Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Press Coverage

Walla

"בשל הפגיעה בפלסטינים, צריך להחרים הצגות 'גשר' בחו"ל"

Abstract: 

עשרות שחקני ויוצרי תיאטרון מהעולם קוראים להחרמת סיבוב ההופעות של תיאטרון גשר בארצות הברית המתקיים בימים אלה, בגלל ש"התיאטרון נתמך על ידי ממשלת ישראל, הפוגעת בזכויות הפלסטינים". אנשי תיאטרון גשר, אשר הופיעו בשבת בטורונטו שבקנדה, נמצאים כעת בניו יורק, ארצות הברית, לקראת הופעות בה, ועתידים להופיע גם בפיטסבורג עם שתי הצגות: הקלאסיקה "הדיבוק" בכיכובם של אפרת בן צור, ישראל (סשה) דמידוב ודורון תבורי, וההצגה "במנהרה" שבה שני חיילי צה"ל (אותם מגלמים עידו מוסרי ומיקי לאון) נתקלים במנהרה סמוכה לעזה בשני חמאסניקים (אותם מגלמים פיראס נסאר ויובל ינאי).

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Press Coverage

The Jerusalem Post

BDS protesters target Gesher tour of North America

Abstract: 

 An Israeli theater group is facing protests as it tours North America, including a call for its host theaters to cancel shows and demonstrators waiting outside with signs.

The Gesher Theater, based in Tel Aviv, is currently on a tour across North America, staging shows in Toronto, New York and Pittsburgh. Over the weekend it held two performances of its show The Dybbuk in Toronto, and was met outside by a very small group of protesters holding a sign protesting “Israeli apartheid.”

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Press Release

Theater artists & activists ask Toronto, NYC & Pittsburgh arts orgs to cancel Israeli government-sponsored theater performances

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY, October 2, 2018 – Palestinian arts and solidarity organizations, along with US Jewish and Israeli groups, have joined theater artists in signing a letter calling on Toronto, New York and Pittsburgh arts organizations not to host Israel’s Gesher Theatre or partner with the Israeli government, citing their involvement in violations of Palestinian rights. Award-winning actors Kathleen Chalfant and Miriam Margolyes, and playwrights Caryl Churchill, Betty Shamieh, Naomi Wallace, and Anne Washburn are among the artists who signed the letter.

Gesher Theatre says their Canadian and US performances were “made possible with the generous support of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” At their opening Toronto performance Saturday night hosted by the Ontario Heritage Trust, supporters of Palestinian rights handed out flyers calling for a boycott of Gesher Theatre, and held aloft a large sign saying “Your Event is Sponsored by the Israeli government. Its Military Killed 150 Unarmed Palestinian Protesters in Gaza This Summer.” In a statement, the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid in Toronto said, "We protested Gesher Theatre’s opening night in Toronto to show the event for what it really is – an effort by the Israeli government to distract attention away from its violations of Palestinians' rights.”

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Web Action

Letter calling on organizations in Toronto, New York, and Pittsburgh to cancel Israeli government-sponsored performances by the Gesher Theatre

Harvey McCue, Board Chair, Ontario Heritage Trust
Maria Shclover, Board Chair, Cherry Orchard Festival, New York City
J. Kevin McMahon, President and CEO, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh
Scott Shiller, Festival Producer and Vice President of Artistic Planning, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh

Dear Mr. McCue, Ms. Shclover, Mr. McMahon, and Mr. Shiller,

We are supporters of the arts and social justice, writing to express serious concern about the fact that the Ontario Heritage Trust in Toronto (September 29, 30), the Cherry Orchard Festival in New York (October 3, 4, 6 and 7), and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (October 11-13), will be hosting performances by the Gesher Theatre of Israel, performances that the Gesher Theatre and your own websites say are sponsored by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These performances support the Israeli government in implementing its systematic “Brand Israel” strategy of employing arts and culture to divert attention from the state’s decades of violent colonization, brutal military occupation, and denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return.  In addition, Gesher Theatre itself has been complicit in Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights, as we describe in more detail below. Therefore we call on the Ontario Heritage Trust, the Cherry Orchard Festival and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust not to host the Gesher Theatre, or partner with the Israeli government.

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