Arts Northwest Conference Showcase

Juried Showcase #1 - Monday, Oct 8, 2007 at 8:55 PM to 9: 07 PM in the Broadway Center Complex in the Pantages Theatre, Tacoma WA

Avner the Eccentric
A master of the art of physical comedy, Avner weaves a spell of poetic simplicity in a show of hilarious predicaments.

Avner has appeared on Broadway with his hit show "Avner the Eccentric", and as the ventriloquist in Ghetto, for which his dummy received a Tony Award nomination. He appeared in The Comedy of Errors at Lincoln Center and nationally on PBS.

Internationally, Avner has won juried awards at the Edinburgh Festival, Leipzig Laugh Festival, St. Gervais International Theatre Festival, Barcelona International Clown Festival and the International Circus Festival in Monaco, among others, and has performed repeatedly on four continents.

Avner's new show, Exceptions to Gravity, defies the barriers of language and culture.

"Here is what Avner does best: he reduces his audience to laughter and giggles and applause."
-The New York Times

"I laughed for two solid hours. The show only lasted an hour and a half. I wanted more. Avner the Eccentric is a brilliant comic."
-Joel Siegel, ABC TV

Avner is probably best known for his endearing portrayal of The Jewel, the scene-stealing holy man, in The Jewel of the Nile, co-starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. He was also featured in the film Brenda Starr and the television series' Webster and Mathnet.

Avner's one-man show, Avner the Eccentric, was a hit of the 1984-1985 Broadway season. He co-starred in Lincoln Center's production of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, and returned to Broadway in 1989 in a principal role in Ghetto. In regional theatre Avner has played both Estragon and Vladimir in Waiting For Godot, played the title role in R Crumb Comix, and co-starred with his wife, Julie Goell, in the world premier of Zoo of Tranquility.

Avner's new show, Exceptions to Gravity, defies the barriers of language and culture and has toured extensively all over the US and abroad. Avner has often played on subscription at regional theaters including Arena Stage, Trinity Rep, Actor's Theater of Louisville, The Empty Space, Indiana Rep, The Goodman Theater, Portland Stage, Merrimack Rep, Virginia Stage Company, Dallas Theater Center, Seacoast Rep, and San Jose Rep.

In 2004 Avner appeared for three months in a sold out run at Theatre Fontaine in Paris.

In addition to a busy performance schedule, Avner has taught master classes in clowning and Eccentric Performing in the United States, France, Germany, Japan and Spain. He has developed silent theatre skills as a therapeutic tool and also teaches workshops for students and professionals in health care, education and counseling, as well as theatre.