DEADLIFT
Aviva Pressman
About Aviva Pressman
My name is Aviva Pressman and I’m an actor, singer, clown, calligrapher, and medical educator located in Los Angeles, CA. I have performed everywhere from Madison Square Garden to South Coast Repertory, in animes and commercials, and my voice can even be heard coming out of toys you my have around the house. Additionally, I am passionate about teaching compassionate, effective, and non-traumatic communication and clinical skills to healthcare students and I make amazing balloon animals.
About DEADLIFT
DEADLIFT is a show exploring what it is to be weird and Jewish, dealing with grief, and dressing up your father’s ashes for Halloween. Classic, no? Directed by Seattle director Zandi Carlson and written by Aviva Pressman, DEADLIFT is told through storytelling, live visual art creation, and song. The show is bound to make you feel guilty about how much you’re laughing. DEADLIFT is ideal for Shmita because death and grief are times that life literally stops. Grief is a time when people desperately need a break but often cannot have it in our current society. The purpose of Shmita is never more clear than when someone is in the grieving process. I also think that the multi-disciplinary format of DEADLIFT is something you won’t see in many submissions. It includes storytelling, singing, and visual art created before your eyes. It is a distinctly Jewish piece of work while also being accessible to anyone. It received glowing reviews during its first run.
