Masters

Born in Istanbul in 1964. He studied
foreign language teaching . But he has
had a great interest in drama since
high school days -1980. He participated
many projects as an actor. After the
University he founded the group named
Steps Theatre..Between the years 1988
and 1993 he directed 6 plays .He also
design and apply masks and puppets
in some of these plays. Then he began
to get interested in children's theatre
and puppets...He founded the Uskudar
Puppet Theatre in the same year...But
next changed the name as Uskudar
Karagoz theatre because he saw that
the karagoz is more attractive in
preschool performances...

Alpay Ekler won the Karagoz prize of Children
Foundation. But the play that he wrote and performed
was for adults. he play was about a folklore tradition in
old Ýstanbul. The tradition of improvisatory folk poetry
and face to face conversation saying poems with the
atmosphere of karagöz was handled by him in this
play.
Alpay Ekler makes his own karagöz figures also. The
birth of the tradition again he says it why he make
them from animal skin, naturally dyed(not ink) and
knife holed(not burn).

Alpay Ekler writes new textes and
articles of Karagoz. As mostly believed
,karagoz is anonym but he
documanted and proved that it is not.
Karagoz is a folk theater but is an
performing art designed and
performed by one person.