RYT is excited to announce that funding from Country Arts SA has allowed the organisation to engage director and actor Netta Yashchin as an artist-in-residence for six weeks in the lead up to PlayFest_08.

Netta trained in acting, theatre, film and television at the Tel-Aviv University in Israel and, working as an actor, toured to Amsterdam, London, Hamburg, Jerusalem, Vienna and Rotterdam before moving to Australia in 1998.  For the last 10 years Netta has been based in Adelaide working as an actor, director and teacher for several national theatre companies including; Vitalstatistix (Adelaide SA), Theatre of Image (Sydney NSW), Deckchair (Fremantle WA), State Theatre Company of SA, Come Out Festival, Urban Myth Theatre of Youth (Adelaide SA), Legs on the Wall (Sydney NSW) and Australian Dance Theatre.

Netta will be acting as PlayFest_08 Festival Director, mentoring individuals, groups of friends, schools, and community groups to prepare their entries in the inaugural short play festival.  Netta will be available to provide professional advice, feedback and support during the rehearsal and production process.

Netta will also be working with young people aged 13-17 in a special workshop project StageDive where participants will develop and rehearse their own entries into the festival at RYT. 

StageDive will be a twice weekly workshop beginning 12 August and Netta will direct both scripted and devised short plays with the group.  Places are still available for any young aspiring actors to get involved and get on stage.

“RYT and the Riverland is very lucky to have an artist of Netta’s magnitude here to work with young people and individuals interested in the performing arts.  I am excited about the skills and experiences she will share with us all during her time at RYT says Artistic Director Julie Waddington”

Also during her time in the Riverland, Netta will be working with a number of primary school students and will facilitate an EAT workshop focusing on developing acting skills using monologues.

It is not too late for groups to get involved in PlayFest_08 or for young people to join the StageDive project. For more information call RYT on 8586 3437.