5 NEW PRODUCTIONS, 4 PRIZES, TENS OF PERFORMANCES ON OUR STAGE, PARTICIPATIONS IN FESTIVALS AND TOURNAMENTS, PROJECTS IN PROGRESS

Although performance and concert institutions faced significant challenges due to the pandemic and had their activities restricted by legal limitations and conditions, the Constanța State Theatre had a rich 2021 with premieres, awards, tours, and festival participations.

PREMIERES:

On March 20, 2021, the hybrid performance "Ziua Z" premiered, conceived as a response to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. A show that can be watched live, both physically in the theatre hall and online, combining filmed scenes with live footage from a car driving through the streets of the city. The original script was written by Ionuț Sociu, and the direction was by Bobi Pricop. The performance received numerous positive reviews and was selected for participation in the Sibiu International Theatre Festival—online section.

On May 8, 2021, the musical comedy "Crima din strada Lourcine" by Eugène Labiche premiered, directed by Vlad Cristache, offering authentic entertainment of the highest quality, blending situational comedy with excellent character dynamics, while a live band accompanies the actors.

On May 15, 2021, the premiere of the performance "Maria Tănase. O poveste" took place, with a script and direction by Carmen Lidia Vidu and Mirela Pană in the role of the famous Romanian folk singer Maria Tănase. The show toured Chișinău and Bucharest, and actress Mirela Pană won the "Bacău Fest Monodrame" 2021 Trophy.

"8 TAȚI" was the fourth premiere of 2021, on May 22, created as part of the "Debut at TSC" management program, in coproduction with "Babeș – Bolyai" University from Cluj Napoca – Faculty of Theatre and Film. The show gave a young director the chance to debut on a professional theatre stage. Director Irisz Kovacs won the award for directorial debut in the "Collective Creation" section at the Debutant 2021 Festival-competition.

The most recent TSC premiere, "Goi pușcă" by Simon Beaufoy, directed by Vlad Cristache, after the film "The Full Monty," took place on September 25, 2021. A soulful British comedy that addresses many serious contemporary societal themes.

EVENTS:

An online reading project of the play "Copilul acesta" by Joël Pommerat, translated by Anca Rotescu, directed by Vlad Cristache, was broadcast on January 9, 2021.

The reading performance of "Insultați. Belarus(ia)" by Andrei Kureicik, translated by Raluca Rădulescu, directed by Erwin Șimșensohn, was presented on February 18, 2021, with free access for spectators, as part of the Belarus(sia) Worldwide Reading Project, in solidarity with the Belarusian theatre movement and citizens, advocating for freedom and the right to conduct free and fair elections.

The online project "Maratonul dramaturgiei israeliene pe scene românești" featured seven Romanian theatre performances based on texts by Israeli playwrights, broadcast from April 14 to April 17, in partnership with the National Theatre "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, the State Jewish Theatre, "Toma Caragiu" Theatre Ploiești, and "L. S. Bulandra" Theatre Bucharest, in celebration of Israel's National Day on April 14.

A partnership with three local TV stations broadcast the reading performance of "Insultați. Belarus(ia)" by Andrei Kureicik on May 28, in the context of the incident created by Belarusian authorities by diverting an airplane to arrest a political opponent.

On June 27, 2021, a debate on sexual abuse of youth was held after the performance of "Jocuri în curtea din spate" directed by Diana Mititelu, moderated by journalist Cristian Andrei Leonte and student Amalia Pisică, a member of the Constanța Capital of Youth team (Romania 2021–2022).

The Summer Nights at the Constanța State Theatre was a mini-season held throughout August, featuring several TSC performances, two shows by young Constanța actors and dancers, and two night poetry sessions celebrating Dobrogea.

The "Nocturne of Dobrogean Music and Poetry" event took place in two editions on August 17 and 31, organized by the Constanța State Theatre in partnership with the KULTurale Association, part of the "Summer Nights at TSC" season.

In September, the performance "Povestiri culese" based on Donald Margulies’ work, starring Maia Morgenstern and Cătălina Mihai, the TSC actress awarded the Gopo Award for Young Hope and nominated for UNITER awards, was added to the Constanța State Theatre repertoire.

On November 14, 2021, for Dobrogea Day, several valuable poems by Dobrogean writers were broadcast online, performed by actors of the Constanța State Theatre.

To Add:

• Debut coproduction
• Debate competition
• Focus Press Library, "Steaua fără nume"
• Theatre and dance partnership

ONGOING PROJECTS:

In June 2021, renowned director Gábor Tompa, head of the directing program at the University of California, San Diego, and general director of the Hungarian State Theatre in Cluj Napoca since 1990, was at TSC for a press conference. Tompa cast for the performance "PROMETEU ÎNLĂNȚUIT," based on Aeschylus’ tragedy, and "Catastrofă," a play by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett dedicated to Václav Havel in 1982. This performance will be an international coproduction between the Hungarian State Theatre in Cluj Napoca, Constanța State Theatre, and the National Theatre of Ljubljana, created in 2022 as part of the CATASTROPHE project by the Union of European Theatres. This large-scale project involves eight UTE member theatres and seven non-member theatres, including the São João National Theatre in Porto, Luxembourg National Theatre, Piccolo Teatro in Milan, National Theatre of Northern Greece in Thessaloniki, Yugoslav Drama Theatre in Belgrade, Old Theatre in Krakow, National Theatre in Strasbourg, and others.

Rehearsals are ongoing for the musical "O insulă" after Gellu Naum, directed and with music by Ada Milea, which was originally scheduled for a January premiere but has been postponed until the following summer due to lack of appropriate space.

Two more shows are also in production: "Îndoiala" by John Patrick Shanley, directed by Diana Mititelu, and "Rabbit Hole" by David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Radu Iacoban.

The hybrid project "#Acedesiguranță" by Ionuț Sociu, directed by Bobi Pricop, is a coproduction between Constanța State Theatre, National Theatre "Marin Sorescu," "Andrei Mureșanu" Theatre Sfântu Gheorghe, and the Northern Theatre in Satu Mare. It’s an innovative performance that will function in two formats: one online, via the TikTok network, and the second as a live event in a theatre space. The performance will be scheduled simultaneously at all participating theatres or separately at each venue.

FESTIVAL PARTICIPATIONS:

• Sibiu International Theatre Festival, June 11-20, 2021, with performances of "Jocuri în curtea din spate" (directed by Diana Mititelu) and "Ziua Z" (directed by Bobi Pricop) in the online section.
• DIALOG International Theatre and Performance Festival in Brăila, September 25–October 3, 2021, with the performance "Jocuri în curtea din spate."
• International Theatre Festival for Young Audiences in Iași, October 1–10, 2021, with two performances of "Jocuri în curtea din spate."
• "Dbutant" Festival-competition in Sfântu Gheorghe, October 11–16, 2021, with the performance "8 TAȚI" (directed by Irisz Kovacs).
• Bacău Monodrama Festival, November 5–7, 2021 (online), with the performance "Maria Tănase. O poveste."
• National Theatre Festival, November 6-14, 2021, with live and online performances of "Doi tineri din Verona" (directed by Alexandru Mâzgăreanu).
• Toma Caragiu National Theatre Festival in Ploiești, December 8–12, 2021, with the performance "Goi pușcă."
• IDEO IDEIS Festival in Constanța, August 9–15, 2022, hosting rehearsals and the performance of "Praf de stele" by the local youth theatre group.

TOURS:

The Constanța State Theatre participated, at the end of September, in the Meeting of Romanian National Theatres in Chișinău, organized by the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre. On September 28, the Constanța State Theatre performed, at the Studio Hall, the show "Jocuri în curtea din spate" by Edna Mazya, directed by Diana Mititelu, and, in the Main Hall, the performance "Maria Tănase. O poveste" by Carmen Lidia Vidu.

The performance "Maria Tănase. O poveste" by the Constanța State Theatre, directed by Carmen Lidia Vidu, was invited to Bucharest, at the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre, in the Amfiteatru Hall, to open the summer season of the National Theatre, titled "Nopți de vară, sus, pe teatru."

Constanța State Theatre's tour in Bucharest, from November 12 to 14, included two performances of "Jocuri în curtea din spate," directed by Diana Mititelu, at the Jewish State Theatre, and one performance of "Doi tineri din Verona," directed by Alexandru Mâzgăreanu, at the Odeon Theatre.

AWARDS:

The UNITER Award for ENTIRE CAREER was awarded to Mrs. ILEANA PLOSCARU, the great actress of Constanța theatre. This year, Mrs. Ploscaru celebrated 90 years of life, 70 years of theatre, and 60 years of performing in Constanța.
The UNITER Award for DEBUT was awarded to director DIANA MITITELU for the performance "Jocuri în curtea din spate" by Edna Mazya.
UNITER Nomination for Best Supporting Actress was given to actress CĂTĂLINA MIHAI for her role as Speed in the performance "Doi tineri din Verona."
The Bacău Fest Monodrama Trophy 2021 was awarded to actress MIRELA PANĂ for her role in "Maria Tănase. O poveste."
The Debut Directorial Award in the "Collective Creation" section of the Debutant 2021 Festival-Competition was awarded to director IRISZ KOVACS for the performance "8 TAȚI."

ANNIVERSARY:

This year, the Constanța State Theatre celebrated 70 years since its establishment. Considering that organizing an anniversary event with numerous guests from outside the locality involves significant organizational efforts, which could be hindered by any increase in pandemic numbers, we postponed the project to 2022. We made this decision to avoid compromising either the event's duration or the number of guests.

On November 1, 2021, the Constanța State Theatre building entered a comprehensive rehabilitation process through a project funded by the City Hall of Constanța, with European funds. Due to this, and the lack of an adequate space, we were unable to schedule performances in Constanța during the last two months.

We are confident that, in 2022, with the support of the Constanța County Council and its president, as well as civil society, optimal solutions will be found for the Constanța State Theatre to return to its audience, on an appropriate stage.