Between July 4 and 7, 2023, the "Marin Sorescu" National Theater in Craiova hosted the 5th edition of the Theater Networking Talents (TNT) Young Directors Festival, a theatrical event coordinated by director Bobi Pricop, dedicated to debuting artists.
This year's edition was focused on the bachelor/master shows staged by 6 directors from Romania and Poland, who graduated in the 2023 class: Aleksandra Bielewicz (master, National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw, Poland), Denisa Hălăngău (bachelor, Faculty of Theater and Film, UBB Cluj-Napoca), Dora Dobrovszki (master's degree, Târgu-Mureș University of Arts), Mara Bugarin (bachelor's degree, UNATC Bucharest), Tania Drăghici (bachelor's degree, UNATC Bucharest) and Teodora Florea (master's degree, UNATC Bucharest ).
11 theater performances, debates moderated by Iulia Popovici about the new world of performing arts, concerts, screenings of debut short films made by graduates of UNATC Bucharest, UBB Cluj, University of Craiova and Sapientia University, informal meetings with theater managers and directors artistic - these were some of the proposals of this edition.
The special guest of this edition was Ivan Vîrîpaev, the best-known and most frequently staged playwright, theater and film director, screenwriter, producer and actor of contemporary Russian origin. He held 2 workshops for young guests and a public conference on the role of theater in society.
Established in Poland for more than 10 years, with more than 300 productions in theaters around the world, the playwright is currently banned from theaters in his native country due to his anti-war stance.
The aim of the festival was to provide a valuable artistic encounter between the new generation of directors and audiences, fellow directors and theatre directors, promoting young creators and their spectacular debut productions.
"I find it wonderful how this festival has evolved, how it has transformed, throughout the five editions so far, from an ambitious showcase of performances by young directors into a complex international cultural event, a close-knit community, of people from all performing arts, artists who meet year after year in Craiova to be together in a space open to exploration, search, diversity, dialogue and encounter with the other.
Now, we can truly say that TNT has become a cultural network that connects artists, theater schools, cultural producers, viewers, brave people who experiment (with) theater and life in all kinds of ways.
What is happening at TNT is really special, because beyond this absolutely necessary bridge, created between the young graduates and important theaters in Romania, between the new generation of directors and the theater system, it is above all about the joy of being together with so many people who, throughout the four days of the festival, are together all the time, at discussions, workshops, performances, conferences, on the dance floor or at various socializing events, aimed at strengthening this feeling of community, of common meaning , of shared emotion.
I believe that this fifth edition of TNT was also an essential experience for everyone who was part of it, and I would like to thank everyone who registered, participants, our special guests, artists and cultural managers present , but especially to the organizing team, who made this meeting in Craiova possible, a meeting-promise for a next edition that promises to be spectacular."
Bobi Pricop, theater director & director of TNT
Several of the graduates who presented their productions in showcase- TNT were in the attention of important theaters throughout the country, launching the possibility of collaborations, in the coming seasons.
Here is what the representatives of the performance institutions, present in Craiova, announced:
– Denisa Hăngălău she was invited to collaborate in the following seasons with the National Theater "Marin Sorescu", Craiova, the Masca Theater Bucharest, the Stela Popescu Theater, Bucharest;
– Tania Drăghici she was invited to stage at the Bacovia Municipal Theater, Bacău, the Metropolis Theater, Bucharest and the German State Theater in Timișoara.
– Dora Dobrovzski she was invited to collaborate with the Metropolis Theater Bucharest;
– Cristina Giurgea, the director of the show "Băgău" (winner of the 2022 edition of the TNC's Young Directors, Young Set Designers competition), was invited to stage at the Stela Popescu Theater in Bucharest;
- the show "gen. snowflake" was invited for several performances at the Metropolis Theater Bucharest.
At the same time, the winning team of the 12th edition of the Project Contest for young directors and scenographers, organized by the "Marin Sorescu" National Theater in Craiova, was announced - it is about The education of Bento Boncev by Maksim Kurocikin, project proposed by the director Monica Stoica and scenography Ștefana Chelaru, which will be realized at the Studio "Ion D. Sîrbu" hall, in the next season.
After an edition full of encounters and happy happenings, which made it possible to open the conversation about the new wave of artists, the Romanian theatre system, the collaboration and support of those in the guild, but also the relationship with the audience and the connection to the spirit of new theatrical attitudes and visions, TNT is already preparing for the next chapter.
Theater Networking Talents (TNT) is organized by the "Marin Sorescu" National Theater from Craiova and the Arts and Media Department of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Craiova, with the support of the financiers: the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and the Dolj County Council.
More details about TNT are available at www.tncms.ro//Instagram: @theaternetworkingtalents//Facebook: www.facebook.com/theaternetworking
