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Father's child: Yotam Kushnir in a first international production Israel today

2022-12-26T18:25:52.439Z


The actor clears the stage and takes the role of the director in the new Waka People show, which will be released soon • About the collaboration with his father, Avi, he says: "It will happen when there is a suitable opportunity"


13 years since their previous show, the members of Voca People are back in a new show, Voca People - Cosmic Tour, which combines more than 100 huge hits in special performances with the band's unique humor and virtuosity.

In the new show, the aliens, who landed on Earth more than a decade ago, try to return to the planet "Waka".

On board with them - a human passenger who almost disrupts everything, and the journey home becomes a musical experience from another world.

The show is written by Lior Kalfon, arranged and musically directed by Shai Fishman and directed by Yotam Kushnir.

For Kushnir (34), who in recent years has been specializing in the craft of directing, this is his first international production, and not an easy challenge - to direct a show without words.

"This is the first time I'm directing an international show, and Waka People is a different business than anything else I've done. It's one of the most unique shows there is," he shares.

Waka People, photo: Ido Lavi

"The fact that there is no language and that everything is presented through gibberish, body movements or a cappella music on the one hand creates many challenges, and on the other hand - forces everyone to squeeze every drop of creativity, which is amazing. When I came to direct Waka, it was to enter a system that had been running for 13 years with The first show. It was like making a sequel to a successful thing, and it's scary."

Although there is no talk, there is a story.

"Definitely there is. For those who haven't seen the first show - it's about aliens who came from the planet Voca, a musical planet, and crashed here. It took them a while to refuel their ship, and the second show is their journey back. We gathered for the sake of the music, and the story serves it. Next month we'll start our main tour in Israel, after we did a tour in France."

In recent years, Yotam, who started as a TV and theater actor, has devoted his career mainly to directing.

He recently directed Tali Oren's solo show, "No Marrying", a monodrama called "Panther" and the final project of a musical track in Ramon.

When asked if he has given up his acting career, he replies: "Right now my energy is invested in directing. I also like acting and I'm still an actor, it's simply a matter of balance. I'm looking for things that will challenge and interest me."

Avi Kushnir, photo: Ronan Akerman

An actor who goes into directing has to give up a little ego.

Doesn't sound easy.

"It's something that naturally comes to me to clear the stage, it's even fun. Being an actor is not easy even when you're very big. You constantly think, 'Do they like me?', 'Do I have the next role?'. The actor is always the smallest in the system , and it was difficult for me. Playing in front of an audience is indeed the greatest gift, but it's easier for the soul to carry sometimes when it's not there, and it also makes it possible to be at home in the evening," he laughs.

I guess that's part of what you saw at home.

"Yes. Even today, my father still works very hard. When I was a child, he would watch 'This Is It' in the mornings, and in the evenings of plays, and then in the mornings, filming of 'Life is not everything', and in the evenings of plays. On the other hand - he was a very present father." .

Are you thinking of doing something together?

"Obviously. It's just a question of material and a suitable opportunity. We're both totally into it, it's just a matter of what, when and where."

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Source: israelhayom

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