soldiers in junior positions endure. Leviah is a powerful duet that reenacts the gradual but consistent toll that political groupthink takes on the individual psyche.

First performed in Cologne in 2015, Leviah toured throughout Germany, Switzerland and Slovenia in 2016 and 2017. It was awarded the Cologne Tanz- und Theaterpreis in 2017 and the audience prize at the Festival 638 KiloTanz Essen. TanzMagazine (Germany) raves that "Leviah is big, dark, brave, personal, but not private. Reut Shemesh allows dance to handle the art of dealing with vulnerability without portraying the victim as small and powerless."

Leviah marks Shemesh's return to Theaterlab, where she recreated her provocative piece Wildwood Flowers (world premiere Cologne, February 2015) with American performers in fall 2015. Wildwood Flowers delved into the notion whether self (re)invention is possible.

"Piece after piece, Reut Shemesh's unconventional vocabulary explores the dynamics of power and how it shapes the female psyche," raves Theaterlab Artistic Director Orietta Crispino. "This duet couldn't be more timely and urgent in giving shape to the unspeakable experience of violence."

Leviah's concept, choreography and text are by Reut Shemesh, who created and performs the piece with Hella Immler. The creative team for Leviah includes Simon Bauer (music), Ronni Shendar (scenography), Dario Mendez Acost (costume design), Daniel Rademacher (dramaturgy), and Sabina Stücker (management).

Performances of Leviah are October 23 and 24, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 pm at Theaterlab (357 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor, between 8th & 9th Avenue; Subway: A/C/E or 1/2/3 to 34th). Tickets are $25 and available at www.theaterlabnyc.com.

Photo Credit: Ronni Shendar