Devised Theater Workshop Performance To Feature Department of State Visiting Actors, 7/19

The DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, presents a "Devised Theater" workshop performance as part of a Cultural Exchange Visitor Program which brings emerging International Artists to the United States and provides them with instructive and informative experiences in their arts discipline. As part of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center, actors from Colombia, Egypt, India, Nigeria, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, and Venezuela will participate in a two-week intensive program, led by Washington, D.C.-based director Colin Hovde, collaborating on a work-in-progress. The international actors will perform their work at the Kennedy Center on July 19, 2010 at 4 p.m. This performance is free, but press must RSVP in advance to edowdy@kennedy-center.org. The work-in-progress performance will be followed by a question and answer session with the actors, led by DeVos Institute of Arts Management Director Brett Egan.

During their time in the U.S., the international actors will also take part in theater workshops in New York City, including The Civilians' investigative theater workshop, led by founding Artistic Director Steve Cosson, as well as La MaMa ETC's workshop, led by Zishan Ugurlu, that will explore methods to transform research and inquiry into the building blocks for the creation of new works for the theater. The actors will also explore Techtonic Theater Project's workshop focusing on moment work-a technique for creating and analyzing theater developed by Moisés Kaufman; and the movement intensive Neutral Mask with Dody Disanto of the Center for Movement Theatre. Additionally, the actors will spend three days at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in New London, Connecticut.

A list of the eight international actors participating in the program is listed below.

Pablo Andrade, from Caracas, Venezuela, is an actor and president of Grupo Actoral Teatropeyo.

Raghad Al Makhlouf, from Damascus, Syria, is an assistant professor at the Syrian Higher Institute of Drama in Damascus.

Daniel Mondragon, from Bogota, Colombia, is the Artistic Director for Patch Theater, where he also works as an actor, dramaturge, and designer. Trained in puppetry, he also teaches at the Instituto Alberto Merani.

Olufemi Oke, from Lagos, Nigeria, is an actor with A.K. Media Concepts, Dunfex Ventures, and the Actors Guild of Nigeria.

Olexandra Oliinyk, from Kiev, Ukraine, works with the Academic Theater of Drama and Comedy and is involved with the Moving Academy for Performing Arts, a joint Ukrainian - Netherlands project.

Ahmed Omar, from Giza, Egypt, is a member of the newly formed Alumni Community Theater Group.
Sasithorn Panichnok, from Bangkok, Thailand, is a member of the LiFE Theater. She has appeared in numerous productions on stage, film, and television, and teaches acting at Chulalonkhorn University and the Bangkok Dramatic Academy.

Sanyukta Saha, from New Delhi, India, is a member of the Pandies Theater Group, one of the most popular and active theater groups in New Delhi.
About The Cultural Visitors Program

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Kennedy Center have partnered together on this program since 2006 in order to provide artistic development and cultural exchange experiences for artists and arts managers. Past participants have come to the U.S. from more than 37 countries worldwide, including Azerbaijan, Bolivia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, and Turkey. The Kennedy Center develops customized programs for each group, including Classical Musicians in August 2010, American Roots Musicians Musicians in September 2010, and Modern and Hip Hop Dancers in October 2010. For more information, visit the Center's website at https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/state/cultural/

About the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center

The programs of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center, formerly the Kennedy Center Arts Management Institute, offer practical training to arts managers and board members at all stages of professional development in the United States and around the world. These programs, which stress core competency in fundraising, artistic planning, strategic planning, marketing, and board development, have reached arts leaders from more than 65 countries. The centerpiece of the Institute is its Capacity Building programs, which offer technical assistance to arts managers and their boards through seminars, web chats, and on-site consultations. Regional Capacity Building programs for arts organizations will begin soon, joining previously existing, large-scale programs in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Several other Kennedy Center Capacity Building programs include a multi-city program in partnership with the Ford Foundation and a national program for 45 culturally specific arts organizations specializing in African American, Latino, Asian American, and Native American arts. For more information, visit the Center's website at www.kennedy-center.org/education/artsmanagement

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