Joining the famous European "Orient-Express" Project

The Zagreb Youth Theater has become a member of the European Theater Convention, which includes 35 theaters from all over Europe and, as of next year, it will participate in a great European project of the famous Orient-Express train aboard which numerous significant historic events took place.

The Zagreb Youth Theater will participate in the European Orient-Express project, which is being planned for next summer. The project will involve all countries through which the famous train passed on its journey from Paris to Istanbul, via many European cities, en route. Participation in this great European project was ensured by membership in the European Theater Convention, which the Zagreb Youth Theater joined in June. The prestigious European Theater Convention currently boasts 35 other European theaters among its membership base.

To participate in the project every country through which the legendary train used to travel has to perform a domestic play with the theme of traveling, transition, and mobility. The train will depart from Istanbul and, on every subsequent station, in Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, both the Turkish and a local play will be performed, followed by the play from the previous station. Once the train reaches its final destination, Stuttgart, the actors will perform all of the plays.

This year, the ensemble of the Zagreb Youth Theater has received standing ovations during guest appearances in numerous cities across Europe. Moreover, they opened the recent biennial Festival of New European Drama in Wiesbaden and Mainz with the hit play “Fireflies” written by Tena Štivičić and directed by Janusz Kica. The play has had several reruns and Tena Štivičić won two writing awards during the Heidelberg Stuckemarkt Festival at the Fair of Dramatic Texts: the European Authors’ Award and the Innovative Text Award!

Apart from the very successful performance at the Festival of New European Drama in Germany, the Zagreb Youth Theater has staged a number of noteworthy performances of the play “From the Other Side” by Nataša Rajković and Bobo Jelčić at the festivals in Berlin, Brussels, Firbourg, Vienna, etc...