East European Performing Arts Platform (EEPAP) supports the
development of contemporary performing arts (dance and theatre)
in 18 countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Teatrul Tineretului (Youth’s Theatre), Romania

Sylwia Śmigiel
Contact
Telephone: 
+40 233 211 472
Videos

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Description
Short history: 

Teatrul Tineretului (Youth's Theatre) Piatra Neamţ is a cultural institution and a landmark of Romania. It is one of the most well-known theatres in the country.

Established in 1958, as a section of Teatrul de Stat Bacău (Bacau’s “State Theatre”), Teatrul Tineretului gained its present title in 1967. Right from the start, the institution’s projects created an unique voice, characterized by inventiveness, experimentation, and daring productions.

Ever since the beginning, the employees of the institution have tried to make use of the “theatre for youth” concept, according to each era’s mentality. In time, Teatrul Tineretului has become a real outpost for the young Romanian theatrical movement.

Today, they’re taking the theatre’s tradition further, by proposing and organizing cultural projects which exclusively feature the young generation’s orientation in direction, acting or stage design. Additionally, they are trying to achieve a number of intra- and inter-cultural projects, which would allow them to open the dramatic act to other types of artistic manifestations, but also to achieve a fluid, coherent dialogue with other cultures.

Tineretului has projects which feature young artists: ”Teen Fest” Festival (teenagers between 13 and 18 years), Tinerete fara Batranete (Eternal Youth) Festival (children between 3 and 7 years) and the Drama Festival in Piatra Neamt (the oldest event of this type in Romania).

Since 2007 organizers have focused on young artists at the start of their careers. The Festival furthered their mission in supporting young talents by initiating a new section, ‘I Plead for You(ng)’, alongside ‘A Feast of Drama’.

By creating this section aimed at younger artists, Teatrul Tineretului intends to support the debut of the new generation of drama artists.

The Festival provides the opportunity and the appropriate environment to expose young artists. The goal is to create a place designated for the creation and discovery of young talents. The Festival gives the younger audience the possibility of attending shows and cultural events made by artists of their own generation.

In Piatra Neamt, the specialist critics and audience can ‘probe’ the current drama trends, and the same location will contribute in the build-up of a competitive environment. The ongoing performers and the young artists have the chance to benchmark their level within the contemporary drama phenomena.

The areas included in ‘I Plead for You(ng)’ are:

  • Directing – for shows managed by young directors (up to 35 of age) and students in directing;
  • Acting – shows made by students (Drama Schools) and professional actors (Theaters or private organizations), provided that the average age of the cast is to be under 35.  The contest is attended by actors aged 35 maximum.  

Alongside the specific drama activities, the audience has the chance to attend other related artistic acts: exhibitions of photography, painting and projected motion pictures (produced by young artists or featuring the concerns and identity of the young generation).

Director of the instytution is Liviu Timus. The most important personnel is:

Tudor Tabacaru, Florin Mircea jr., Cezar Antal, Rares Pirlog, Ecaterina Hatu, Nora Covali, Matei Rotaru, Horia Suru, Dragos Ionescu, Andrea Gavriliu, Daniel Besleaga, Victor Giurescu, Adina Suciu, Isabela Neamtu, Catalina Iesanu, Eliza Man, Gina Gulai, Dan Grigoras, Loredana Grigoriu, Lucretia Mandric.

Teatrul Tineretului and its 70 employees (19 of them are actors) want to continue their mission:

  • identify, promote and encourage young talents (actors, directors, playwrights, stage designers),
  • support the youth by trying to serve as a launching point for the young, along with their own identities and aspirations,
  • encourage creativity in contemporary drama,
  • provide a gateway of theater to other arts,
  • mapping the contemporary drama phenomena in terms of trends created by the young generation,
  • set up a ‘market’ for young talents in drama,
  • attract a younger audience to the theater.
The most important awards: 

Awards: a great award (bad word “great”) and the "Atelier" TOPHY for the best performance Baia Mare, the „Atelier” International Theater Festival Baia Mare, Cezar Antal (Herr Paul role) award for best actor in a leading role, great award for the best show 5 minute miraculoasein Piatra Neamt, festCo, Bucharest.

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