Lara Staal, born in 1984 in Zwolle, The Netherlands, is a theatre director, researcher, writer and curator. As house artist at NTGent, she has made it her trademark to denounce malpractices in society. During her performances she gives the stage to vulnerable people who suffer from these wrongdoings.
In season 2021-2022, Staal put five ‘problem cases’ from schools in Ghent in the spotlight during the performance Dissident . In July 2023 SERDI premiered at Theater aan Zee. This gripping monologue, directed by Staal and produced by NTGent, was selected by Theaterfestival 2024. In subsequent seasons SERDI was rerun and two years after its premiere, it still tours. In season 2024-2025 in De Gevangenis , she gives a voice to ex-convicts to denounce the failing Belgian prison system and to advocate for a more humane alternative.
The collaboration between Staal and NTGent first started in season 2018-2019. In the series The State of... Staal reflected on fundamental values of our western society. Guest speakers were given a forum to debate the current state of truth, faith, beauty and justice.
In the season 2020-2021 Staal directed the short movie The State of Justice in which she highlighted 'The case Samuel', the story of a young African who, despite unbridled efforts, lingers on the fringes of society. Not even an official identity was granted to him. During the creation of the film, Staal debated for the newspaper De Standaard with then-Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Sammy Mahdi.
Staal studied theatre pedagogy at ArtEZ in Arnhem and theatre science and dramaturgy at the University of Amsterdam. Between 2013 and 2016, she worked as a programmer at Frascati where she developed various political social programmes. In 2016 she developed the Congress of Utopia in collaboration with Jonas Staal. Since 2017, Staal has been working as a freelance curator in the performing arts and she developed, among others The Evening of Anger (together with rapper Gideon Everduim) and Europe on Trial (together with human rights activist Yoonis Osman Nuur). In addition to her work as curator and programmer, she writers for professional journals such as rekto:verso, Theatermaker, Mister Motley and Etcetera.
--- update February 2025