Welcome to Restart Theater Athens!

We’re delighted to have you join us in this virtual space, and we hope your experience here will be both inspiring and enriching. Restart Theater Athens is dedicated to providing a welcoming, transformative environment for all those passionate about the power of theater to change lives, both personally and collectively. Whether you’re eager to explore how this can be achieved through community and participatory theater actions, or you’re already familiar with their impact, we welcome you.

Lysistrata 2024

Dear visitors,

Find out NOW about this interACTIVE performance

- No more blood -

Now performing in Athens

We have been championing and pioneering socially engaging participatory theatre in Greece since 2010, through the creation of large scale community performances, training, workshops and advocacy during the beginning and peaks of the Greek Economic and political Crisis. After the COVID outbreak's enforced pause, we had to rebuild and re-structure on all levels, personal and professional. We had to restart!!! We left our previous group formation and created Restart Theater Athens in January 2023 in order to take our rich knowledge, and experience from the previous decade to the next level, and continue our research and experimentation in the dynamic interplay between performance and society. With a strong focus on sharing with our peers, expanding our reach, promoting the importance of participatory theater, and further developing our practices, we aim in the next decade to collaborate internationally— a while continuing to serve our communities in Greece as we help them and they help us re-build and re-claim lost ground caused by the Pandemic and the ongoing social, financial and political crisis.

European Collaborations and Projects

From our first year of operation, we initiated networking with our peers from Europe, had a European Premiere in Italy of our latest work, LYSISTRATA, participated the creation of joint projects with other socially engaged organizations and for the first time and gained invaluable experience in this process. In 2024 we initiated a number of European exchanges with socially engaged artists from Italy, Poland, Slovenia, France and Denmark, and we are currently awaiting to host in our space in Athens fellow artists from France (20-27 February 2025). We are thrilled to announce that have successfully received Creative Europe funding for our WOMEN InteACT – Participatory Theater Against the Double Exclusion of Women project, which has already begun and will be completed in July 2026. We encourage you to learn more about this exciting initiative and explore ways you can contribute or participate. Learn more

Want to find out more about our history? Press here

Our Mission? Press here

Participatory Theater in Greece

A History of Transformation and Impact in times of Crisis

Between 2010 and 2017, we performed, toured, and created collaborative projects across mainland Greece and its islands, reaching towns and villages where theater doesn't normally go. During the early stages of the Greek financial and political crisis, we witnessed firsthand how, without the belief that people can shape their lives and societies, citizens withdraw from civic participation, and become vulnerable to totalitarian and discriminatory ideologies while their mental and physical health deteriorate. We experienced the dangerous rise of the Greek neo-nazi party in neighborhoods that had previously a rich history of a culture of inclusion, resistance to totalitarianism and solidarity. We were worried, we were concerned and theater also became a way for us to actively try to intervene against the social hate, exclusion and discrimination that was developing in all sectors of society not wanting to ourselves one day wake up in a world that has become a nightmare...

On the other hand, we also witnessed the powerful impact of participation. We watched communities come alive through collective action—whether it was reuniting estranged villagers, protecting sites of historical memory, or transforming protests into creative performances. We saw citizens step out of seclusion and political apathy to join in common social causes, and entire villages commemorate their past through theatrical memorials. We witnessed remarkable acts of solidarity and generosity, with individuals who were once strangers coming together in powerful ways to support one another, forging lasting bonds. People opened up their homes for us, to feed us, to give us a bed to sleep, to find resources for us in order to create and tour our performances from one village to the next. People opened up their hearts and shared with us personal stories and biograpfies, their agonies, sorrows and hopes while testifying that our presence in their communities was invaluable, creating bridges and bringing in hope... From these experiences, we are confident in our mission and the theatre that we serve: The world needs socially engaged participatory theater now more than ever.

while at home, in Greece

We organised and run our studio / performance space, developed new performances and community projects and workshops. We have hosted in solidarity young creatives that do not have rehearsal spaces of their own, held confidential sessions of coaching for young artists and people from the community. We also initiated a pilot project for bringing writers with communities together...

Especially NOW, in a time when change seems to be happening faster than we can all process and integrate, which creates more fear, uncertainty, and fragmentation—and where many of us have been traumatized or victimized in various ways and at different levels— NOW that much of our life, work, and communications become increasingly digital and isolated, the power of participatory theater to create community, build bonds of friendship, and offer support through positive creative outlets becomes even more significant.

Participatory theater provides a space for living, breathing human beings to come together, take time to reflect, share concerns, learn from one another, forge new connections, and often, necessarily, examine and challenge beliefs that are no longer serving us. Through the freedom of expression—where each participant can be HEARD and SEEN—and through the co-creation of communal experiences, initiatives, and active participation, we re-establish and restore our authentic selves, our self-worth, and regain the internal belief that we can shape our lives and society by putting it in action. This helps us move beyond the frustration of feeling victimized or being passive observers of injustice without power and this also creates a protective shield to democratic processes which are so urgently needed.

RESTART THEATER ATHENS: A Space for

Transformation, Healing, Empowerment, Community and Education

Here at Restart Theater Athens we aim to continue providing a welcoming space where theater serves as a tool for personal and communal growth and transformation. We believe that the arts have the power to heal, transform, and empower—not only individuals but entire communities—and that theater is a powerful force for building a better world for us and future generations. This belief is grounded not only in our love and passion for this art form but also in our hands-on experience with the hundreds of people we’ve encountered since 2010 through our consistent engagement with community and socially engaged participatory theater.

Participating in performative action combines our bodies, voices, minds, emotions, spirits, existential selves, and our social selves. Theater engages with the totality of our being… at least, theater as we practice it. Entertainment usually calls people to "forget about their troubles" and lose themselves in fantasy land. Participatory theater is a call to return to the self, and to also return to the social body, acting as a restoring force, empowering, precious, and unique for all those who take part in it...

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Want to find out more about our workshops? Check out about our current WOMENS' VOICES, our STAGED LITERATURE READINGS FOR ALL activities, our CREATIVE writing workshops or subscibe to be notified about new workshop opportunities

Lysistrata 2024: A Bold New Production for Peace

We’re excited about our current production of Lysistrata 2024 that has developed as a work in progress from a bilingual production (Greek/English) which was premiered in Italy in 2023 to a fully fledged Greek production while we continue to develop in in another bilingual version and hope to tour in Europe between 2026-2028... Stay tuned for updates on this innovative interactive performance that blends classical text with contemporary issues, creating a unique theater experience where you, the spectator become part of the Aristophanic chorus during the action... Do not hesitate to contact us for more information about how we can come to you and your community or you can come to our home-made theater space at the historical neighborhood of Ano Petralona, right beneath the Acropolis...

Our Vision for Conscious, Independent Theater Creation

At Restart Theater Athens, we are committed to creating independent, conscious theater that fosters personal and social transformation. Our work goes beyond performance—we aim to contribute to a global movement of alternative theater where the creator’s role is deeply connected to serving the community and fostering a better future for all.

Through our initiatives, we aspire to catalyze genuine transformation by embracing theater’s full potential: to heal, to uplift, to challenge and to unite us through our humanity into supportive networks, pro-active in common actions that can be of benefit to ourselves and to others in our society.

For state as well as local cultural organizations, participatory theater/socially engaged theater, is often mixed up with "amateur" theater because it involves the participation of "non- professional" actors in the production. This mix up and lack of knowledge of what it is about, certainly makes our life and seeking of funding from such institutions challenging.

Angeliki Kasola introduced the term of "non-actors" in Greek in our open calls for workshop participants, members, and volunteers in our performative actions since 2010 to emphasize that we are not seeking amateur actors or attempting to replace professional actors with amateurs... While we deeply value amateur theater, it is not the focus of our practice. Instead, we invite citizens of all ages, social backgrounds, educational levels, and ethnicity to join a process in which the performance is only one aspect, the last stage of a long process—a culmination and celebration of what we have achieved and co-created together, theatre artists and members from the communities... This co-creation and the energy of our experience is shared with an audience through the public performance. The performance becomes the vehicle through which we unite with a larger segment of the visited community, into a unique shared communal experience where we re-establish bonds of humanity, unity, and togetherness. "Society" is no ;onger a generalized, abstract concept in people's minds but something deeply experienced, the social body re-experienced... This society can also then be re-imagined with new possibilities...

A Global Stage, With a Unique Greek Perspective

While we are based in Athens, Greece, our vision extends globally. We’re excited to share our experiences, insights, and creations with people from all around the world. We invite you to engage with our journey, and discover the joys and challenges of creating theater in Athens—a city with a rich theatrical history with an astounding number of new productions every year and theater spaces in terms of population and theater going numbers which sets Athens aside as a unique phenomenon, worth of research, but also specific challenges for independent creators.

Did you know? Many Greek theater artists struggle to have their work seen on the international stage. If you’re unfamiliar with Greek theater artists or theater groups, you’re not alone. The conditions for independent theater creation in Greece are harsh, creators are underfunded, overtaxed, without mentorship, support or educational tools that may help them develop and become sustainable...

"We hit restart!!! What about you?"

At Restart Theater Athens, we believe in the power of transformation. Just as we’ve chosen to hit restart on our own lives and artistic practices, we invite you to do the same. By joining our community, you’ll gain the opportunity to connect with others, express yourself creatively, and experience personal transformation through theater.

In addition to our weekly and annual workshops, immersive theater performances, and community projects, we are always happy to explore together with new people, how the timeless art of theater can enrich our lives—and the lives of others—on a profound level.

We invite you to explore our annual WOMEN'S' VOICES workshops, our staged readings for all, as well as our new creative writing initiative. Although these are all projects underway for 2025, our doors are always open for new members, and we are ready to start new actions for new members and interested parties.

For those of you who are seeking to make changes in your life, deepen your self-development or seek guidance and support in a safe, confidential and empowering environment, please know that we have also developed and offer a unique targeted approach to life coaching through theater through group or individual sessions. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like to learn more about these sessions or book a meeting with us to discuss your concerns and explore with us if we may be able to help.

Join Us on This Journey

We’re in the early stages of building an inclusive, empowering online community for theater creators and enthusiasts. Our blog and social media platforms will feature articles, resources, and empowering information to help you grow as a theater creator, wherever you are in the world.

Don’t miss out! Stay connected with us by subscribing to our updates, and we’ll alert you when new articles, educational seminars, performance opportunities, and more are available. We’ll be continuously updating this space, so be sure to check back often—and better yet, sign up so we can send you updates directly.

We would love to hear from you. Contact us for any information, queries or just simply send us your message

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