About

What am I looking for? Definitely a way of coexisting with people primarily on stage. But I am definitely looking for a common vision in relation to the art of Theatre. And beyond that, I think we, artists, are all looking for answers to our deepest existential questions. To me, Theater is an anthem in life, in the body as a whole. It is the most ephemeral art, the embodiment of mortality. Through the extremity of expression, through the use of voice and movement, through the exploration of ridiculousness, smallness, the breadth of the voice, it is like searching, expanding the limits of my existence, expanding my senses, to multiply my life. I believe that what unites us is the realization that life is so deeply tragic as a finite phenomenon that emerges as the supreme, glorious game. Through Theatre, I try to communicate with my peers and with the audience and convey a message that says "Look how we are and look how we could be". Or rather to ask the question "Could it be so?".

In my art, I combine acting and performing with music, grotesque, mask, ritual, transformation, clothing, body and voice, space and time. I focus on stage narration with its infinite forms, theatrical and non-theatrical texts. I am particularly interested in accuracy, detail and not necessarily naturalistic imprinting.

I see drama as an art of communicative nature. The simultaneous care of the scenography, lighting, sound and the other elements can create the optimal conditions and atmosphere for the two-way flow between the audience and the performers, leading to ascertaining the social role of theatre.

A few things about me

A Midsummer Night ’s Dream by William Shakespeare was the first theatrical play I had ever seen at the age of four. Watching on stage a story being brought to life before my very own eyes, led me to a deep appreciation for the art of Theatre and Music, as the characters, the masks, the lights, and above all the live music took me on a journey to a wondrous world. While still enchanted by the experience, I went back home only to stage my own performance with whatever props, mainly my toys and my mother ’s clothes, I had at my disposal. Without realising at the age of six I started my studies in classical music and piano. At the same time, at school, I was initiated into theatrical texts of Greek playwrights by participating in school plays and happenings.

This juvenile obsession evolved through the years into an adult passion for Music and Drama. Consequently, I graduated from the Department of Music Science and Art, with a major in European Music, a specialization in Applied Music Studies and field of study Choir and Chamber Music. In the meantime, I enrolled in Rontidis Drama School for Acting and Theatre Studies. There, I had the chance to become acquainted with inspiring people from all fields of theatre, as well as be introduced to a variety of theatrical genres. I practised different acting techniques, I learnt how to build characters, I studied a wide range of theatrical texts and I enhanced my analytical and critical thinking. Furthermore, the acting school offered me the opportunity to perform great roles from different eras and styles. Playing the role of Electra from Euripides’ Orestes and Andromache from The Trojan Women I realised Ancient Greek Tragedy ‘s greatness and the way it influenced the course of theatre throughout centuries. Performing Shakespeare ’s Desdemona and Helena was a lesson into the psyche of characters that improved my empathy. My theatrical baggage carries Beckett ’s Lacky, The Good Woman Of Setzuan and the tantalizing monologue The Worst Curse from Misterioso-119 by Koffi Kwahulé.

The most remarkable experience came towards the end of my studies through my choice of theme for my thesis supervised by Dr Katerina Diakoumopoulou and Dr Michalis Nistikakis. My genuine interest and extensive readings of literature led me to a contemporary novel Fame, by Daniel Kehlmann. I adopted and combined parts of the text into a theatrical play with live original music, which I produced, directed, and took part in. It was a very rewarding experience as I was responsible for the supervision of the whole performance, that is taking care of organisational matters, finding sponsors, cast, venue, props, costumes, sound and light design. Through this process, I developed the skill of leadership, teamwork, collaboration, flexibility, decisiveness and orderliness. It was thus that I realised that besides acting, I am interested in exploring theatre holistically, in all its spectrum.

In trying to keep constantly up to date with the latest innovations in Theatre, I became aware of the importance of physicality in acting. Therefore, I got accepted to ReDance, an eighteen-month actor ’s training course on contemporary dance and performance, where focusing on the physical, and organic nature of the movement, I gained a high level of technique, and improvisation. From then on, I have followed numerous seminars with relevance to contemporary dance and performance, mask in theatre, Grotowski method, acrobatic dance, and contemporary music. I am currently studying as a Master student (MA Acting) at the University of East London.

As far as my working experience is concerned, it is mainly on the field of Children ’s Theatre and Street Theatre. I was cast for such contradictory roles as princess Anna in Frozen, and Karagkiozis, a caricature figure of traditional Greek Shadow Theatre. There, physicality, the use of the mask, and elements like immediacy, interaction, and flexibility was of major importance. Directing Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, I learnt how to be creative under production restrictions. Additionally, I volunteered to direct and perform dramatisations of book extracts at book presentations and took part in short films. I have also been working as a music teacher, which is my access to lifelong learning and improves my communicative skills. My latest project is Symbiosis, a film based on my memories from when I lived in a shared flat with two close friends.

Expectations & future plans

The opportunity to cooperate with people of the same interests and progressive ideas meet my expectations to be part of a team aiming at forwarding contemporary theatre towards tomorrow’s performance. I would like to think that my innovative ideas interwoven with my peers’ creativity will contribute to the current wave and break new ground in the field of theatre performance.

Furthermore, I am interested in interdisciplinary tactics, involving traditional elements of drama with contemporary technology and other arts, focusing on how they can interact in a creative way. Lastly, I am engaging in forming my own Theatre Company.

Sotiria