This new Israeli drama chronicles the lives of 5 teenage patients in an Adolescent Psychiatric Institution as they put on their very own theatre play. This is a window into the lives of the medical team, the patients, their parents – and inside their souls. But is is also the story of every one of us, because these teens come from all walks of life, every social class and community – They are just like us. They’re just a high volume version of us.

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The play is a new production of the world-famous Gesher Theatre in Jaffa. Gesher Theatre, which was founded in 1991 by Yevgeny Arye, the Artistic Director to this very day, is a pioneering artistic theatre based in Israel. Under the leadership of Arye and Director General Lena Kreindlin, It has staged over 60 productions, represented Israel in more than 17 international festivals, won numerous awards, was the first Israeli theatre to be invited to the prestigious Festival d’Avignon, Most recently the theatre’s productions were performed in New-York’s Lincoln Center, the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, and have toured Canada, China and Europe.

Someone Like Me is another bold and ambitious artistic production in Gesher Theatre’s repertoire.

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The Play was written by Roy Chen, who is a leading voice in new Israeli writing. Chen is a prolific writer who has written over 10 plays, translated 40 plays, written two novels, short stories and poetry. His work has been successfully staged in Israeli Theatres, and as of 2007 he is the head dramaturge and playwright of Gesher Theatre in Jaffa.

Someone Like Me was written following a 6 month research into the “Abarnabel” Pshyciatric Hospital in Israel, and is Chen’s most personal and emotionally ambitious project yet. It showcases his unique talent of blending dark humor with wit and sincerity, and to create a world which is both poetic and raw.

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This Israeli premiere is directed by up-and coming director Ealeal Semel. 

Semel has chosen to stage Someone Like Me as a theatre in-the-round, which invites the audience inside the closed-off psychiatric ward, and allows for an intimate and emotional experience. The cast consists of 5 teenage actors ages 13-18 who portray the teenage patients, and 4 adult professional actors from the Gesher Theatre company, who portray both the psychiatrist, the theatre teacher, and the teens’ parents.

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Someone Like Me is for anyone who has ever experienced life.

It celebrates the healing power of theatre in the hopes of

raising the bar of compassion ever so slightly.