Yugoslav Drama Theatre
YUGOSLAV DRAMA THEATRE was founded in 1947. After the World War II new authorities decided to establish a company composed from most prominent actors from all important theatre communities and cultural centres in former Yugoslavia, such as Belgrade, Zagreb, Novi Sad, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Split. Moscow Art Theatre was supposed to be the model in structuring the organisation and artistic policy.
Bojan Stupica, theatre director and designer, and the new company’s real creator, was appointed as its first Artistic Director. Joined by several literati, he also defined the basis of the YDT’s repertoire strategy as a theatre strongly oriented towards the works of the highest literary level. Therefore, early seasons were marked by both international and domestics classical plays, including works by Chekhov, Goldoni, Sheridan, Ostrovsky, Sophocles, Lope de Vega, Gorky, Shaw, Shakespeare, Plautus, Racine, Molière, Ibsen, Lorca, Cankar, Drzic, Sterija, Jaksic and Nusic. All these productions were directed by the leading contemporary directors, including Bojan Stupica, Mata Milosevic, Tomislav Tanhofer, Miroslav Belovic.
The literary orientation has remained an important part of the company’s artistic policy till this day. However, many new and progressive theatre tendencies that emerged along the years have made impact on production already during ’50s and ’60s.
The highlight of YDT were in ‘70-80s. Some acknowledged international directors were invited to make productions, such as J.A. Zavadsky, Kazimir Dejmek, G.A. Tovstonogov, Evgeny Simonov, Paolo Magelli, Jerzy Jarotsky. Especially during ’80s, while the Artistic Director was Jovan Cirilov, YDT developed its profile toward more modern scenic expression. During his fourteen seasons main stage directors were Dejan Mijac, Slobodan Unkovski, Haris Pasovic, Edvard Miler, Gorcin Stojanovic, who all fostered “new approach to classics”.
On 17 October the YDT burnt in flame. The reconstruction followed in next six years. The company has never stopped working, but only for the stage of “Bojan Stupica” Theatre. The troupe consolidated and the new theatre house was opened on 23 May 2003 with a premiere of The Patriots by Jovan Sterija Popovic, directed by Dejan Mijac. In the season 2004/2005 YDP has opened the third stage, a chamber theatre for experiments on drama texts - Studio YDP. Studio has 112 seats, while Main theatre has 586 and Theatre Bojan Stupica 240.
In the latest period, among newest productions have been plays by domestic authors Biljana Srbljanovic, Milena Markovic, Ugljesa Sajtinac, as well as world classics W. Shakespeare, Ödön von Horvath (The Italian Night), Frank Wedekind (Lulu), Leonid Andreyev (Dogs Waltz), A.N. Ostrovsky, M. Bulgakov... and contemporary playwrights (Patrick Marber, Neil LaBute, Mark Ravenhill, Dejan Dukovski).