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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“Mario Banushi, a Greek playwright of Albanian heritage, is a rising star who represents the new face of Greek theatre.” – The Guardian
“Mario Banushi is one of the most important new voices in European theatre.” – TheaterSpektakel
“A scream, that’s all. Not a word is exchanged in this gripping, sensational show by young director Mario Banushi, a revelation of the festival.” – Télérama
ABOUT THE WORK
Following a sensational run at the 2025 Avignon Festival, Mario Banushi’s Mami arrives at NYU Skirball, cementing the young visionary as a force in contemporary theater. Blending dance, surreal imagery, and raw emotion, Banushi crafts a hypnotic exploration of motherhood, memory, and myth. His fearless, genre-bending storytelling collides personal and ancestral histories in ways that are both haunting and deeply human. With striking visuals and an intensity beyond his years, Banushi pushes the limits of theatrical form. Don’t miss the U.S. debut of this breakout hit from one of theater’s most electrifying new voices. Presented in conjunction with Under the Radar Festival.
PRODUCTION GUIDANCE
Use of smoke, sound of fireworks, smell of incense, nudity, and violence. This production is recommended for mature audiences.
RUN TIME
This performance is 70 minutes with no intermission
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Mario Banushi was born in 1998 and lived in Albania until the age of six, when he moved permanently to Greece. He studied acting at the Drama School of the Athens Conservatory, graduating in 2020. That same year, he created his first short film, Pranvera, which was selected for the 2021 Tirana International Film Festival. His directorial debut in theatre was Ragada, a performance developed and presented in a private home in Athens during the pandemic lockdowns. In 2023, Banushi premiered his second work, Goodbye, Lindita, at the Experimental Stage of the National Theatre of Greece. The production quickly garnered critical acclaim and a devoted audience, leading to sold-out performances and invitations from prestigious international festivals and theatres, including the International Theatre Amsterdam, the Adelaide Festival in Australia, and BITEF in Belgrade. At BITEF, Banushi received both the Special Award “Jovan Ćirilov” and the Politika Award for Best Director. His third work, Taverna Miresia – Mario Bella Anastasia, premiered in July 2023 at the Athens Epidaurus Festival, where it played to sold-out audiences. It has been touring internationally since early 2024. These three works are often referred to collectively as Romance Familiare—a term meaning “family romance” in Albanian. Banushi’s most recent work, MAMI, is an international co-production between Onassis Stegi, Berliner Festspiele, FOG Festival / Triennale Milano Teatro, Espoo Theatre, Festival d’Avignon, Grec Festival Barcelona, Théâtre de Liège and Noorderzon Festival / Grand Theatre Groningen. It premiered in February 2025 and continues the visual and poetic language of his earlier work—described as a performance of “visual excellence with a dash of magic.” The production received widespread acclaim following its French premiere at Festival d’Avignon 2025, with Le Monde and Libération publishing rave reviews that praised its emotional depth and distinctive theatrical vision. He is an Onassis AiR Fellow for 2023–24 through the Dramaturgy.
CREATIVE CREDITS
Conceived and directed by Mario Banushi
Performers: Vasiliki Driva / Katerina Kristo, Dimitris Lagos / Nontas Damopoulos, Eftychia Stefanou / Ilia Koukouzeli, Angeliki Stellatou, Fotis Stratigos and Panagiota Υiagli
Set and costume design: Sotiris Melanos
Original music and sound design: Jeph Vanger
Lighting design and associate dramaturg: Stephanos Droussiotis
Artistic collaborators: Aimilios Arapoglou, Thanasis Deligiannis
Assistant director: Theodora Patiti
International relations and tour management: Nikos Mavrakis
Creation period production management: Rena Andreadaki & Christos Christopoulos – TooFarEast
Line production and tour production manager: Ioanna Papakosta – TooFarEast
Auditions and residency coordinator and tour production manager: Konstantina Douka Gkosi – TooFarEast
Lighting designer on tour: Marietta Pavlaki
Sound engineer on tour: Kostas Chaidos
Set assistant: Sofia Theodorou
Costumes assistant: Nikoleta Anastasiadou
Set construction: Michalis Lagkouvardos
Special constructions: Alaxouzoi brothers, Alexandros Loggos
Special lighting constructions: Giorgos Ierapetritis
Rehearsal technical coordination and stage technician on tour: Aristidis Kreatsoulas – TooFarEast
Rehearsal electrician: Konstantinos Mavrantzas
Rehearsal technical support: Stefanos Ntaoulas, Iason Papantoniou, Grigoris Zkeris, Paris Asimakopoulos
SUPPORT
Presented in partnership with Under the Radar Festival®
Mark Russell, Founding Director
Meropi Peponides & Kaneza Schaal, Co-Directors
ArKtype, Festival Producer
More information at utrfest.org
utrfest.org
Under the Radar is the United States’ premier festival of experimental theater and performance art. As a long-time New York City-based platform for cutting-edge work hailing from around the globe. Produced by ArKtype with Festival Director Mark Russell, UTR has been reimagined in its 20th annual season as a city-wide celebration that incisively speaks to our moment. Rather than being tied to a single host institution, Under the Radar’s current iteration is curated collaboratively with an array of renowned arts organizations and curators, each harnessing the connective nature of the festival format to introduce some of the world’s most innovative multidisciplinary voices to wider audiences.
Commissioned and produced by Onassis Stegi [GR].
In collaboration with OMAZ Civic Non-Profit Company.
Co-produced by: Berliner Festspiele [DE], Odéon – Théâtre de l’Europe [FR], FOG festival / Triennale Milano Teatro [IT], & Espoo Theatre [FI], Festival d’Avignon [FR], Grec Festival Barcelona [ES], Théâtre de Liège [BE], Noorderzon Festival / Grand Theatre Groningen [NL].
Initial research and development were made possible with the support of the Onassis AiR Fellowship [GR] and the Centre Culturel Hellénique – Paris [FR].
Τhe presentation of MAMI is supported by the Onassis Stegi Touring Program.
With the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of Greece.
NYU Skirball’s programs are made possible in part with support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and the Howard Gilman Foundation; Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels; Culture Ireland; The Shubert Foundation; Collins Building Services; General Delegation of the Government of Flanders to the USA; Goethe Institut New York with support from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation; Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; New England Foundation for the Arts; Harkness Foundation for Dance; and Marta Heflin Foundation; as well as our valued donors through memberships, commissioning, and Allies for Arts Access Fund support.
