Jersey City Theater Center’s 2020 Voices Festival
The Jersey City Theater Center will be presenting the 2nd Annual 2020 Voices International Theatre Festival, a 10-day virtual event hosting 24 productions from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States, which will run from October 16 to October 25. The event will highlight unique perspectives on theater production from various cultures, countries, and continents. Audience members will have the opportunity to converse with artists, writers, directors, and enthusiasts. There will be events hosted by Laia Cabrera, Isabella Duverger and Stephanie Chaiken. The festival’s opening ceremony is on Sunday, October 18 in Liberty State Park, Jersey City. The in-person event will be socially distanced with both live and virtual events.
Still from Shoes and Coups by Palesa Mazamisa. Image courtesy of JCTC.
Shoes and Coups (SOUTH AFRICA) by Palesa Mazamisa. Premiered at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg in 2018, a biting satire about the complicated, intimate, and absurd relationships between citizens, government and big business satirical drama. Live Zoom performance with South African cast, in English. Program offered for free to students of Snyder High School in Jersey City. Opens the Festival Fri Oct 16, 10am ($10)
Still from I Was Prospero (or remembering ‘The Tempest’), Nau Ivanow, producer. Image courtesy of JCTC.
I Was Prospero (or remembering ‘The Tempest’) (SPAIN/CATALONIA) – Nau Ivanow (producer). Recorded performance with subtitles. Sun Oct 18, 12 Noon ($10).
Still from Burning Doors, Belarus Free Theater. Image courtesy of JCTC.
Burning Doors (BELARUS) – Belarus Free Theatre. Co-created by the internationally acclaimed company’s co-leaders Nikolai Khalezin and Natalia Koliada, with Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina, who performs in the scorchingly physical production about persecuted artists living under dictatorship (who will not be silenced), in her stage debut. Ensemble performance. Recorded performance in Russian with subtiltles. Sun Oct 18, 10am ($10).
Still from Antigone, produced by RAAAM Theater Group. Image courtesy of JCTC.
Antigone (ESTONIA/IRAN) – RAAAM Theater Group (producer) adapted by Iranian exile Ghanizadeh, written in Estonian, this censored work in Farsi and Estonian was produced with Estonian actors from RAAM Theater Group. Modern adaptation of Sophocles. Recorded performance with subtitles. Sat Oct 24, 4pm ($10)
Still from Shunya Se, Ranan, producer. Image courtesy of JCTC.
Shunya Se (INDIA) – Ranan (producer) conceived and choreographed by Vikram Lyengar, with co-choreographers Debashree Bhattacharya and Sohini Debnath, based on the five elements of the universe. Performance dance. Recorded performance. Sat Oct 24 at 9pm ($10).
The 2020 Voices International Theatre Festival is supported by the City of Jersey City (Mayor Steven M. Fulop); the Jersey City Municipal Council, Office of Cultural Affairs; the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism; Hudson County Cultural Affairs; businesses and organizations across the State, as well as several neighborhood groups in Jersey City. Says Olga Levina, founding artistic director of JCTC: “We are proud of our partnership with Jersey City, the Golden Gateway of America which has one of the highest concentrations of ethnic groups by population density in the country. Our mission is to be an annual festival that is as local as it is global.