Micah Lewensohn

Micah Lewensohn ( he, מיכה לבינסון, (August 27, 1952, In Jerusalem - March 20, 2017 in Tel Aviv) was an Israeli theater director and actor.

Biography

Lewensohn was a graduate of the Israeli Music Conservatory in Tel Aviv.
During his army years he was a senior editor-producer in the IDF Radio where he also hosted numerous radio programs and served as a military correspondent in the Yom Kippur War (1973) and later in the 1st Lebanon War (1982).

After completing his studies at New York University Film School (BA) and Theater Directing (MFA) – he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant, serving as the Assistant General Director at the Pittsburgh Public Theater.

Since his return to Israel in 1980, he directed over 50 productions in all theaters in Israel.

His productions won several theater prizes: best play, best musical, best revival as well as best director awards.

Directing for the Theater

* ''Mourir'' by Sergi Belbel, Beit Zvi, School of the Performing Arts, 2012
* ''West Side Story'' by A. Laurents, L. Berenstein & S Sondheim, Beit Zvi, School of the Performing Arts, 2011
* ''The Policeman'' by Daniel Lapin based on Ephraim Kishon's film ''The Policeman'', Habima Theatre. 2009
* ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' by Edward Albee, Cameri Theater. 2008
* ''Alma and Ruth'' by Goren Agmon, Beit Lessin Theater. 2008
* ''Mike'' by Gadi Inbar, Beit Lessin Theater. 2008
* ''The History Boys'' by Alan Bennett, Beit Lessin Theater. 2007
* ''Death of a Salesman'' by Arthur Miller, Cameri Theater. 2007
* ''Badenheim'' 1939 – A special project for an Orchestra, actors and dancers. Based on
* ''The Producers'' by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, Cameri Theater. 2006
* ''Iron'' by Rona Munro, Beit Lessin Theater. 2005
* ''The Glass Menagerie'' by Tennessee Williams, Cameri Theater. 2005
* ''Mikveh'' by Hadar Galron, Beit Lessin Theater. 2004
* ''Mirale Efrat'' by Yacob Gordin, Beit Lessin Theater. 2003
* ''The Dresser'' by Ronald Harwood, Cameri Theater. 2003
* ''My Fair Lady'' by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner, The Israeli Opera. 2002
* ''Rembetiko'' by Costas Ferris, Haifa Theater. 2002
* ''Romantics'' by Hanoch Levin, Cameri Theater. 2002
* ''Copenhagen'' by Michael Frayn, Cameri Theater 2001
* ''Don Giovanni'' (Opera) by MOZART, The Israeli Opera, Tel Aviv. 2001
* ''A View from the Bridge'', by Arthur Miller, Habima Theatre. 1999
* ''Cooper'', by Yoseph Bar Yoseph, Beit Lessin Theater Theater. 1998
* ''Taking Sides'' by Ronald Harwood, Cameri Theater 1996
* ''Bianka'', by Miriam Kayni, Beit Lessin Theater Theater. 1995
* ''Shmaryahu'' by Ilana Luft, The Children’s Theater. 1994
* ''M. Butterfly'', by David Henry Hwang, Beer Sheva Theater.
* ''Andora'' by Max Frisch, Haifa Theater. 1993
* ''Singer'' by Peter Flannery, Beer Sheva Theater. 1992
* ''The Prisoner of Second Avenue'', by Neil Simon, Beit Lessin Theater Theater. 1992
* ''Relatively Speaking'', by Alan Ayckbourn, Beit Lessin Theater Theater. 1991
* ''Guys & Dolls'', by Frank Loesser, Haifa Theater & Roni Productions.1991
* ''The Odd Couple'' (female version), by Neil Simon, Beit Lessin Theater Theater. 1990
* ''Mephisto'', based on K. Mann’s novel, Beer Sheva Theater. 1990
* ''Lettice & Lovage'' by Peter Shaffer, Cameri Theater 1990
* ''The Foreigner'', by Larry Shue, Beit Lessin Theater Theater. 1989
* ''Comedy of Errors'', by William Shakespeare, Beer Sheva Theater. 1989
* ''Breaking the Code'' by Hugh Whitemore, Cameri Theater 1988
* ''Under the Web'', by Julia Kearsleye, Beer Sheva Theater. 1988
* ''Death of a Salesman'' by Arthur Miller, Beer Sheva Theater. 1987
* ''Hunting Scenes'' by Martin Spear, Beer Sheva Theater. 1987
* ''The Suicide'' by Nicholas Erdman, Beer Sheva Theater. 1986
* ''Biboff'' by Yossi Hadar, Habima Theatre. 1987
* ''La fille du régiment (The Daughter of the Regiment)''(Opera) by Gaetano Donizetti, Opera Company of Boston. 1985
* ''Himself and His Son'' by I.D. Berkowitz, Beer Sheva Theater 1985
* ''The Front Page'' by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, Beer Sheva Theater 1984
* ''The Elephant Man'' by Bernard Pomerance, Beer Sheva Theater 1984
* ''Between Bells'', by Dan Almagor, Beit Lessin Theater Theater. 1984
* ''City Sugar'' by Stephen Poliakoff, Beer Sheva Theater 1983
* ''Drums in the Night'' by Bertolt Brecht, Beer Sheva Theater 1982
* ''Hatasha - Rock Musical'' by Benny Hadar, Haifa Theater 1981
* ''Dance of Death'' by August Strindberg, Haifa Theater 1980
* ''Beckett Project'', Pittsburgh Public Theater. 1979

Additional Activities

Alongside his work in the theater, Lewensohn directed entertainment spectacles, musical events and commercials. Among his projects:
* Narrator ''The Land Shall Not Rest'' - TV documentary series marking 40 years to the Yom Kippur War. (2013)
* Director & storyteller ''The Chain of Generations'' - museological video installation, Western Wall Heritage Center, Jerusalem, (Recipient of the 200
Thea Award
USA for outstanding achievement. (opened 2005)
* Performer (Video installation) ''Hertzl Museum Visitors Center'', Jerusalem (opened 2005)
* Narrator ''Slaves of the Sword '' - co-produced by Bellfilms-Israel, BBC-U.K, ZDF/ARTE - Germany/France. (2003)
* Artistic Director ''Love in Jerusalem'', Music Festival (2002)
* Host & Interviewer of TV series recorded at the ''Jazz Blues & Videotape Festival'' (40 episodes for channel 2 Israel). (2001)
* Artistic Director '' By My Spirit'', A Universal Spiritual Gathering in Toledo, Spain of which the highlight was a concert of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra with Placido Domingo, conducted By Maestro Zubin Mehta. (1992)
* Concept & Choreography - The Lazy Bums, Israel’s representative to the Eurovision Song Contest, Brussels, Belgium. (1987)
* BBC TV directing course under a grant from the British Council. (1990)
* Taught acting and directing at the Tel Aviv University, Beit Zvi, Sam Spiegel Film and Television School and at Seminar Hakibbutzim.
* Artistic Director, The Israel Festival, Jerusalem (1994-2001)
* General Director, Beit Zvi School of the Performing Arts in Ramat Gan, (2009-2014)
* Lewensohn played a supporting role in Joseph Cedar's 2011 film, Footnote, nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Film.

Translations

From English to Hebrew
* ''The Gin Game'' by Donald L. Coburn (for Habima Theatre). 2009
* ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' by Edward Albee, (for the Cameri Theater). 2008
* ''The Glass Menagerie'' by Tennessee Williams (for the Cameri Theater). 2004
* ''Iron'' by Rona Munro (for Beit Lessin Theater). 2003
* ''The Dresser'' by Ronald Harwood (for the Cameri Theater). 2003
* '' Talking with...'' by Jane Martin (for Beit Zvi, School of the Performing Arts). 1987
* ''Buried Child'' by Sam Shepard (for the Khan Theater, Jerusalem). 1984

On the board of directors of

* The Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre, Tel Aviv.
*AICE - Australia Israel Cultural Exchange.
*Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem.
*Since May 2009 serves as Director of the Beit Zvi School of the Performing Arts.

Death

Micah Lewensohn died in his home on March 20, 2017. He was 64 years old. He is survived by his wife Rachel, two children, and two grandchildren.

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewensohn, Micah
1952 births
2017 deaths
Israeli theatre directors