Your very first project?
Modern Times Series 1-3, a series of video tapes with comedy skits in Amharic featuring local material from the Ethiopian Israeli community's integration stories in Israel- the encounter of the new and different... and anything comic that results from that situation.
The tapes today are an icon in the Israeli Ethiopian Community, in short- If Israeli ferenjees (White Israelis) have Parpar Nehmad, and Americans have Sesame Street- than the Ethiopian Israelis have Modern Times.
Most recent project?
Theatre Performance Andarge-One of a Kind going to 14 shows in Broadway NY, which I star in, co-wrote and co-produced. It is a multimedia ensemble for the whole family with music, dance, animation and played by Ethiopian Israeli actors telling the immigration story from Ethiopia to Israel. It also won Official Best Play in Israel for 2 years in a row.
What is Israeli Culture?
Israeli culture is a spectrum of opposites and contradictions that complete each other.
Israeli artist you admire?
Meir Ariel (Poet and singer), because he writes the best, he is the most original, the most local, the most universal, and he writes about everybody.
International artist that impacted your work?
Bob Marley, because he is so simple and lived such a complicated life. He is also the most beautiful because he comes from love of black and white.
What is Israeli about your art?
My life story.
Have you performed internationally?
Yes, I tour with my one-man-show It Sounds Better in Amharic which I also co-wrote for almost 5 years now in USA, Europe and soon Mexico. I had almost 200 performances already in festivals, Jewish Communities, Universities and African Museums.
Differences between Israeli audience and international audience?
From my experience, the Israeli audiences are less polite, they are difficult and very judgmental because they feel you are speaking about them. They feel they are the center of stage and you feel like you're fighting for your stage. The International audiences are much more patient and polite, and view you from a distance. They accept that distance, but at the end you don't know if you've truly reached them.
What would you tell the world about your home in Israel?
That my home is not what they think. It is not messy and dirty. Sometimes when I don't have time then I am a little messy but I try to make it beautiful. My home is warm and when I get the time, I clean and tidy up. And there is good food at home and laugh and we are planning to re-model soon... but we don't pay the house committee... and the mortgage is way too high. When I don't have time to clean I think to outsource a foreign house cleaner to help.
