Artist Bio

Barak Marshall's MONGER, a Suzanne Dellal Centre Production

MONGER (2008, Bay Area Premiere)
Presented by SFIAF, the Israel Center of the Jewish Community Federation, the Consulate General of Israel, Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA), the Contemporary Jewish Museum and the Suzanne Dellal Centre

Barak Marshall and company makes their Bay Area debut with a physical-theater work for 10 dancers. The Suzanne Dellal Centre's production of Barak Marshall's MONGER tells the story of a group of servants, trapped in the basement of the house of an abusive mistress. Marshall's movement is physical, sharp, fast, contains ethnic-contemporary motifs and is known for being highly emotive, visual and theatrical. The score for MONGER combines elements of Gypsy, Balkan with classical and rock music.

MONGER [mungh-er] (defn.):

noun:

1. A dealer or trader of a commodity.

2. Usually used in combination: a gossipmonger, a hatemonger, a warmonger, a fishmonger.

verb:

1. To sell, to hawk.

2. To sell yourself.

The language of Monger is theatrical, physical, sharp, fast and contains ethnic contemporary motifs. Monger explores the dynamics of hierarchy, power, dignity and the compromises one makes to order to survive. A physical-theater work for 10 dancers, MONGER tells the story of a group of servants trapped in the basement of an abusive mistress. The piece’s narrative structure is drawn from several sources including the life and work of Bruno Shultz, Jean Genet’s play The Maids and Robert Altman’s film Gosford Park. The score for MONGER combines elements of Gypsy, Balkan with classical and rock music. MONGER was first premiered as part of the International Tel Aviv dance festival 2008 and gained recognition and a following. MONGER continues to perform at the Suzanne Dellal Centre, Israel and has been invited to tour around the world. By using all aspects of the local culture and by exploring the past, the Israeli creator touches the whole of our social identity and acts as a mirror that reflects our own personality. Like its surroundings, the Israeli creator is full of contradictions: he deals with pain and anger and uses his body to create and express physical force. But he is also soft, lyric and attentive as he caresses the lonely self that resides in each of us; he stays loyal to his origins and heritage, but is not afraid to provoke and ridicule them. He raises many questions but supplies little answers. He is always original and exists in present time.

With the support of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This production was also made possible by the generous support of Maureen and Randy Rosen (USA), Sandy Caroll (USA), Jean and Jerry Friedman (USA), the Margalit Oved Dance Theatre Foundation (USA), and Mel Marshall(USA).

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Barak Marshall
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Barak is the son of acclaimed dancer, choreographer and musician Margalit Oved. Barak fast established himself as one Israeli dance’s most innovative and unique voices. His first work, Aunt Leah, won first prize in the Shades of Dance Competition and his third work, Emma Goldman’s Wedding, represented Israel in the 1998 Bagnolet International Competition where it won first prize, the Adami Award, the Bonnie Byrd Award for New Choreography and the Audience Award. His company went on to tour extensively throughout Europe, including performances in Berlin, Lyon and Paris. In 1999, Barak was invited by Ohad Naharin to become the Batsheva Dance Company’s first-ever house choreographer. Barak is also a singer and has performed as a soloist with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project, the Yuval Ron Ensemble and the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony.

Barak studied social theory and philosophy at Harvard University. He is a guest lecturer at UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures. Barak recently received the prestigious Creative Capital Grant for his new music production, Symphony of Tin Cans, with Margalit Oved and the Balkan Beat Box. His work Monger was premiered in October 2008 and is currently touring throughout Israel, Europe, Asia and the United States. His latest work, Rooster, premiered at the Israeli Opera House in November 2009 and is also currently on tour.

Barak currently divides his time between Tel Aviv and Los Angeles.