MARIA LEXA, BIO & RESUME

Maria Lexa studied in Paris with master teacher Etienne Decroux. She launched her professional career with Studio II at Odin Teatret in Holstebro, Denmark and co-founded Institutet för Scenkonst in Östersund, Sweden, with Director Ingemar Lindh. From 1981 she toured in Scandinavia and around Europe with her solo performances, “L’Odysssé Illustrée” and “Kilden”, simultaneously working as an actress, master teacher, director, and leader of her own theatre group. In 1990, she founded Foreningen Freja, an organization in Århus, Denmark which arranged six international women’s cultural festivals. Since 2001, Maria Lexa has been artistic leader of Sun & Moon Ensemble, a San Francisco arts group whose performances feature theatre, dance, masks, giant puppets, and live music. Maria Lexa regularly leads theatre projects in Denmark. In 2013, she co- directed Snehvide with Dunkelfolket mask theatre in Ålborg. In collaboration with Quonga Teaternetværk, she also directed Medea, Medea for QuongaFest 2014 in Århus. In collaboration with FO-Aarhus, Kvindemuseet and Aarhus Festuge. she directed the outdoor performance Kosmos in 2017-18, and in January, 2018 she directed “Magic of the Mask”, a collaboration with the Fanglao Dance Theatre in Vientiane, Laos.

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EDUCATION

Washington University/Webster University, St Louis, B.A. in Theatre Arts 1964-65 and 1974-75

Carlo & Alberto Colombaioni of Circus Colombaioni, Rome, Italy Comedy & Clown professional training,1969-71

Etienne Decroux École de Mime, Paris- Professional theatre training,1967- 69,City Literary Institute, London -Theatre studies, 1966-67

GROUP THEATRE

Co-founded Studio II at Odin Teatret, Nordisk Teaterlaboratrium, Holstebro, DK actress in L’Obstination, directed by Yves Le Breton 1969-70

Co-founded Institutet för Scenkonst, Östersund, Sweden, Ingemar Lindh, director actress in Invigning, directed by Ingemar Lindh 1971-73

actress in Höga Visan, directed by Hans Berndtsson 1973

ACTRESS, SOLO PERFORMANCES

Kilden: concept by Maria Lexa, directed by Bernard Colin 1993-99

L’Odyssée Illustrée: concept by Maria Lexa, directed by Bernard Colin 1985-

99Film of L’Odyssée Illustrée: made for Århus Regional Archive of Cultural Materials, Produced by Zepia Film, directed by Bernard Colin 1989 Islands: poetic pieces in mime corporelle 1979

Tango: performance with masks, puppets, clown 1976-81

ACTRESS, DUO PERFORMANCES

Parting: with and by Maria Lexa & Iris Landsberg 1981

The Princess and the Ogress: with and by Maria Lexa & Rhodessa Jones,1980

DIRECTING

Vientiane, Laos – Fanglao Dance Theatre: Magic of the Mask, January 2018

Århus, Denmark – collaboration with FO-Aarhus: Kosmos, 2017-2018,

Århus, Denmark - QuongaFest & tour: Medea, Medea, 2014

Ålborg, Denmark - Dunkelfolket mask theatre, co-director, Snehvide, 2013

San Francisco School of the Arts:

Krishna & Radha 2011; Demeter and Persephone 2010

Sun & Moon Ensemble:

Twobird, 2009; Luna, 2006; Longing for Light, 2004

Sun & Moon Ensemble outdoor shows:

The Best of Sun & Moon Ensemble, 2004-16; Enchanted Forest, 2003; Earth, Air, Sea, 2002; The Procession of the Sun & Moon 2001

Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts :

Of Fairy Tales, 2000

Freja Teatret:

I Levende Farver, 1997; Sol, outdoor performance, 1996-99

Spejltræet, 1990-92: Vildgæssenes Måne, outdoor perfomance, 1990-92

Teatret Dragen:

Omnium, 1983-84; Dragespillet, indoor/outdooor performance, 1982-84

THEATRE GROUPS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Sun & Moon Ensemble - San Francisco, since 2001

Freja Teatret - Århus, Denmark, 1990-99

Teatergruppen Dragen - Århus, Denmark: 1982-84

TEACHING

Longterm courses:

Byhøjskolen 1996-98 educational project with Foreningen Freja Tidens Teater/ Nordisk Teaterskole 1984-88

Århus Teaterakademi 1981-84

Artist in-residence at San Francisco Public Schools, CETA program 1978- 80Washington University theatre dept. St. Louis Missouri, 1977

Statens Dansskola, Mimlinje, Stockholm, co-taught with Ingemar Lindh, 1972 Short courses and workshops in Denmark: Since 1980, Maria Lexa has led countless theater workshops, often in connection with her performances, at universities, high schools, vocational schools, amateur theatre courses, teachers’ colleges, and festivals, including Århus Festival Week, the National Theatre Academy in Århus, and the Copenhagen International Festival.

Theatre workshops internationally: Since 1980, Maria Lexa has led theatre workshops in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, France, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Holland, Germany, and the USA.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S CULTURAL FESTIVALS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Women of the World, 1999	Woman Comedy, Woman Tragedy, 1993
Woman, the Spirit, 1997	Woman, Wings of Imagination, 1992
Woman, Sources of Creation, 1995	Woman, the Comic Soul, 1991