The Drama League’s commitment to directors spans across the globe, and in this week’s episode, we’re taking listeners to Romania to explore the country’s cultural state of affairs with two of Eastern Europe’s greatest visionaries. Maia Morgenstern has been called ‘The Meryl Streep of Romania,’ familiar to audiences around the world from her acclaimed role as Virgin Mary in “The Passion of the Christ” film in addition to her European Film Award-winning role as Nelan in “Balanta.” Morgenstern is currently the Artistic Director of the National Jewish Theater of Romania, the oldest continuously operating Yiddish-language theater in the world. Joining her is Letita Vladescu, an actress who has starred at the Bucharest National Theatre of Operetta and Music with credits including the recent smash comedy film “Miami Bici,” television series “Vlad,” and a highly acclaimed solo show Thy Sonia, written and directed by Lia Bugnar. In conversation with The Drama League’s Gabriel Stelian-Shanks and Nilan, the artists discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the Romanian film and theater industry and look ahead to a promising future of cross-cultural exchange.The Drama League gratefully recognizes The Trust for Mutual Understanding for making this conversation possible with their generous support for the International Stage Directors Exchange. For more information about TMU.
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