Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce
Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce is the only professional dramatic theatre in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, but its significance is wider than local. The theatre exists for 142 years and it is one of the oldest in Poland, the rare one which has had its seat during the history in the same historic building. The walls of the building at Sienkiewicza street No 32 are cultural heritage of local society and are protected by voivodeship conservator of historical buildings. The general reconstruction of the building with the partial redevelopment is planned for years 2020 – 2023 and during that time artistic activity of the theatre has been moved to the temporary seat by Voivodeship Cultural Center in Kielce.
Stefan Żeromski Theatre significantly marks its presence on the cultural map of the country today, playing classical plays, as well as contemporary plays supported by new types of dramaturgy. It is a platform of exchange of thoughts for award-winning artists, receiving prestigious awards at Polish and international festivals, e.g. Maja Kleczewska, Remigiusz Brzyk, Monika Strzępka and Paweł Demirski, Jolanta Janiczak and Wiktor Rubin, Radosław Rychcik, Mikołaj Grabowski, Krzysztof Rekowski, Dan Jemmett, Michał Siegoczyński and many others, and a place where artists meet the audience. There are 6 premieres prepared in each season and about 230 performances are being played. More than 50 000 people visit Theatre in Kielce yearly.
The repertoire
The repertoire consists of performances appreciated at overviews and festivals. Only during the last years “Loneliness of Cotton Fields” directed by Radosław Rychcik was presented in dozen of overviews and festivals, e.g. in Portland, Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, Santiago de Chile, Nowym Jorku, Berlinie, Créteil, Nancy, Seulu, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro; in Poland, e.g. at International Theatre Festival Boska Komedia (2009) and Open’er Festival (2016). Performances of Jolanta Janiczak and Wiktor Rubin, staged in Kielce were presented and appreciated at Boska Komedia (Empress Katarzyna, Joanna the Mad: Queen). Performances representing Kielce theatre at Shakespeare Festival in Gdańsk („Hamlet” by Rychcik, “Taming of the Shrew” by Katarzyna Deszcz) were successful.
In the theatre season 2016/17 performance “Harper” written by Simon Stephens and directed by Grzegorz Wiśniewski was successfully presented at 37. Warsaw Theatre Encounters, 25. Olsztyn Theatre Encounters, at the 3rd Festival off New Theatre in Rzeszów. For 28. Edition of Polish Contest for Staging of Contemporary Polish Play three productions of Kielce theatre were short-listed: “1946” by Tomasz Śpiewak directed by Remigiusz Brzyk (presented also e.g. at 11th International Theatre Festival Boska Komedia in Cracow, 17th Festival of First Stagings in Bydgoszcz: Nie/Podległa and at 38th Warsaw Theatre Encounters, „Rasputin” by Jolanta Janiczak directed by Wiktor Rubin and “Darkness”, inspired by “The Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad by Paweł Demirski directed by Monika Strzępka (also shown during the 13th Festival of Polish Contemporary Plays R@Port in Gdynia).
Collaborations and projects
Many performances are being co-produced with theatres from whole Poland, e.g. Nowy Theatre from Warsaw , Syrena Theatre, IMKA Theatre. The Theatre is also open for co-operation with European institutions, what results in Kielce International Theatre Festival, taking place every autumn since 2017 and hosting theatres from Hungary, Slovenia and Spain.
The institution has many additional activities. In the framework of education for children and youth Theatre organizes performances for schools and theatre workshops for pupils of primary and secondary schools. Żeromski Theatre participates in cultural and educational projects organized at local and state level, such as National Reading Days, European Funds Open Days, Public Theatre Day.