Jean Daoud

Jean G. Daoud is a poet, a playwright, Professor and researcher in acting and stage production. He holds a degree in Cinema and Theatre Studies from University of Paris VIII, and is Professor of Drama and directing (Beaux-Arts II) and Department Head of Theatre at the Lebanese University (IBA II). He is an expert in "Creative Pedagogy" and Therapy through actor training. He is the founder of the Laboratoire de dramaturgie, d'actorat et de textes. He is the Secretary-general of "Beirut's Congress of Theater".

Theatrical works and mise en scène

 * Bayna Ana wa Ana Hya ("Between Me and Myself: Her"). The first performances were held in Tunisia (Cultural centre of Taher El Haddad, the cultural house of Ben Arous) in August 2005. This play was later performed in Sharja in May 2006, at the Tortosa Inter-Cultural Festival (Spain) in October 2006, and in Italy in March 2007, in Algeria 2010; in addition, several performances were given in Lebanon in 2005–2010.
 * Mouakoun (Theater of Beyrouth, Lebanon, April–June 1999)
 * Cérémonie d'un nombre-acteur ("Ceremony of a Number-Actor") (Saint-François Theatre, Lebanon, June 1988)
 * Deathwatch (Haute surveillance) (tr. of Jean Genet's play, INBA 1981 – Paris 1981. Little theater of Beit Mery, Lebanon, May 1982.)
 * La révolution des femmes ("The Revolution of Women") (Hazmieh, Lebanon, 1977)
 * Advienne que pourra ("Come What Will") (Unesco Palace, Lebanon, 1972. Syr Dannieh, Kartaba and Hazmieh, 1976.)

Daoud is also author of the plays Chito, Moi et le Curé ("Me and the Priest"), Alkirda al Zakiah ("Smart Monkies"), Baëh al Hawa ("Love Vendor") and Markab Assalaça ("The Boat of Three").

Actor Trainer

 * He founded the "Laboratory of dramaturgy, acting and texts" at the Lebanese University(Faculty of Literature since 1986, and later at the Fine Arts Institute since 1996) in which he trains actors using the method he created and named "Sufi Method" or "Total Method". The laboratory opens its doors occasionally to audience for an active and expérimentale interaction.
 * He founded the Pedagogic Workshop that puts the actor training method he created at the service of a creative pedagogy. This workshop is a double workshop : one for kids Cet (1987–2001) and the other is a trainers training workshop for the teachers.
 * He has led as well actor training workshops for professional actors, of which we suffice to name: a workshop with the FCC (French Cultural Center) in Beirut, a workshop in Sharja/UAE - May 2006 ...

Arabic Publications

 * Al Dabh Eldimocrati ("The Democratic Hyena"), Beyrouth, 1998. (poetry)
 * Al Hazayan Fi Jaçad Imra'a Kalimat (Madness in the Body of a Woman, Verbs), Beyrouth, 1998. (poetry)
 * Fi Makan Al A'ard Al Maçrahi… (About the Location of Scenic Representation — In Search of an Ideal Form), Beyrouth, 2000. (research)
 * Bayna Ana Wa Ana Hya ("Between Me and Myself: Her"), Beyrouth, 2006. (Play)
 * "Theater in Lebanon" (Published by the Arab comity for theater, series of the Arab Theater, 2009)

Documentaries
Daoud has produced various documentaries, including:


 * Documentary on Theater in Lebanon - from Phoenician Times until 1986("Le Théâtre au Liban"): A two and a half-hour documentary. (He has made a two years research to collect documents and finish the scenario and the filming of a documentary) projected to the press in 1986 (He has proven in it the Poenician origin of Theater).
 * Passing by the CNSAD (« Un laissez-passer au CNSAD ») in Paris. (A thirty six minutes documentary about the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Paris) February 1988.
 * 522 short documentaries about Lebanon (documentaries on: archaeology, Lebanese architecture, ecology, traditions, cultural life, politics, social issues, literature, painters, writers such as Gibran Khalil Gibran, theater professionals, special and intriguing stories…) Shown of the International Spanish speaking Télévisa, (in Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries et ).


 * He is also the author, producer and director of many radio shows in one of Lebanon's most famous radios for the years 1977–1978. He was the head of the programming of this radio station.

Promoter of festivals and of artistic and cultural events

 * He was the promoter of the Festival of Theatre and Spectacles in 1983 (The first profesional theater festival in the arab world).
 * He has worked in the cadre of Festival of Scholarly Theatre with the organization Alef for three years.

Member of jury in:
 * Festival de Quamar d'or – Lebanon (three consecutive years)
 * « Ayyam AlSharja al Masrahya » (Theatrical Days of Sharja) – Sharja, UAE, 2005
 * International Festival of University Theatre, Sultan Kabus University, Oman, March 2007.
 * National Festival of Professional Theater - Algeria, 2009.

Academic tasks

 * Chair of the department of theatre at the Institute for Fine Art 2001-2003 and from 2005 till today.
 * Member of the comity of research at the Doctoral School of Literature, Humanities and Social Sciences.
 * Member of the scientific comity at the Fine Arts Institute -LU (2002–2006) and at the Faculty of Education - LU(2000–2002).


 * Member of the scientific comity assigned with the development of the course at the Fine Arts Institute -LU(2004–2005).


 * Member of the scientific comity assigned with the development of the course at the Faculty of Education - LU(2003–2004).


 * Member of the comity founding the masters programs in Artistic Education at the Faculty of Education - LU (2002).


 * He participated in the inauguration of the department of Artistic Education - theater section at the Faculty of Education - LU. He was the general coordinator of this specialization for four consecutive years (1997 - 2001).


 * Member of the entrance exams jury at the theater department and at the artistic education department - U.L.

Studies

 * Doctorate in Theatrical and Cinematographic Studies (University of Paris VIII, France, 1985).


 * Diploma in Drama at Institut des Beaux-Arts (Institute of Fine Arts), Lebanese University, 1981 (for two years he also studied mathematics, physics and chemistry at the Faculty of Science before opting for studying drama in 1977).

Unpublished work (in Arabic)

 * « The Essence of Theater» (185 pages in which Daoud exposes his philosophy of theater, the actor, and the human)


 * « Theatrical Character» (adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth…) where all the play is condensed in just one character in writing and directing.


 * « a Study on The Dream Maker» (adaptation of Cervantès)


 * « The Audience of Theater in Lebanon».


 * « Theater in Lebanon up till 1984 : History and research » (a study in 200 pages constituting a historical reference of theater and performances in Lebanon since the early population of the Lebanese coast up till 1984).


 * « Theatrical Troupes in Lebanon ».


 * « Theater showrooms in Lebanon ».


 * « Youth and voluntary work in Lebanon» (documentary of the youth situation in Lebanon - partially filmed).


 * « My concept of a Political Party».


 * « Echoes seeking a homeland »


 * « Perspective of a Lebanese University ».


 * « The Pedagogic role of theater and the education of creators » (intervention within a colloquium held in the Psychology Department - LU).


 * « Searching to name where a theatrical performance is given ».


 * « The power of a theatrical showroom and its obedience to power ».


 * « The Theatrical Showroom an image of social consciousness ».


 * « Studying a Playwright ».


 * « The Setbacks for Actors» (intervention within the Beyrout Congress for Theater 2003)


 * « Actor Training: latent traps » (intervention within a colloquium in the Dramatic Arts Conservatory in Tunisia - 2005)


 * « the Rule and the anty-rule in Playrwright » (intervention within the Festival of experimental Theater in Cairo – Egypt 2005)


 * « The Dramaturgy of the actor » (intervention within the Beyrout Congress for Theater - 2005.  A concept taught as a part of the "Sufi Method" since the 1990s).


 * « Formal or spoken : The Actor is the Language of Theater». (intervention within a seminary in Sharja – UAE 2005)