Gabriella Lev

Gabriella Lev is a theatre director, writer and performer. She co-founded the “Theatre Company Jerusalem” and is currently its artistic director. She has won many awards, including ‘My Jerusaelem award’ for contribution to cultural life in Jerusalem 2010.

Gabriella Lev graduated from University of New South Wales where she majored in theatre in 1969. There she played many varied roles, including Gertrude in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Joan in George Bernard Shaw's "St.Joan".

In 1971 Lev attended the London Film School, where she joined an alternative theatre company, "The Low Moan Spectacular" and helped create "El Coca Cola Grande" in which she also performed. This play was performed off-Broadway and is still running in various parts of the U.S. and Canada today. Lev performed in various theaters in the U.K. including The Hampstead Theatre Club, Greenwich Theatre, The Close, the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, The National Theatre of Wales and Bristol Old Vic as well as appearing in various theaters in Europe.

Lev was influenced by the alternative theatre scene in London in the 1970s where she first came into contact with such troupes as the People Show and practitioners such as Charles Marowitz.

In 1973 Gabriella Lev made Aliyah to Israel. Which had a great effect on her work. She participated in a 10-day workshop given by Andre Gregory and Jaques Chwat at Mishkenot Sha'ananim. This exposure to work inspired by Jerzy Grotowski influenced her artistically. Later she collaborated with Serge Quaknine a student of Grotowskis. Also in this period she first came into contact with the voice work of the Roy Hart Theatre and co-operated with members of the theatre particularly Barry Coglhan for many years. In her first year in the country she worked in various schools and community centers teaching drama. At the end of this year she established the Odot Company which produced two original Israeli theatre pieces, "Nashim Odot Nashim" and "Anashim Rakim”. She later helped establish The Jerusalem Drama Workshop and was its director for three years. This establishment grew into the Theatre Company Jerusalem which she co-founded and today is its artistic director. The original works of TCJ have won much acclaim and recognition. The company has been invited to perform at many theatre festivals around the world.

Lev lectures and demonstrates the unique theatrical modes developed by her and her company in many universities and institutions of higher learning, both in Israel and abroad. Such as Yale university, Wesleyan University the University of California in Berkeley and Harvard University.

Works Gabriella Lev initiated and co-created

Maaseh Bruria

Ester

Sara Take 2

Sota

Ahava Atika

Shulem