My name is Georgia. In Greek it’s ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑ, which means “the one that cultivates the earth”. I got my name from my grandmother ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑ. She was truly a cultivator of the earth. She had land and was taking care of people. The family and the workers. And anyone in need. I believe in the power of the name, that was either given to us, or chosen by us. It gives a glimpse of who someone might be. I work with bodies, minds and souls. I like to think I cultivate them. First I tried myself, as an actor for many years. I cultivated my earth and gained some knowledge. And then I felt the need to share my secrets for a more happy life on the stage. For a more fulfilling emotion of existing on the stage.
Teaching theatre and then directing. Putting the synthesis on stage and keep on sharing. Being always alert to listen what was emerging. The language was no barrier. On the contrary. A non verbal communication emerged, that connected all people and applied in every stage convention. The spiral effect and the peripheral vision. My tools, my elements, my belief. And then life came and led me to a new path that connects all previous. Dramatherapy. Adding the element of therapy in the equation, expanded my potentials and led me to where I am today. Actor, director, theater educator and dramatherapist. Teaching theatre, movement and voice to professional actors and amateurs.
Organizing workshops for self-development using elements from the theatrical science and dramatherapy. Assisting individuals in their path to personal evolution. My main concern is finding ways to share with people the art of performing in different circumstances and conventions without ever losing their truth and personal involvement to the project. The art of theatre is therapeutic, inspiring and life changing and these workshops around the world have a great impact on people’s lives – so I hear!
GEORGIA TSANGARAKI
Georgia Tsangaraki is a director, actor, theatre educator, and dramatherapist. She graduated with Honors from the Greek National Theatre Drama School in 1994 and continued her studies with a one-year postgraduate course at Arts Educational Schools London (1995). In 2024, she completed a postgraduate degree in Dramatherapy at the Herma Institute of Play Therapy and Dramatherapy.
Since 1996, she has worked as an actor in the National Theatre of Greece and the independent theatre scene, performing in productions ranging from ancient Greek tragedy to contemporary works. She has also appeared in film and television.
Since 2014, she has been writing, directing, and teaching in Greece and internationally, collaborating with major universities and drama schools. She designs and facilitates theatre education and self-development workshops for people of all backgrounds, based on her original methodology, “The Spiral Effect.” This practice draws inspiration from the Greek Chorus and emphasizes ensemble work as a core creative and transformative process.
The aim of her workshops is to foster self-awareness through the art of theatre and the practice of dramatherapy, while also cultivating creative communities. Her research has led to the creation of an art space in Athens, as well as artistic journeys and collaborations in small towns across Greece, Latin America, the United States, the Balkans, and Italy.
What continues to inspire her work is the dynamic that emerges through collaboration with communities. Guided by The Spiral Effect, her practice supports both artistic and personal development, reinforcing the value of coexistence and collective expression.
Her creative process is deeply influenced by ancient Greek mythology, which, combined with participants’ personal narratives and devised theatre techniques, results in a mosaic of ancient knowledge and contemporary testimony. The outcomes—performances and presentations—carry strong emotional and artistic resonance, encouraging both participants and audiences toward processes of change and transformation.
Her latest project, Mother Tongue, is a multi-layered performance combining stand-up comedy, spoken word, storytelling, video art, and animation. Moving between English and Greek, it forms an accessible hybrid stage language, exploring memory, homeland, trauma, and identity.
Recent collaborations as an educator and director:
Summer 2025: she teaches chorus work , for the 12th year, in the OYL’s summer company (One Year Lease Company) in the educational program that runs in India , Japan and Greece. International Residency — One Year Lease
Summer 2024: performed in Oedipus by Ellen McLaughlin-the part of Jocasta- in theaters around Greece.
September 2024: She was chosen for the EFFEA , European residency for emerging artists in Romania that took place in Buzau to explore her method “The Spiral Effect” in the context of her new play “Hotel Nemesis”. This creative community focused project, gently and safely introduced a group of young people to the art of theater-making and allowed them to discover another side of themselves.
The final performance was titled “The Cursed Circus” and served as a prequel to Hotel Nemesis! It included dancing, singing, texts written by the participants, as well as scenes from the original play. EFFEA Story: Georgia Tsangaraki - EFFEA
Previous collaborations as an educator: SITI company (N.Y), Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh), Vassar College, Pace University, MB2 Centro Para la Experimentación de las Artes (Arica-Chile), UNIACC (Santiago, Chile), Baumastrasse (Athens), OYL’S Apprentice company (Papingo, Greece, Japan, India) , Attico Ancient Greek Drama School, Buzau International Arts Festival (Romania) and many more.
She has directed: “Mother Tongue” a one woman show, written and performed by her. (The theater of the No, Athens, December 2025)“The cursed circus” (Buzau Romania, 2024), “The shadow self and Eumenides” (Patras acting studio, December 2024), “Hotel Nemesis” (Polis, February 2024)- “The light of Apollo” ,(Kalesma, Mykonos 2023) “ONEIRO” (The Farm, 2023)- “In between_A Dithyramb” ( Bios,Athens 2022-awards of Best Direction and Best Play in the Comic 7B international festival de Teatru in Buzau Romania 2022) ,-“ The circle of Dionysus” ( The Farm, 2021), “The Magic island” ( The Farm,2021),“Lemon”, her adaptation in “Novecento” by Alessandro Baricco, (still running since 2018, awards of Best Direction and Best Play in the Comic 7B international festival de Teatru in Buzau Romania, 2019). “Las Bacantes Flamencas” (NY Thalia Theatre 2019), “Alkestis” (MB2, Chile 2019), “Mary End John” (Baumstrasse 2018), “Les Chrysanthèmes” (The Farm 2018), “Las Bacantes” (MB2 Chile 2017), “Lithi a compass” (Virsodepsio 2013).
She has written a woman’s monologue called “Mother tongue” that refers on sexual abuse and dealing with this trauma, the comedies “The magic Island” and “Hotel Nemesis” , the devised piece “the cursed circus” and a tail called “The field” , that talks about growing up and unfolding the family legacy. She has also co-written with Angelita Tsougou “Paperback Romance”, a comedy inspired by Mills-and-Boon type books, and “Mary End John”, a contemporary tragedy, based on the myth of Clytemnestra.
