EDUCATION
King’s College, London, Department of Classics PhD in Classics, 2018
Thesis title: ‘The Problem of the Chorus in Contemporary Revivals of Greek Tragedy and Directorial Solutions in the Last Forty Years’. Supervisor: Professor Edith Hall (King’s College, London). Examiners: Professor Barbara Goff (University of Reading), Dr. Nick Lowe (Royal Holloway, University of London).
University of California, Irvine, School of the Arts MFA in Drama- Directing, 2006
Thesis Title: Chekhov’s The Seagull: A Play about Innovation. Four landmark productions.
King’s College London with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art MA in Text and Performance Studies, 2001
Thesis in the form of a playwriting portfolio. Grade: Distinction.
Oxford University, Magdalen College BA in Classics, 2000 Grade: 2:1
Undergraduate thesis title: Notions of Female Beauty in Aristophanes
DIRECTING CREDITS
O Hassis (‘The Loser’) by Demetrius Gouzelis ETHAL, Limassol, 2017
Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis, Fantastico Theatro, Nicosia, 2017
‘Homa’(Earth) by Melina Papageorgiou, ETHAL, Limassol, 2017
Suriname by Stephanos Stavrides, Cyprus Theatre Organization, 2016
Fortunatus the Cypriot (world premiere), Fantastico Theatro, Nicosia and tour, 2015
Mesopatoma (Mezzanine)by Melina Papageorgiou, Fantastico Theatro, 2015
Tonight I will throw away your ashes, by Mannouris, Cyprus Theatre Organization, 2014
The children of Kain by Andreas Thomopoulos, Theatro Ena, 2013
Aristophanes’ Frogs, Fantastico Theatro, 16thο International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama, Cyprus 2012
It felt empty when the heart went at first but it is alright now by Lucy Kirkwood Dionysus Theatre, Nicosia, 2012
Papageno, the Magic Flute and the bells (an adaptation of Mozart’s the Magic Fluge for children) Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, 2011, conductor: Ayis Ioannides
The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, Cyprus Theatre Organization, 2011
Private Lives by Noel Coward, ETHAL, Limassol, 2011
La Petite piece en haut de l’escalier by Carole Fréchette, Cyprus Theatre Organization, staged reading, 2011
Jean and Beatrice by Carole Fréchette, Dionysus Theatre, Nicosia, 2011
Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, Dionysus Theatre, Nicosia, 2010
Metamorphoses based on Ovid, Cyprus Theatre Organization, 2009
Thebaid XII: Supplication based on Statius , International Meeting of Ancient Greek Drama in Delphi and tour
Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, Cyprus Theatre Organization, 2008
Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, Greek Cultural Centre, New York, 2008
YoU by Olga Mouchina, Analogio Festival, Athens 2008
Aristophanes’ Frogs, Greek Cultural Centre, New York, 2007
Thebaid Book XII based on Statius, Hellenic Laboratory, Target Margin Theatre, New York 2007
The Naked Eye Planets by Rebecca Tourino Coyote Rep, American Theatre of Actors, New York 2007 (world premiere)
Euripides’ Hecuba, NYU/Tisch School of the Arts/Experimental Theatre Wing, New York 2006
Hot ‘n’ Throbbing by Paula Vogel, The Chance Theatre, Anaheim, California, 2006
The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, University of California, Irvine, 2005
Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, University of California, Irvine, 2004
This Pity She’s a Whore by John Ford, University of California, Irvine, 2004
Vita and Virginia by Eileen Atkins, University of California, Irvine, 2003
ADAPTATIONS FOR THE STAGE
- Thebaid XII: Supplication. Based on Statius’ Thebaid Book XII, Euripides’ Suppliants and Sophocles’ Antigone. 2009.
- Metamorphoses: Adaptation for the stage of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, 2009.
- Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis: a new version for Fantastico Theatro,
- O Hassis (The Loser) by Demetrius Gouzelis: adaptation, 2017.
DRAMATURG
Far Away Chance Theatre, Anaheim 2004 dir. Trevor Biship
Playhouse Creatures University of California, Irvine 2006 dir. Amanda MacRaven
TRANSLATIONS
From French
- Les Mouches by Jean-Paul Sartre, for the Theatre Studies Programme of the Open University of Cyprus
- Jean et Beatrice by Carole Fréchette, for Dionysus Theatre, Nicosia.
From English:
- Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, for the Cyprus Theatre Organization
- It felt empty when the heart went at first but it is alright now… by Lucy Kirkwood, for Dionysus Theatre, Nicosia
From Ancient Greek:
- Edited a new translation and created a new version of Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis, for Fantastico Theatro
ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Oroonoko The Duke on 42nd Street 2008 dir. Kate Whoriskey
Camille Bard Summerscape NY 2006 dir. Kate Whoriskey
Pericles Juilliard 2006 dir. Timothy Douglas
Hitchcock Blonde South Coast Repertory Theatre 2006 dir. Terry Johnson
Caucasian Chalk Circle South Coast Repertory Theatre 2005 dir. Kate Whoriskey
Love’s Labor’s Lost Utah Shakespearean Festival 2005 dir. Timothy Douglas
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Utah Shakespearean Festival 2005 dir. Kathleen Conlin
The Clean House South Coast Repertory Theatre 2005 dir. Kate Whoriskey
Venus University of California, Irvine 2005 dir. Trevor Biship
Pedro Gynt University of California, Irvine 2004 dir. Robert Cohen
Our Country’s Good Technochoros Ypo Skian, Athens, Greece 2002 dir. Constantin Arvanitakis
Donizetti’s Caterina Cornaro KYPRIA Festival, Cyprus 2004 dir. Pierre Leon
CONFERENCES AND TALKS
- ‘Tragicomedy and pessimism in contemporary reception of Greek drama in Greece: Katerina Evangelatos’ Alcestis, 2017’, Performing Greece III: International conference on contemporary Greek theatre, Birkbeck College, University of London, 9 December 2017. Invited Speaker.
- ‘Melancholia and laughter in Modern Greek language productions of Aristophanes in the 21st century’, Aristophanic laughter: How is/was Old Comedy Funny?, King’s College, London, 3-4 June 2017. Invited Speaker.
- ‘The Greek chorus in education: building communities, creating active citizens’, Conference: Classics in Secondary Education, Cyprus Pedagogical Institute and the University of Nicosia, 6 May 2017. Invited Speaker.
- ‘Historical Amnesia in Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis’, 16th Annual Postgraduate Symposium on Ancient Drama: ‘Memory and Imagined Futures in the Theory and Practice of Ancient Drama’, the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama, Oxford University and the University of London, 25-27 June 2016. Invited Speaker.
- ‘Coming of age in Aulis. The young women in Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis’, Sacrificing Iphigenia through the ages, International conference, Centre of Ancient Drama and its Reception, University of Nottingham, 29-30 January 2016. Invited Speaker.
- ‘Contemporary Cypriot writing for the stage in the arsenal of Cypriot theatre artists’, 1st Pancyprian Theatre Studies Conference: Theatre in Modern and Contemporary Cyprus, the Cyprus Theatre Museum, the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, Cyprus Theatre Organization and the Municipality of Limassol, 30 October-1 November 2015. Invited Speaker.
- ‘The chorus in Iphigenia in Aulis: an apolitical chorus or a community in crisis?’, lecture at the Open University of Cyprus, Studies in Greek Civilization, 19 March 2015. Speaker.
- ‘Frogs in Cyprus and Hecuba in New York: two re-contextualizations of ancient Greek drama’, Classics Seminar, Open University of Cyprus, 12 December 2013. Speaker.
- ‘Collective pain on the contemporary stage’, 12th International Symposium of Ancient Greek Dram: ‘Pathos-mathos; pain, furor and their exploration in Ancient Greek Drama’, Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute, the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, 6-8 July 2012. Invited Speaker.
- ‘From Ancient Festivals to Modern Shows. Trying to recreate the audience experience of the chorus. The example of contemporary Greece’, International Conference The Problem of the Chorus— Staging Classical Greek Drama, the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, 14-16 April, 2012. Invited Speaker.
- ‘Contemporary approaches to Greek drama’, discussion with directors Nicos Charalambous and Magdalena Zira, Open University of Cyprus, Theatre Studies Postgraduate Programme, co-ordinator Vayios Liapis, 7 December 2011. Invited Speaker.
- Euripides’ Hecuba at the Experimental Theatre Wing, NYU, 2006’, ΧΙΙΙ International Symposium on Ancient Greek Drama: Women in Ancient Greek Drama, European Cultural Centre of Delphi, 6-15 July 2007. Invited Speaker.
PUBLICATIONS
Chapters in Edited Volumes and Conference Proceedings
‘Directing Greek Tragedy as Ritual: Mystagogy, Religion and Ecstasy’, in: George Rodosthenous (ed.), Contemporary adaptations of Greek tragedy: auteurship and directorial visions (Bloomsbury, London 2017) 111-125.
‘Contemporary Cypriot writing for the stage in the arsenal of Cypriot theatre artists’, Proceedings of the 1st Pancyprian Theatre Studies Conference: Theatre in Modern and Contemporary Cyprus. Expected publication date: 2018
‘The Greek chorus in education: building communities, creating active citizens’, Conference Proceedings: Classics in Secondary Education, Cyprus Pedagogical Institute and the University of Nicosia. Expected publication date: 2018.
Article in Peer-reviewed Journal
Gerolemou, Maria, and Magdalena Zira. “The Architecture of Memory: The Case of Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis.” Skenè. Journal of Theatre and Drama Studies 3.1 (2017).
FESTIVALS, INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AND DELEGATIONS
University of Cyprus Cultural Festival 2017: participated with production of Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis by Fantastico Theatro.
NRW KULTUR INTERNATIONAL- International Visitors Programme: ‘Stücke’ – Muelheim Days of Theatre NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia), 17-20 May 2013.
University of Cyprus Cultural Festival 2012: participated with production of Aristophanes’ Frogs by Fantastico Theatro.
International Festival of Ancient Greek drama, 2012, the Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute and the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus: participated with production of Aristophanes’ Frogs by Fantastico Theatro
International Playwrights Forum 2012: Philippines Workshop and Discussion Series. Member of an international delegation by the International Playwrights Forum of the International Theatre Institute. Lead workshops and talks on playwriting and community theatre in various cities in the Philippines.
Isra-Drama Festival 2012, organized by the Institute of Israeli Drama, 29 November-4 December 2012, Tel-Aviv: guest.
TRAMES 2010 («Traductions Mises en scene»): Comedie de Saint-Etienne in collaboration with the European Theatre Convention. Workshop of directors and translators from five European countries on the play La Petite piece en haut de l’escalier by Carole Frechette.
International Festival of Ancient Greek drama 2009, the Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute and the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus: participated with production of Thebaid XII: a supplication.
ΧΙV Meeting of Ancient Greek drama in Dephi, 2009, the European Cultural Centre of Deplhi: participated with production of Thebaid XII: a supplication.
University of Cyprus Cultural Festival 2009: participated with production of Thebaid XII: a supplication.
Analogio Festival 2008, Athens, National Theatre of Greece: directed a staged reading of the play YoU by Olga Mouchina.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
- Intercollege, Nicosia. Position: Part-time lecturer. Programme: Diploma in Acting.
- THTR 100: Acting 1(Greek theatre of the 19th century) 2015-16
- THTR 110: Acting 2 (Greek theatre of the 20th century) 2015-16
- THTR 165: Acting 4 (Elizabethan Drama) 2015-16
- THTR 190: Drama Theory 1 (Aristotle Poetics, Greek drama, Renaissance) 2015-16
- THTR 100: Acting 1(Greek theatre of the 19th century) 2016-17
- THTR 110: Acting 2 (Greek theatre of the 20th century) 2016-17
- THTR 260: Acting 5 (French Classicism) 2016-17
- THTR 210: Drama Theory 2 (Realism, Checkov, Ibsen, Stanislavski) 2016-17
- THTR 160: Acting 3 (Commedia dell’arte, Renaissance) 2016-17
- THTR 290: Acting 7 (Realism) 2016-17
- THTR 190: Drama Theory 1 (Aristotle Poetics, Greek drama, Renaissance) 2016-17
- THTR 100: Acting 1(Greek theatre of the 19th century) 2017-18
- THTR 260: Acting 5 (French Classicism) 2017-18
- THTR 310: Acting 9 (Ancient Greek Tragedy) 2017-18
- THTR 355: Text Analysis 2017-18
- THTR 160: Acting 3 (Commedia dell’arte, Renaissance) 2017-18
- THTR 290: Acting 7 (Realism) 2017-18
- THTR 370: Acting 11 (Contemporary world theatre) 2017-18
- THTR 190: Drama Theory 1 (Aristotle Poetics, Greek drama, Renaissance) 2017-18
- Re-actors Production and Art Studio, Nicosia
- Plawriting Workshop. 2017- today
- Aigaia School of Art and Design, Nicosia
- Theatre workshops for adults 2012-2014
- Artos Foundation, Nicosia
- Directing Workshop November-December 2009
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Producer, Artistic Director
Founded the independent theatre company Fantastico Theatro, which has been active in Cyprus since 2012, producing theatre performances, organizing tours and participating in festivals.
Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute
- Board Member (Secretary), 2011-13
- Member of the International Playwrights Forum
- International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama 2013: Festival Co-ordinator responsible for Curium Amphitheatre and Paphos Ancient Odeon.
Other outreach and development activities
- PLAY: She is among the leaders and organizers of PLAY, a new initiative for the promotion and development of Cypriot playwriting through workshops, staged readings, individual coaching etc. As board member of CCOITI she facilitated a collaboration between CCOITI and the Cyprus Theatre Organization for the purposes of the programme.
Animafest Cyprus- Views of the World
- Board Member: Secretary. Responsibilities: organizing the annual international Animation Festival of Cyprus
- Text editor, promotion, translations
University of California, Irvine
- Assistant to the Head of Directing (2002-2003).
