NEW YORK- The Nathan Award–winning writer, critic and editor Randy Gener led two back-to-back seminars at the 2011 Swedish Theater Biennial May 11-15 in Sweden. 

Gener lectured on “Global Sweden: Swedish Theatre in the World” in a seminar that gathered international critics and leading scholars from around the world.  He led a seminar on “Theater and Democracy: Voices From the Theatres in the World.”  The latter panel featured Vanessa Cook, Market Theatre of South Africa; Jessica Kaahwa, an actress and writer from Uganda who gave the message of the World Theatre Day 2011; Radhouane el Meddeb of La compagie de SOI of Tunisia; Ambroise Mbia, an actor/director who leads the Cameroon Center of the International Theatre Institute; Davit Gabunia, a dramaturge of the Royal District Theatre of Georgia; and Oleksandr Kryzhanivskyi, artistic director of the New Drama Theatre on Pechersk of the Ukraine.

The Swedish Theatre Biennial is both a national festival and a meeting place for everyone involved in the world of Swedish theatre. The Swedish Theatre Union arranges the festival every other year (odd numbered years) in collaboration with different regional theatres in Swede.  

The Swedish theatrical world played a part to play in the Biennial, in performances, seminars, exhibitions, lectures, master-classes, meetings and arrangements of various kinds.  The performances are chosen by a jury of Swedish theatre critics whose criteria is based on—”the best productions during the last two years.”  While the program is linked to the performances being shown, it also reflects current debates and social analysis, dealing with issues vital to Swedish work and presenting individuals of interest together with theatre projects both from home and abroad.

Gener is a New York City-based writer, critic and editor.  His nonfiction writing, art journalism and theatre criticism have appeared in The New York Times, Expressen, The International Herald Tribune, The Star Ledger, The Village Voice, The Daily News, Time Out New York, New York magazine, Gannett Newspapers, Norwegian Shakespeare and Theatre Magazine, Korean Theatre Journal and other major publications.  

In 2010, Gener won two media awards for excellence in travel writing from the North American Travel Journalists Association; the Deadline Club Award for Best Arts Reporting from the New York chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists; and Journalist of the Year 2010 from the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association.  

Generis the 2009 recipient of the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism — the highest U.S. award for dramatic criticism and one of the most distinguished awards in the American theatre — for his essays in American Theatre magazine.  

Gener was most recently bestowed the 2010 Presidential Award by His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III, president of the Philippines, who conferred upon Gener the title of “Legacy of the Filipino Nation.”

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