Dominique Caillat (born 1956) is a Swiss playwright and writer. She lives in Berlin and works in German, French and English.
Life and work Caillat was born in Washington, D.C. in 1956. After studying law and passing bar examinations in Geneva and New York City, Dominique Caillat briefly worked as an international lawyer before turning to literature and the stage, receiving a basic training in acting and directing.Dominique Caillat’s biography (self description)
In 1993, she moved to Germany and established in Burg Namedy, near Koblenz, the youth acting school "Theater in der Vorburg". Over the next 6 years, she wrote and directed 6 plays for her company, which soon became a regular guest at theatre events and festivals. In 1998, Caillat's play and production of Leb wohl, SchmetterlingDominique Caillat: Leb wohl, Schmetterling – short presentation of the play (Farewell Butterfly), about the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezín, won the Rheinland-Pfalz Youth Cultural Prize and was performed in the German Parliament for the Commemoration of the Victims of National Socialism, as well as in Terezín, Prague, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, among many other cities. Caillat closed the "Theater in der Vorburg" in 2000, to devote herself to writing fiction, non-fiction and plays.
Her work focuses on sensitive political and social issues, and is typically based on comprehensive research. Her past topics include the Third Reich, to which she devoted two plays, Leb wohl, Schmetterling and Wir gehören zusammen,Dominique Caillat: Wir gehören zusammen – short presentation of the play as well as scenes for Hans Krása's children opera Brundibár,Dominique Caillat: Brundibár – short presentation of the scenes Prolog, Szene und Epilog, commissioned by the Vienna Chamber opera. She also wrote extensively about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, spending much time in the Middle-East conducting interviews on both sides of the Green Line. Her experiences are summarized in her book La Paix ou la mort – Dans les coulisses du drame isrélo-palestinien (Peace or DeathPeace or Death: Israeli Women Challenge Soldiers at the Checkpoints – English version of one chapter of the French book La Paix ou la mort by Dominique Caillat). Her latest play, commissioned by the Swiss Academy of Natural Science, deals with Charles Darwin, evolution and bioethics (La Confession de DarwinDominique Caillat: Darwins Beichte – short presentation of the play and its German version Darwins Beichte).
Plays Youth Theatre Caspar HauserDominique Caillat: Caspar Hauser – short presentation of the play (1993) Les Misérables,Dominique Caillat: Les Misérables – short presentation of the play adapted from Victor Hugo (1994) Ein Schloss erzähltDominique Caillat: Ein Schloss erzählt – short presentation of the play (1995) Brunos TraumDominique Caillat: Brunos Traum – short presentation of the play (Festivalstern Jugendtheater Rheinland-Pfalz 1996) Leb wohl, Schmetterling (Kultursommer Rheinland-Pfalz, Burgfestpiele Mayen 1998; Nine Gates International Festival of Jewish Culture Prague 2000Leb wohl, Schmetterling in Prague) Wir gehören zusammen (Festivalstern Jugendtheater Rheinland-Pfalz and Burgfestspiele Mayen 1999)
Drama Prolog, Szene und Epilog for Brundibár (Vienna Chamber opera and ORF 1999) Niemandsland,Dominique Caillat: Niemandsland – short presentation of the play about youth violence (Kulturfabrik Koblenz, 2003) Kidnapping,Dominique Caillat: Kidnapping – short presentation of the playKidnapping: Interview of Dominique Caillat – (October 2004) about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Premiered 2004 at the Staatstheater Mainz, German national tour 2005) État de piège,Dominique Caillat: "État de piège – quand deux peuples veulent la paix et leurs dirigeants la guerre“ (2007) thoroughly overhauled version of Kidnapping (Théâtre de Carouge, Geneva 2007) Darwins Beichte (Swiss-German tour 2009Darwins Beichte / La Confession de Darwin – Performances (French / German)) La Confession de Darwin (Swiss-French tour 2009)
Site Specific Theatre Gladiator ValeriusDominique Caillat: Gladiator Valerius – site specific theatre (Amphitheatre Trier 2000) Der ewige SoldatDominique Caillat: Der ewige Soldat – site specific theatre, short presentation (Ehrenbreitstein fortress 2001) Die Muse von StolzenfelsDominique Caillat: Die Muse von Stolzenfels – site specific theatre, short presentation (Stolzenfels castle 2003) Der kunstsinnige König (Villa Ludwigshöhe 2006Dominique Caillat: Der kunstsinnige König – site specific theatre)
Books La Paix ou la mort – Dans les coulisses du drame israélo-palestinienDominique Caillat: La Paix ou la mort – short presentation of the book (Labor & Fides, Geneva 2007)
Films Leb wohl, Schmetterling, Documentary Film of Olga Struškova (Jerusalem Film Festival, Czech Television 1998)
Awards 1998: Children and Youth Cultural Prize of Rheinland-Pfalz for Leb wohl, Schmetterling, play 1999: "Forum Artis plaudit" Prize of the Mayen-Koblenz District for Wir gehören zusammen, play 2009: Award of the Pro Helvetia Foundation The Children's Passion, Oratorium-Libretto
References
External links
"État de piège": French Interview, 35 min., (32MB mp3) with Dominique Caillard about the play by Jacques Magnol – GenèveActive, 10.12.2007