A new collaborative work is being prepared for the year 2000: "The Voyage", a multimedia theatre event resulting from the collaboration of three Jewish/American artists, Joel Thome, Matti Meged and Robert Israel and a non-Jewish Brazilian artist, Regina Miranda, and her contemporary dance company, the Regina Miranda Actors and Dancers of Rio de Janeiro.

The work is a cherished idea that was slowly growing among the American artists. They were discussing its issues and giving free flow to their ideas for about a decade when, at the beginning of this year, Joel saw Regina's work in NY and immediately knew she would be the right person to work with them. Since then, several meetings took place and the coincidences of researches and purpose, both in life as in art, only confirmed the first impression. Now, the artists are attuned, the idea developed into a first draft and the "boat is ready to sail".

"The Voyage" will represent an international exchange of skills and knowledge, resulting in a multicultural product that reflects, recognizes and revitalizes our religious and ideological traditions to serve life in a creative, joyful, global and pluralistic sense. This intercultural project, promoting interaction, exchange and communication between Brazil, Israel and the United States, as well as the recognition of the richness and importance of the Jewish culture, will stand as a bridge between ancient traditions and contemporary needs, hopes and realities.

The main source for "The Voyage" is the ancient texts of the Kabbalah, the heart of the Jewish mysticism. The Kabbalah will not be presented as a historical curiosity but as a rich source of spiritual and artistic self-expression, a literary, religious and ideological treasure that exists for nearly 2000 years and that continues to evolve and intrigue. One aspect that maintains the Kabbalah's appeal is that it's very meaning must be constantly "re-presented" but never unveiled, in order to retain its mystical and magical power.

In the latter days of the 20th Century, there is an increasing sense that materialism, whether of the Right or left, cannot sustain or nourish our lives anymore. The resurgence of interest in the association of art and religion, in the "masters narratives" of human kind (instead of the "small personal stories" that marked the Eighties decade), and the enormous popularity of TV programs and films that deal with "supernatural" issues, proves that the hunger for mystery permeates all levels of our culture.

Since old times and up to nowadays, a huge body of speculation about the nature of divinity and our part in the process of creation continues to take place challenging our imagination. Since both Religion and Art seem to share the capacity of renewing our awareness of the ultimate questions (who we are, where we have come from, and where are we going), in a time dominated by strident ideologies and suffering from cultural fragmentation the emergence, or re-emergence of the association of religious aspects with diverse forms of art, appear as a constructive force.

This resurgence of "spirituality" suggests, at least, a recognition of an active, defining dimension of life which cannot be subsumed by human power, wealth, politics, or indeed, - art itself. Whether this emergence of religious belief will significantly affect the entertainment industry or not, the turn towards the "spiritual" is already evident in every art field.

No matter how different our faith languages can be, through the beauty and wealth of religious and intellectual diversity expressed in an artistic work, we can learn from one another and be more opened to transformations while remaining rooted in our cultures and loyal to the spirit of the human path.

The collaborative nature of "The Voyage" enhances the individual creativity of the artists involved, challenging their imagination and communication skills and crossing their fields of action. At the same time, because of its international scope and multimedia dimensions, it also represents an organizational advancement. It will affirm the talents of artists with established reputations and the production qualities of the Regina Miranda Actors and Dancers at the moment of the Celebration of its 20th Anniversary.