Howard Rypp with Gabriel Emanuel With Yitzchak Meschel With Beatriz Hal

The Nephesh Theatre was founded in 1978 by Howard Rypp and Gabriel Emanuel and was the only professional Jewish theatre operating in Canada at that time. It's initial play "Children of Night", About Famed Jewish educator Jansuz Korczak, had three different productions presented throughout Canada and took part in the first international Jewish Theatre Festival, in New York, 1980.

After staging over 30 theatrical and television productions in Canada, the company base was relocated to Israel. Gabriel Emanuel's play, Einstein, which Rypp directed, was the company's first Hebrew production. Co- produced with Israel's Habimah National Theatre, the one-man play met with great success, running for four consecutive seasons as well as being presented in productions throughout Canada and South America. A new production of Einstein was produced in Hebrew and English for the 2005 season.

In 1988 Yitzchak Meschel became the new dramaturge for Nephesh Theatre who produced 7 of his plays including "Make yourself at Home" (Both in Hebrew and English). "The Third Third" (still running after 19 years in our repertory and over 1500 performances). "Difficult Kid" (about violence in the family also still in our repertory) and "Keeping Shabbat (about the religious- secular conflict).

In 1995 Beatriz Hal became and still remains the Theatre's current dramaturge. As well as initiating and developing new work from playwrights, she has also written the phenomenal "Miracles and Tragedies" (still running after 15 years and 1800 performances). Other of her works with Nephesh include "Dangerous Games", "Only in the Movies" and "The Fearsome Inn" (inspired by a story by a I.B. Singer).

The Nephesh Theatre productions which reflect a plurality of beliefs, depicting different communities within Israeli society that must develop a common language and achieve mutual respect. The plays also mirror conflicts permeating Israeli society- between religious and secular, the immigrant and veteran Israeli, between Arab & Jew, emphasizing common bonds rather than dwelling on differences.

Its repertory comprises 10 plays in Hebrew that explore Jewish themes and social issues, which aim to simultaneously entertain and educate. We currently offer a repertory of five plays in English, which we have translated from our Hebrew repertory or developed especially to explore relevant issues that Israel shares with the Diaspora.

 

Over the past 4 years Nephesh has toured 6 different productions throughout the US. Canada, Greece, Austria, England,

Scotland, and Mexico. Over 250 presentations at festivals and conferences, universities and schools, and most recently on Broadway at the prestigious New Victory Theatre.