Biography of Evris Tsakirides

                                                     

Evris was born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1949.  He grew up in Thessaloniki where he attended Anatolia College.  In 1968, he received a Junior Diploma in Classics from Anatolia Junior College, and in 1972 he graduated from Wabash College, Indiana, with a BA in Arts.  In 1983, he received an MA in English as a Second Language from UCLA.  Evris had a natural talent for teaching. He taught Modern Greek extensively in both Greece and in the United States and he is the author of the best-selling book “Spoken Greek, Step One.” Since 1990, he has been an instructor for Ancient Greek, Latin, and French at Crossroads High School, in Santa Monica, CA. In addition to teaching, Evris loved writing and he acted and directed in his first play at 12 years old. In 1969 he wrote the one-act play "The granddaughter's story" which was produced at the Indianapolis Herron Art Institute and won the First prize in a playwriting contest.  Since then he collaborated with Melya in multiple plays, including “Orestes and the Three Furious Ladies”, which opened in Athens in 1979 and in Los Angeles in 1981.  He wrote multiple other short stories and plays in both Greek and English.  During his last years, Evris became a vegan and a passionate activist for the better treatment of animals.  In 1999, together with Melya, they founded the “Venice Animal Allies Foundation”, which is now the “Voice for the Animals Foundation”, a non-profit organization which is devoted to creating respect and empathy for animals through education, rescue, legislation, and advocacy.  Evris died in March of 2009, in Venice, CA, from complications from cancer, surrounded by both his friends and his beloved animals.

Evri's philosophy and way of life is a mirror of some his most favorite quotes.

Photos

Click to watch a short video (slideshow presentation) created by Natassa and presented at Evri’s memorial.

 

Publications and Other Works

1980 - Wrote, illustrated, and published “Spoken Greek”, Second Edition, Los Angeles, Calif.

1978- Adapted and/or translated and co-directed four story-telling performance pieces for the “Kecharitomenes” production at the Entopia Theater in Athens.

1978- Wrote, directed an original adaptation of Aeschylus' “Oresteia” in collaboration with Melya Kaplan,  “Orestes and the Three Furious Ladies” premiered at the Hellenic-American Union under the sponsorσhip of the Athens Center for the Creative Arts,  in Athens, Greece. (Opened in Los Angeles in 1981).

1977 – Published “Spoken Greek” (1st Edition).

1975- Wrote, directed, and choreographed a “Mixed Piece for Six” in collaboration with Melya Kaplan, which premiered at the Hellenic-American Union in Athens, Greece, sponsored by the Athens Center for the Creative Arts.

1974-Wrote, directed and performed in “Variations on Theme-ing” in collaboration with Melya Kaplan, which premiered at the Hellenic-American union in Athens, Greece, sponsored by the Athens Center for the Creative Arts.

         Wrote “1863, A History Play” for puppets and live actors in collaboration with Melya Kaplan.

1972- Organized and wrote “The Holiday Inn Blues”, a street performance in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

           Directed, designed, and constructed the set for Samuel Beckett’s “ Happy Days”, at the Indianapolis Herron Art Institute.

1971- Adapted for radio, directed and acted in Eugene lonesco's “The Lesson” at the Wabash College FM station.

1969- Wrote “The Granddaughter’s' Story” , a one-act play to be produced one year later at Indianapolis Herron Art Institute. Received First –place Award in playwriting contest.

1968 - Wrote and performed in “Vampire Agency”, a one-man performance at Anatolia Junior College, Thessaloniki, Greece. Received First Anatolia Arts Award.