LABA at the 14th Street Y Spotlight: Ronit Muszkatblit

Ronit Muszkatblit – Artistic Director

“Sanctify Thyself” by Yael Kanarek LABA fellow

Ronit Muszkatblit, Artistic Director of LABA, began her LABA journey in 2009 as a theater fellow. She was drawn to the program because of its focus on classic Jewish texts and the chance to collaborate with artists from a mix of disciplines.

Ronit explains:

“Coming from Israel, I had not dealt with these texts since mandatory bible classes in school. In Israel these texts belong to the religious world and because of this many artists are reluctant to deal with them.

When I began LABA I was excited to study these ancient Hebrew texts again, which was a real departure from the artistic journey I had been on until that moment. It’s funny, but I had to move to New York to engage with my cultural heritage and feel a sense of ownership over it.

As we learned together, I couldn’t believe that I was having such strong reactions, explosive reactions, to these texts. Now, as the artistic director I look forward to bringing this powerful tradition to life for the whole community.”

Check out some of Ronit’s work as a theater director, here at the 14th Street Y:

Cantaloupe (LABA Arts Festival 2010)

 

 

Ronit is the founding member of woken’glaicer theater company and Operatzia and a member of posttheater ny/berlin.

Her most recent directing credits include all the LABALive events!

She also directs Opera: SPHINX by Yoav Gal (Culturemart HERE) 3WEEKS by Yoav Gal (MAP grant, 14^th Street Y).  Recent credits in theater: Hanna and the Moonlit Dress by Itzchak D’miel (14^th Street Y) Nature of Captivity by Mathew Paul Olmos (Mabou Mines Suite @ PS 122) Cantaloupe by Gina Bonati (Boston ); ON ART adaptation of ART by Yasmina Reza (Rohkunst Bau, Berlin); It is said the men are over in the steel tower by Hideo Tsuchida,(TBG Theater, NYC); Struwwelmensch (Rohkunst Bau Festival, Berlin);) Matchmaker Matchmaker (Stadts Bank Berlin); Quartet by Heiner Müller (Westbeth Theater, NYC); The Child Dreams by Hanoch Levin (Staged Reading 59E59, NYC).

Ronit received her MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School and trained at La Mama Umbria (Italy) and with Siti Company.