RESTARTING THEATRE, LITERATURE AND SOCIETY
STAGED LITERATURE READINGS 2024-2025
Bringing Writers, Audiences, and Communities Together
actress Irini Mela from the staged reading of Spyros Tzokas' latest historical novel "A Long night", on the life and death of Napoleon Soukatzidis (Synchroni Epohi publications), held at the Hall of the Municipality of Haidari with the community popular music ensemble of the Municipality. Dramaturgy/direction: Angeliki Kassola, 30 September 2024
THE IDEA behind our staged readings
At Restart Theater Athens, we believe in the power of staged readings to bring writers, audiences, and communities together in meaningful and transformative ways. Through our workshops and performances, we create a collaborative environment where literature is not only read but experienced. Our staged readings serve as a platform for emerging literary works, allowing them to share their voices with a broader community while receiving valuable feedback from both performers and audiences.
By mixing professional actors with non-actors in the production of these staged readings involving actively our community members in parallel activities, we foster a rich, dynamic atmosphere that promotes learning, collaboration, and mutual respect. This approach creates opportunities for personal growth for participants while enriching the overall experience for the audience. At Restart Theater Athens, we aim to create a space where literature, theatre, and community intersect, giving rise to new interpretations, connections, and creative possibilities. Through these staged readings, we continue to inspire, engage, and build stronger bonds within the communities we serve.
The Value to Participants
For non-actors, participating in a staged reading provides a transformative opportunity for personal growth. Stepping into the role of an actor—whether for the first time or as an experienced participant—allows individuals to engage with literature on a deeper level, exploring both its intellectual and emotional dimensions. The process helps participants expand their empathy and perspective while building confidence and communication skills. As they bring characters to life, they also gain a deeper appreciation for the nuances of language, storytelling, and performance.
The mixing of professional actors and non-actors in staged readings creates a unique environment for learning and collaboration. Non-actors benefit from the technical skill, experience, and interpretive expertise of professional actors, gaining insights into performance techniques and theatrical dynamics. At the same time, the authenticity and fresh energy that non-actors bring to the stage often inspire professionals, fostering a creative dialogue between experienced and new performers. This collaborative atmosphere not only enriches the performance but also nurtures mutual respect and shared learning. Non-actors gain confidence, experience, and valuable skills, while professional actors are reminded of the transformative power of engaging with new perspectives.
The Value to the Audience
Staged readings of literature offer an innovative way to reconnect audiences with the power of words. By bringing literature to life through live performance, these readings create a dynamic, immersive experience that bridges the gap between traditional reading and theatre. While the text itself remains unchanged, the live performance adds layers of meaning through the actors’ voices, expressions, and gestures, creating a more immediate and engaging connection to the material.
This format also makes literature more accessible. For those who may find reading daunting or time-consuming, staged readings offer a condensed yet rich experience, sparking curiosity and encouraging further exploration of the full text. The combination of performance and storytelling enhances the material, making it feel more alive and relevant to contemporary audiences. The shared, communal nature of the event allows for deeper emotional engagement and reflection, fostering a sense of connection among the audience and the performers.
Staged Readings of Literature: An Innovative Approach to Engaging Audiences and communities with Literature
The Value to the Authors
For emerging writers or lesser-known works, staged readings provide a powerful platform to introduce new voices to the public. These readings offer a unique opportunity for authors to see their work come to life in front of an audience, allowing them to experience firsthand how their words resonate in performance. The feedback from both performers and audiences can offer invaluable insights and inspiration for the writer, helping to shape future revisions or new projects.
Additionally, staged readings offer writers the chance to engage with their work in a new way. As actors interpret and breathe life into the text, they may uncover hidden meanings or bring new dimensions to the characters and themes, opening fresh possibilities for the writer. The interaction between writers, actors, and audiences fosters a dynamic space for creative growth, enabling the writer to see how their work exists in the context of the living theatre.
Our team
Our strength lies in our individuality. Set up by Esther Bryce, the team strives to bring in the best talent in various fields, from architecture to interior design and sales.
Vanessa Garland
Women's Voices 2023-2024 participant
Lianne Wilson
Broker
Jaden Smith
Architect
Jessica Kim
Photographer
There are no words to describe my gratitude for last night at Restart Theater Athens I am honored to have held and read Maria Tzardi's wonderful stories ❤️ I have been sitting down again since morning and re-reading them 😍 with so much truth, sensitivity and tenderness they hold ❤️ With the help of our gifted teachers Irini Mela and Angeliki Kasola we tried to give the warmth and tenderness of these stories to the wonderful world that came to see us yesterday and together with my dear classmates Anna Anastasopoulou and Garyfallia Marouli we were honored to experience this together 💕 thank you to my dear friend Mike Nikolopoulos for the beautiful photos he took of us 🥰 12 Μay 2024
Niki Avgerinou
Μπράβο! Συγχαρητήρια σε όλους για την εξαιρετική παρουσίαση του βιβλίου του Μήτσου Κασόλα!26 Μαΐου
Kile Apollwn
Τα θερμά μου συγχαρητήρια στον αγαπημένο Μήτσο Κασόλα, τον σπουδαίο συγγραφέα που μέχρι τώρα μας χάρισε βιβλία-διαμάντια! Καλοτάξιδο και πολυδιάβαστο να είναι και αυτό το βιβλίο που φρόντισες, Αγγελική, να το παρουσιάσεις στο αναγνωστικό κοινό!
Liana MalandreniotiAngeliki Kassola
26 Μαΐου ·
Αγγελική είσαι σπουδαία καλλιτέχνης. Μέσα από τις σελίδες του βιβλίου του πατέρα σου Το κατά Ιούδαν Ευαγγέλιο μας προσεφες μια άρτια και ποιοτική παράσταση. Σπουδαίες όλες οι ηθοποιοί και εξαιρετική βέβαια η δουλειά της Θέατρο λόγου Μαρως Τριαντάφυλλο.— με την Irini Mela και
7 ακόμη
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Συγχαρητήρια!!
Efi Kanakousaki
Συγχαρητήρια σε όλους.