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Abstract
My dissertation considers the trend of artistic cooperation within international theatre festivals by analyzing an exemplary case: the International Theatre Olympics (TO). This study focuses on the five previous TOs in chronological order: the first TO in Athens, Greece (1995), the second TO in Shizuoka, Japan (1999), the third TO in Moscow, Russia (2001), the fourth TO in Istanbul, Turkey (2006), and the fifth TO in Seoul, Korea (2010). I ascertain how each festival expressed the spirit of Olympism in each countrys distinct cultural language, how each festivals theme supported the idea of interculturalism, and how each festivals attendees, especially theatrical artists from different countries, accomplished cultural exchange through their productions. Furthermore, I examine how the TO has served to fertilize each host countrys culture, community, and foreign relations. In addition to examining the TO itself, I focus on two of the co-founders, Theodoros Terzopoulos and Suzuki Tadashi, who have enthusiastically played leading roles on the International Committee since its inauguration; these two directors are the only committee members who have performed their productions in every TO. Analyzing the two directors productions in past festivals, I examine the various messages that each director wanted to deliver to the festival attendees and how each production reflected the directors theatrical and philosophical vision of the TO. Finally, I conclude my study by considering what the TO has achieved and how the TO has evolved in intercultural terms.