Marina Bechraki (Myrtali) is a graduate of the Department of Theatre Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2011-2013: Scholar of The Alexis Minotis Bequest in Memory of Katina Paxinou – National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation), the Postgraduate Studies Programme of the same Department, as well as Nikos Vastardis’ School of Dramatic Art “Themelio”. She is a graduate of the Department of Turkish Studies and Contemporary Asian Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, while she is also a PhD candidate at the Department of Theatre Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens with a thesis on The Reception of Greek (Theatrical) Antiquity by the Ottoman/Turkish Dramaturgy. She has worked as an educator at the Art courses of the Municipality of Keratsini. She has worked as an assistant director, as a dramaturg and as an actress in many theatrical performances, directed by Katerina Evaggelakou, Stathis Livathinos, Dimos Avdeliodis, Maritina Passari, Petros Philippidis, Giorgos Kimoulis, Sotris Hatzakis. She was a Priestess at the Olympic Flame Handover Ceremony for the London Olympics (2012). Her poetry collection Little Prophet was published by Kastaniotis Publications (Athens 2014).
Alexandros Cohen He was born in Athens. He graduated from Iasmos Drama School and then pursued post-graduate studies in Directing at Middlesex University London (Master of Arts in Theatre Directing) and at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts GITIS in Moscow. He attended the First Summer Academy of the National Theatre, as well as acting and lighting design seminars. He is a student at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Athens (Department of Theatre Studies). He has directed the plays: Extremities by William Mastrosimone, Beautiful Child by Nicky Silver, Not About Nightingales by Tennessee Williams, Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Love and Intrigue by Friedrich Schiller, Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams, Time and the Conways by John Priestley, School for Scandal by Richard Sheridan, Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare, The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen, The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, The Visit by Friedrich Schiller, Vassa by Maxim Gorky, The Lyons by Nicky Silver, Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, The Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton, Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill, The Collector by John Fowles, The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman, The Rats by Gerhart Hauptmann, Look back in Anger by John Osborne, Fausta by Bost, The Coffee Shop by Carlo Goldoni, Rope by Patrick Hamilton, The Pig-Bank by Eugene Labiche, Retreat from Moscow by William Nickolson, Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare, Toys at the Attic by Lillian Hellman, The Toyer by Gardner McKey, Dial ‘M’ for Murder by Frederick Knott, Boy with a Suitcase by Mike Kenny, Night on Earth by Giorgos Blanas and Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley. He has translated plays written by William Shakespeare, Richard Sheridan, Friedrich Schiller, Eugene Labiche, Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, Arthur Schnitzler, Gerhart Hauptmann, Luigi Pirandello, Maxim Gorky, Eugene O’Neill, John Priestley, Bertolt Brecht, Roger Vitrac, Patrick Hamilton, Lillian Hellman, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Frederick Knott, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, John Fowles, Peter Shaffer, John Osborne, Alan Ayckbourn, William Mastrosimone, William Nickolson, Beth Henley, Terry Johnson, Charlotte Keatley, Nicky Silver, Martin MacDonagh, David Gieslemann etc. which have been presented at The National Theatre of Northern Greece, the Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun, the Open Theatre, the Cyprus Theatre Organisation, or by private theatre companies and theatre groups and have been published by the following publishers: Kapa Publishing House, Ηridanos, Sokoli, Aigokeros, Aparsis, Odos Panos. In 2010 he founded Hyperion Theatre Company, which mainly presents unknown plays written by well-known playwrights. Since 2007 he has been teaching Acting and Improvisation in private drama schools. He is the artistic director of Iasmos Drama School.
Emmanouil (Manos) Damaskinos holds an Integrated Master’s Degree from the Department of Theatre, Faculty of Fine Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2013), a Diploma of Postgraduate Studies from the Department of Theatre Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (MΑ “From text to stage. The Greek theatre in dialogue with the world”, 2017) and is a PhD candidate of the same Department with a thesis on The Staging of Ancient Greek Tragedy by Spyros A. Evaggelatos. He has worked as a Theatre Assistant Director in the performance of the plays: Pass-Port. Journeys to the Sea in Ancient Greek Tragedy (2022) directed by Leonidas Papadopoulos (Argo Theatre-Amilia Ypsilanti); Mikrasia (2022) directed by Leonidas Papadopoulos (Municipal Theatre of Ilioupolis); Makrygiannis (2021-2022) directed by I. Vivilakis (Alkmene Theatre); The Birds (2021) directed by Leonidas Papadopoulos (Vault Theatre Plus, Amalia Theatre); Spanos (2021) written and directed by I. Vivilakis (Holy Monastery of Dafni). He served as Assistant Artistic Director, Editor - Proofreader - Head of Organization of Theatrical Analogues (seven theatrical analogues from Drama Schools) at the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus (2019). He participated as a Theatre Consultant in the triennial spring festival “The Dynamics of Greek Speech in Theatre” (2018-2020), in the presentation of the Open Rehearsals and in the analysis of the play by Makis Tsitas, The General is making a fuss in the square (2017), directed by Roula Pateraki. He collaborated with the National Theatre in the programme Let’s go to Epidaurus, in accompanying the audience of the performance at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus as well as in the presentation and analysis of ancient drama plays (2015-2019). He was a member of the scientific and artistic group “Othonion” (2019-2021). He has participated in the organizational implementation and secretarial support of theatrical events and conferences. He has participated with scientific papers in theatre studies’ conferences. His articles have been published in the proceedings of theatre studies’ conferences and other editions.
