History
Gesher Theatre was founded in Israel in 1991 with the support of several institutions, including the Ministry of Education, the Jewish Agency, and the City of Tel Aviv. [2] Founded by a group of actors who had immigrated from the former Soviet Union, led by director Yevgeny Aryeh, Gesher is now considered a significant part of Israeli culture. [3] The theater is known for its bilingual performances, with the same troupe performing alternately in Russian and Hebrew. Although it began with a Russian-speaking cast, the majority of its productions are now staged in Hebrew. [4] Gesher's artistic style combines traditional Russian theatrical principles with an innovative approach. [5]
The theater's first production was Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which debuted in April 1991, immediately after the Gulf War. The play was well-received by critics and was chosen to represent Israeli theatre in New York in January 1992. [6] [7]
In September 1992, Gesher staged the Molière play *The Misanthrope* in Hebrew at the Zurich Festival. [8] The following year, in July 1993, Gesher was the first Israeli theatre to be invited to the prestigious Festival d'Avignon. The French media praised Director Yevgeny Arye and the Gesher actors for their performance of *Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead* at the festival. [9] In 1993, after only two years of activity, Gesher was awarded the status of a public theater. [10]
In 1994, the theater staged Adam Resurrected, which dealt with the Holocaust. The play, by Alexander Chervinsky [ ru ], was based on the novel of the same name by Yoram Kaniuk. [11] In 1996, Gesher Theater debuted "Village," an original play by Yehoshua Sobol that addresses a small settlement in the land of Israel before the establishment of the state. [12] In April 1997, "Village" earned Gesher Theatre the five most important categories of the Israel Theater Prize. [13]
Gesher's production of "City – Odessa Stories," based on stories by Isaac Babel, was invited to the Kennedy Center in Washington and was featured during the 50th anniversary celebrations for the State of Israel. [14] The theater's permanent residence, Noga Theater in Jaffa, was gifted by the City of Tel Aviv-Yafo on its eighth anniversary. [15]
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