RHEA LEMAN

Playwright and Director

BACKSTORY

Born and raised in New York City

1981  
Moved to Copenhagen, Denmark

1982-1998
Artistic Director TEATER TANGO

1997-2001
Writer and Director for Danish Television

2003-2007
Chairwoman for The Danish Committee for the Performing Arts

2003-2007
Member of The State Arts Council

2007
Artist in Residence, Shanghai Theater Academy

2009-2023
Artistic Director DRAMAFRONTEN

Bachelor in Fine Arts, major in dance Boston Conservatory of Music, USA

Master in Fine Arts, writing for stage and screen, Lesley University, Cambridge, USA

Professor in Creative Writing – Danish Institute study Scandinavia, Copenhagen, Denmark 2018-

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

2025
Mantzius Award! The Society for Danish Theater History

2024
The Danish Stage and Screen Writers Guild, Herta and Svend Rindom’s Honorary Award 

2023
Axel and Magda Fuhrs Fond Legat

Copenhagen Culture, Best Play 2023, Arendt, to see in darkness 

2019
Reumert nominated for Playwright of the Year, 2019, LIVE THE LIFE

2018
Awarded Lauritzen’s Funds Vision Prize, Artistic Director Dramafronten 

2014
The Danish Screenwriters’ and Playwrights’ Union Allen Prize

The Danish Arts Council Performing Arts Committee Prize for Direction, 2014 

2013
Reumert nomination for Playwright of the Year, 2013,
GORILLA 2026

SELECTED PLAYS

2026

ARENDT, to see in DARKNESS
Freies Schauspiel Ensemble, Frankfurt Germany

2025

ARENDT – to see in darkness
Thalia Theater, Hamburg Germany

2024

AMERIDANSK 2
Dramafronten, Aveny T, Copenhagen

Re-premiere
ARENDT, to see in darkness
Off-Off productions, Odense Theater

2023

ARENDT – to see in darkness
Off-Off productions, Odense Theater

2022

SNOW
BornholmsTheater

LØNSTRUP LADIES,
Vendsyssel Theater

2020

DRAMA QUEENS
Dramafronten, Copenhagen

2019

AMERIDANSK 1
Dramafronten, Copenhagen

WINTER TALES
Dramafronten, Copenhagen

2018

LIVE THE LIFE
Bornholms Teater, Bornholm

HITLER ON THE ROOF
Aquavit Theater, Chicago USA

THE ROSENBERGS
Boston Playwrights Theater, USA 

2017

VIGGO MORTENSEN DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE
Team Teatret, Herning, Denmark

2016

THE RESERVATION
The Mask Theater, Falster, Denmark

MIDSUMMER STORIES
Dramafronten, Facilitator, Bornholm, Denmark

2015

THE ROSENBERGS
Den Nye Opera, Esbjerg

2014

BERLUSCONI, THE MUSICAL
Nørrebro Teater

GORILLA
Produced by Svalegangen Teater, Aarhus Denmark Tour

2013

GORILLA
Produced by Scandinavia Teater Company, performed by Lions Teater New York City, USA

SUMMER
Produced by Dramafronten, site-specific, Copenhagen, Denmark

GOEBBELS’ LESSON
Produced by Borscht, Teater Grob, and The Danish Theater Denmark Tour

2012

GORILLA
Produced by Herning Teater, Denmark

2011

HITLER ON THE ROOF
Produced by Borscht Performed at Copenhagen’s Music Theater, Copenhagen, Denmark