MARIO DANCE ATELIER begins the year 2016 by announcing the diversification of its specific activities. As a result, a new program, this time dedicated to theatre, will start on March 12th with the official premiere of the comedy DON'T MESS WITH THE ANGELS or MIORIŢA RELOADED written by the Cluj playwright Flavius Lucăcel, directed by Cristi Nedea.
Cast:
Ramona Dumitrean
Adrian Cucu
Alexandra Tarce
Bogdan Radulescu
"Basically a rewriting of the famous Romanian ballad, the text proposed by the playwright destroys the reception of the contemporary socio-political reality, exposing it through tragi-comical touches. Because here, where we are, nothing is what is seems: the mob-like MP is just a limping ballerina and the beggar from the street corner - easily overlooked - has the abilities to become a true God. Here, in this chaos of fake appearances and images, the only certitude is the Wonder. And the wonder happens." (Cristi Nedea)
The most successful edition of the Gates Open Day event, organized annually by the Cluj-Napoca National Theatre, enjoyed, for its 27 March 2016 edition, the presence of approximately 5.000 spectators! Both the events for children and those for adults attracted large audiences willing to spend with us this day of celebration for the theatre world.
The event is organized annually on 27 March, on the occasion of World Theatre Day. This year it was the seventh edition. As always, entrance was free.
The moments from the first part of the event gathered hundreds of children at our theatre. The non-verbal production for children, MIMOROZART, directed by Mrs. Palocsay Kisó Kata (production of "Puck" Puppet Theatre in Cluj), was performed on the main stage of the National Theatre. Afterwards, our guests from Boom Party Club offered the children moldable balloons and face painting sessions. At the same time, the actresses Diana Buluga and Raluca Lupan, from Create.Act.Enjoy, held a Theatre and Improvisation Workshop for children ages 5-12, which gathered over 20 children. Then, the author and translator Florin Bican delighted our young guests by reading some excerpts of stories written and translated by him.
The events for adults enjoyed a great number of participants. The audience could see, in premiere in Cluj, some archive films, projections organized by our theatre to mark the Constantin Brâncuşi Year. The projected films are collages of short films made, on the one hand, by Man Ray, who filmed Brâncuşi in various situations (either working, or surrounded by acquaintances), and on the other, films made by Brâncuşi himself with a camera given to him by Man Ray. The projections was followed by another archive moment, the "Restitutions" Corner, when, as it was the case every year, spectators had the possibility to see the screening of a production from the archives of National Theatre. This year it was the production BRIGHT WEEK by Mihail Săulescu, directed by Mihai Măniuţiu at the Cluj-Napoca National Theatre in 1994. After the screening, the audience had the opportunity to discuss with two of the creators, the actress Miriam Cuibus and the director Mihai Măniuţiu. After that, the representatives of cultural institutions from Cluj-Napoca discussed with the audience, in a debate moderated by Ştefana Pop-Curşeu, about Performance Arts in Cluj - perspectives and directions.
Our special events, both the traditional ones, and the ones created especially for this edition, gathered large audiences as well: the backstage tours guided by the actors of the Cluj-Napoca National Theatre, the living statues, the contest Quiz in the afternoon (organized, this year, by The Londoner - Great English Pub) and the Film Booth (the interviews with the participants will become a film that will be screened during the event Gates Open Night). The interactive sound and light installation, The Metal Wood, especially designed for this event, gave the participants the possibility to create their own small sound and light performances, by activating its metal elements. Each element, activated by one participant, set off a certain sound or light effect, reminiscent of the natural forest sound or light effects, together creating a symphony.
Throughout the event, visitors could enjoy pottery and egg painting workshops, a colorful traditional fair (objects and products offered by our guests, the Folk Craftsmen Association of Cluj), a fair with objects designed by children with disabilities (the Derzelas Association), as well as the presence of the Bookstory and Cluj-Napoca National Theatre libraries, and of The Londoner - Great English Pub.
At the same time, the winners of the selfie competition, organized a week before, received awards consisting of invitations to our performances. The competition asked participants to take a photo of themselves against the doors set up on Eroilor Bulevard, from 21 to 27 March 2016, and to post these photos on Facebook. The photos with the most likes were declared winners.
The special guest of the day, the actress MAIA MORGENSTERN, ended the event, with a meeting, on the main stage of the theatre, with the director MIHAI MĂNIUŢIU. The actress answered questions from the audience and offered autographs.
Approximately 4.500 spectators participated in the 4th edition of our annual GATES OPEN NIGHT, a free event which took place on 17 December from 06:00 p.m. to 01:00 a.m.
The program of the event consisted of a series of dance, pantomime, clowning, cutting and drawing workshops, as well as the screening of a film starring our spectators, filmed on the occasion of Gates Open Day on 27 March 2015 (the film is now available online, here). The spectators had the opportunity to discuss with the actors during a Q&A Session. The main stage hosted a concert of the "Iza" Group and the release of the album "Winter Songs", followed by a presentation concert with Ada Milea, Bobo Burlăcianu, Anca Hanu and Cristian Rigman. At the end of the event, Dragoş Pop presented his stand-up comedy act, entitled "I promise you that..".
The event also hosted a Christmas fair with objects made by disabled children, Christmas decorations and hand-made jewelry and caricatures on demand made by "Caricatures to go". This year as well, Doamna T Cafe was present throughout the event.
The activities took place on the main stage and in the theatre's foyer.
