Shahaf Berger - Theatre Director and Creator, Actor, and Graduate of the Goodman Acting School. His work offers a unique viewing experience, bringing the stage face-to-face with the complex realities of our world. Shahaf aims to blur the boundaries between the theatrical world and real life through “reality materials”—content, words, and thoughts drawn from everyday people. He believes reality contains all the drama, beauty, and conflict necessary for deep and moving theatrical creation.
Shahaf’s creative process revolves around deconstructing and reconstructing these materials into new works where reality itself becomes the play. His work explores the tension between the familiar and the unexpected, the authentic and the scripted, inviting the audience to question what is real and what is not, who is acting and who is watching, and what is happening at the moment. This approach encourages viewers to become an active part of the experience, challenging their perceptions of what is happening on stage—and sometimes beyond it.
In previous works such as “Togetherness, Especially Now” and “The Conflict” Shahaf incorporated video materials from the internet, bringing them to the stage to blur the line between the represented and the real. These works examined social and territorial struggles through an innovative theatrical lens, deconstructing and reconstructing the fabric of Israeli society and culture. In “In the Night’s Dream,” a children’s theatrical event based on real dreams, Shahaf created a space where reality and imagination blend to produce a magical and meaningful experience. After performances, he often reveals the original materials that inspired the work, emphasizing the connection between the stage and real life.
Shahaf’s work has garnered recognition and awards. His play “Operation Marcel,” created for Soliko Festival, earned him the Best Director award and won the Audience Choice and Best Actress awards. Additionally, Shahaf received an Honorary Mention from the Sharett Foundation and won First Place at the international Komediada Festival in Odessa, and he aspires to expand its impact internationally. Audiences and critics note his ability to create challenging and thought-provoking experiences that resonate long after the show ends.
Looking ahead, Shahaf continues to explore new ways to break down the barriers between art and life. He is planning projects that will deepen community engagement and explore global issues through the unique lens of his theater.
This is an invitation to observe, examine, deconstruct, and re-envision the reality around us, while creating new spaces of theatrical experience where the boundaries between life and art dissolve, and where the audience and the stage meet in a place where anything is possible.