Two States One Couch
Two States One Couch (TSOC) is an original theater play that uses theater to explore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the lens of a couple's therapy session.
In this allegorical piece, Palestine (played by an Israeli actress) and Israel (played by a Palestinian actor) are a married couple on the brink of collapse, navigating trauma and loss with the help of their exhausted couples therapist, who serves as a metaphor for the intervention of the international community in this centuries-old conflict. The play invites the audience to join the couple in their very last couples therapy session, in which they must make a decision - stay together, separate, or find whatever lies in between.
On stage, the Israeli and Palestinian actors do what seems impossible in the current reality: they put themselves in each other's shoes and navigate their complex relationship within a clear timeframe, striving toward a solution with which they can both live.
TSOC leverages art as a bridge for empathy and understanding. Through collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian artists, the project invites audiences to see beyond news headlines and into the shared human experience of conflict and love. The piece shows how global conflict plays out in domestic, human terms - how shared history and pain can both divide and connect. Following each show, a 30-minute facilitated dialogue fosters community reflection on conflict resolution, coexistence, and storytelling as a bridge across divides.
An excerpt from the project premiered on January 24th in Denver, Colorado, with Noa Shapira as Palestine, Jihad Mihem as Israel, and Ronan Viard as the couples therapist
In a moment when the loudest voices speak only of war, blame, and irreconcilable difference, TSOC dares to do something radical: it insists on the possibility of resolution. Just as no couples therapist begins a session assuming the relationship is beyond saving, this production refuses to accept that this conflict is beyond repair. It does not offer easy answers or false equivalencies - it offers something rarer right now: the belief, however fragile, that two people (two peoples) who have caused each other profound pain can still sit in the same room, look at each other, and try.
About The Team
Noa Shapira (Creator, Writer, and Co-Director) is an Israeli multidisciplinary artist, human rights practitioner, and storyteller whose work bridges art and activism. As Director of Artists Amongst Us, Noa creates performances that transform social and political dialogue into intimate theatrical experiences. Her recent works, including Sol y Luna and Shadows of Hope, explore themes of migration, identity, and healing through movement and narrative.
Jihad Milhem (Performer, Co-Creator) is a Palestinian-American actor, playwright, and educator whose work centers on identity, resistance, and belonging. With performances spanning stage and screen, Jihad brings depth, humor, and vulnerability to his portrayal of “Israel,” challenging audiences to confront power, empathy, and the personal cost of politics.
Ronan Viard (Director, Performer) A French theatre artist, producer and director, Ronan was trained in Paris and has brought over 30 productions to life since moving to the U.S. Ronan’s recent work includes “Colorado Boy”, a personal play he wrote and starrs in. His work aims to reveal the emotional truths behind social narratives.
Adrienne Asterita (Co-director) is a Denver-based director, actor, and educator dedicated to fostering authentic, socially engaged performance. With a background in devised theatre and movement work, Adrianna brings a grounded, actor-centered approach to the production - helping translate the emotional and political layers of Two States One Couch into a visceral and cohesive stage language.
