Lena Kitsopoulou

Lena Kitsopoulou was born in 1971 in Athens, Greece. She completed her studies at the Art Theater Drama School in 1994, subsequently establishing herself as an actress in both theater and film. In 2006, she published her debut collection of short stories, "Bats" (Kedros Publishers), which earned her the Debut Author Prize from Diavazo magazine. She has since released two additional collections, "Big Roads" and "Fish Eye" (both published by Metechmio), along with a novella titled "M.A.I.R.O.U.L.A." This work, originally crafted as a monologue for the National Theater, has been translated into several languages and staged in various global venues, including England, Spain, and France.

In addition to her writing, Kitsopoulou directs theater productions. Her play "Athanasios Diakos – The Return," showcased at the Athens Festival in 2012, received the 2013 International Author Prize at Stückemarkt in Heidelberg. Another notable work, "Little Red Riding Hood – First Blood," was performed in May 2014 at the Onassis Cultural Center and Théâtre de la Ville in Paris. Her production of "A Day like Any Day in a Flat (…) or The Futility of Living" was staged in December 2016 at the Saint Gervais Theater in Geneva. In October 2016, she presented "Antigone – Lonely Planet" at the Onassis Cultural Center in New York.

Kitsopoulou has also directed works by other playwrights, including Grigorios Xenopoulos, Yorgos Chronas, and Federico García Lorca. In February 2016, she directed Ibsen’s "Hedda Gabler" at Oberhausen Theater in Germany. Her works continue to be performed by various theater companies in Greece and internationally. In May 2017, she wrote and directed "Tyrannosauri Rex"