Two States One Couch
Two States One Couch (TSOC), is an original performance that uses humor, intimacy, and physical theater to explore the Israeli - Palestinian conflict through the lens of a couple’s therapy session. In this allegorical piece, Palestine (Noa Shapira) and Israel (Jihad Milhem) are a married couple on the brink of collapse, navigating love, trauma, and loss with the help of their exhausted couples therapist (Ronan Virad).
TSOC leverages art as a bridge for empathy and understanding. Through collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian artists, the project invites audiences to see beyond headlines and into the shared human experience of conflict and love.
The piece invites audiences to witness 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.
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) is a French theatre artist and filmmaker known for blending classical form with contemporary experimentation. His work, rooted in movement and metaphor, aims to reveal the emotional truths behind social narratives. As a long-time collaborator with Artists Amongst Us, Ronan brings visual precision and cinematic rhythm to the stage.
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.
