User:Ortzailaboratory/sandbox

IKER ORTIZ DE ZARATE
1. BIOGRAPHY Son of actress Teresa Ibáñez (Murgia, 13th January 1944), Iker Ortiz de Zarate was born in Vitoria Gasteiz (19th January 1970). BA (Hons) in Drama (University of Kent at Canterbury) and known as Iker Ibañez for some years, he started working as an actor in 1991, playing the main male character of Michael Winterbottom´s "Under the Sun". He became popular as Javier in BBC´s "Eldorado" (1992/1993) and in 2000 he played one of the protagonists of Scott Ross´"Basque Adventures", produced by Flying Pictures and BAFTA nominee for Best Educational Series 2000.

In Theatre, he has played several major roles, such as Beaumarchais´Figaro ("The Marriage of Figaro"), Anouilh´s Thomas Becket ("Becket or the Honor of God"), Gozzi´s Trufaldino ("The Green Bird"), Shakespeare´s Octavian ("Antony and Cleopatra") or Oscar Wilde´s Herod ("Salome"). In 2010, he produced and staged Oscar Wilde´s "De Profundis", one of his most important works and his first monologue. Iker has often shared the stage with Teresa Ibáñez. In 2011 they started the tour of "¿Y ahora? So now what?", first play ever about terrorism and reconciliation in the Basque Country. In it, Iker plays a doctor who lost the man he loved in a terrorist attack. Teresa Ibáñez portrays the mother of the terrorist who killed that man. Both characters, isolated by the snow, must spend the night in a Basque farm, alone. The play was written by Iker Ortiz de Zarate.

Mainly based in his homeland, nowadays Iker devotes much of his time, though, to performing, teaching acting and coaching actors, dancers and musicians in different countries.

Iker Ortiz de Zarate is well known for loving animals and showing a serious concern about the present and the future of the Earth. Running ORTZAI since 2005 -his own studio and theatre company- his productions often show this ethical compromise with the environment, as well as with other values and civil liberties. Iker is known to be fond of Britain and British Culture and Theatre, an influence he has always admitted, worked on and been grateful for. He speaks English, French, Spanish and Basque.

2. FILMOGRAPHY Spinnin' (2007) .... Samuel (directed by Eusebio Pastrana) Hospital Central (2000-2001) .... SAMUR Doctor (3 episodes, Tele 5) Basque Adventures (2000) .... Mikel (directed by Scott Ross for Flying Pictures, BAFTA nominee) Pajarico (1997) (as Iker Ibáñez) .... Loli´s Boyfriend (directed by Carlos Saura) ¿De qué se ríen las mujeres? (1997) (as Iker Ibáñez) .... Paparazzi 1 (directed by Joaquín Oristrell) Taxi (1996) .... Scar Skin Head Eldorado (1992-1993).... Javier Fernandez (Episodes 1 to 96, BBC 1) Under the Sun (1992) (as Iker Ibáñez).... Miguel (directed by Michael Winterbottom)

3. THEATRE 2012 Sade´s JUSTINE .... (Sade and 14 more characters) LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD (Pantomime) .... (Grandmother) 2011 MIREN POPPINS COMES BACK! (Pantomime) .... (Miren Poppins) Oscar Wilde´s THE HAPPY PRINCE .... (Swallow)and THE SELFISH GIANT (Giant and narrator)-staged as TALES BY CANDLELIGHT- Oscar Wilde´s SALOME .... (Herod) Iker Ortiz de Zarate´s ¿Y AHORA? SO NOW WHAT? .... (Doctor) MANKIND (anonymous morality play) .... (Nought) PINOCCHIO (Pantomime) .... (Blue Fairy) 2010 HANSEL AND GRETEL (Pantomime) .... (Fairy Godmother / Witch) EVERYMAN (anonymous morality play) .... (Death) Oscar Wilde´s DE PROFUNDIS .... (Oscar Wilde) Iker Ortiz de Zarate´s THE ROBIN WHO FLEW TO COMPOSTELA .... (Robin) Jean Anouilh´s BECKET OR THE HONOR OF GOD ....(Becket) Mikel Cañada´s HAYDN, A WHOLE LIFE ....(Haydn) Carlo Gozzi´s THE GREEN BIRD .... (Truffaldino) SNOWHITE (Pantomime) .... (Stepmother) 2008 MIREN POPPINS (Pantomime) .... (Miren Poppins) Lazarraga´s DIANEA & KOPLAK -staged with the title MAITASUNAREN SALTSAN- .... (Narrator) Beaumarchais´THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO .... (Figaro) 2007 CINCERELLA (Pantomime).... (Fairy Godmother) Iker Ortiz de Zarate´s THE HAZARDOUS DEEDS OF TWO WICKED WHORES .... (Mother Superior) 2005 William Shakespeare´s ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA (Octavian) Katarbeltz´s EUSKABARET (Emcee)

Iker´s first professional jobs on stage were: Francisco Nieva´s ESPAÑOLES BAJO TIERRA (minor part, 1993) Bizet´s CARMEN (walk-on part, 1992, Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid)

Prior to his acting career, Iker did some modelling.