Nadim Sawalha is a UK based playwright and actor. He has appeared in many film, theatre and TV roles, including two Bond films, Syriana, West is West and most recently in the title role of the Jordanian feature film, Captain Abu Raed, directed by Amin Matalqa, the first Jordanian feature film in fifty years. He won four international best actor awards. He is the father of actress Julia Sawalha (Absolutely Fabulous) and TV Presenter, Nadia Sawalha (Lorraine, Saturday Cookbook). Nadim first worked in this country as a radio program producer for the BBC Arabic Service. Since then he has worked extensively on the London Stage, TV and in international films. He has written and staged four other pieces, a satire, All I Want Is A British Passport - Mohammad al Fayed's struggle against the British government to obtain a passport, Prophet in Exile, Ousama, Memoirs of a Moslem Nobleman and Love In Andalucia, memoirs of 12th Century Spain. In 1997 Nadim was the subject of THIS IS YOUR LIFE for BBC1.
For further background information, see: www.imdb.com/name/nm0768022
Simón Adinia Hanukai is a director and educator who splits his time between New York and Paris. Originally from Baku, Azerbaijan, he spent the early years of his career in Oakland, California, where he was a founding member of headRush Crew and the Co-Artistic Director of the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company. Working with both companies for six years he was instrumental in creating original full-length dance theater pieces, which toured nationally. Highlights include sharing the stage with Desmond Tutu, Angela Davis, Alice Walker, Neil Young, Alfre Woodard and Martin Sheen.
Simón's New York, regional and International directing credits include Les Alibis (Junevents Festival, Atelier De Paris – Carolyn Carlson, France), Decline & Fall or; A Guide to How the End Begins for Those Too Big To Fail (Tricklock Performance Lab, New Mexico), The Fall (Flamboyán, NY), Flying Ace and The Storm of the Century (Superhero Clubhouse, Odin Teatret, Denmark), Wilde Kane (New York Theatre Workshop, NY) One Heart for Two (Winkel & Balktick, NY), Phaedra's Cabaret (Flux Industries, NY), Brave Ducks (Living Theatre, NY), The 6 Project (Brooklyn Arts Exchange, NY), Creditors and Birthday Triage (Columbia Stages, NY), Bumrush (2010 Hip Hop Theater Fest, NY).
Simón is the Performing Arts Curator for MassBliss Productions and Core Member of Superhero Clubhouse, as well as an Adjunct Professor at the Division of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Center for Worker Education at CUNY and the Department of Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts at BMCC in New York.
Simón is honored to be a recipient of the Dean's Fellowship from Columbia University and the 2012-13 Emerging Artists Fellowship from New York Theatre Workshop. Artist Residencies include, NACL Deep Space Residency; Odin Theater, Denmark; E|MERGE Interdisciplinary Artist Residency; Catwalk Art Residency; Sally and Don Lucas Arts Program at the Montalvo Arts Center. He holds a Masters degree in Education from the University of San Francisco's Center for Teaching Excellence and Social Justice and an MFA in Theater Directing from Columbia University.
For further background information, see: www.simonhanukai.com
