Yossi Yzraely is a theatre director, author, poet, and teacher; an Emeritus Professor at Tel Aviv University’s Department of Theatre Arts. Yzraely studied theatre in the UK at the prestigious RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) institute. On his return to Israel, he teamed up with the Cameri Theatre where he directed the hit children’s play, Rumpelstiltskin (1966), that was performed a whopping total of 267 times.
Yzraely has directed plays at virtually every repertoire theatre in Israel. He served as Habima National Theatre’s Artistic Director between 1975-1977, before taking over the same position later on at Jerusalem’s Khan Theatre between 1984-1987.
In 1968, he directed the hit play, Only Fools are Sad, at Bimot Theatre, inspired by Hassidic tales and songs. The play was watched by more than 250,000 people. Highlights of his other directorial stage credits include Waiting for Godot (Habima National Theatre, 1968), The Merchant of Venice (Cameri Theatre, 1972), The Dybbuk (Khan Theatre, 1985), The Wild Duck (Beersheba Theatre, 1987), Oedipus Rex (Haifa Theatre, 1992), Miss Julie (Gesher Theatre, 2001), and Tyrus and Jerusalem (Beit Lessin Theatre, 2003).
In 1971, Yraely directed the made-for-TV movie, Fahrenheim – a small screen adaptation of S.Y. Agnon’s short story, starring Oded Teomi and Dina Doron. In 2006, he appeared in Yuval Shafferman’s film, Things Behind the Sun.
Through the years, Yzraely has published countless poetry volumes including The Migraine’s Siren Drill (2002), The Poet and his Wife (2003), and Autumn’s Leftovers (2019). In 2008, he published the novel, The Seventh Poet.
