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High schools have once again climbed the stage of the Odeon theatre, on the occasion of the 5 High Schools - 5 Theatres Gala, which reached this year's 9th edition. On December 10th, 2019, five drama groups from five other high schools of the capital showcased their performances prepared during the project, which began in October. At the end of the Gala, a jury made up of theatre professionals nominated the winners of the trophies 5 High Schools - 5 Theatres.

ECDL Romania, together with UNITER, PMB, ISMB and CCD Bucharest and the partner theatres, the IL Caragiale National Theatre of Bucharest, the Small Theatre, the Ion Creangă Theatre, the Jewish State Theatre and the Nottara Theatre, with the support of the Odeon Theatre, have organized for the young artists a new edition of 5 High Schools - 5 Theatres.

5 High Schools - 5 Theatres is an established educational project, which supports the involvement of high school students in cultural activities, through their access to institutions and to plays, challenging them at the same time to a show competition. Since October, five theatres have opened their season for further 150 students from five high schools in the capital, including members of school drama groups. They watched free plays from the repertoire of each of the partner theatres within the project 5 High Schools - 5 Theatres 2019: the IL Caragiale National Theatre of Bucharest, Jewish State theatre, Ion Creangă Theatre, Nottara Theatre and Small Theatre.

The new schools participating in this edition 5 high schools - 5 theatres were: Gheorghe Asachi Technical College, CA Rosetti Theoretical High School, Mircea Vulcănescu Technological High School, Stefan Odobleja Theoretical High School and Nicolae Tonitza High School of Fine Arts.

This time as well, the drama groups of the high schools were coordinated by the theatres in the staging of a short play, on the theme theatre as a mirror of the contemporary world. Their endeavour was completed with the performances, the judging and the awarding of the five shows performed by high school students, within the 5 High Schools - 5 Theatres Gala.

On Tuesday evening, the young people had the opportunity to take the stage of a majortheatre in Romania, to be applauded by a wide audience and to perform in front of a jury made up of professionals, including Aura Corbeanu - UNITER vice president, Ioana Ginghina - actress of Ion Creangă theatre, Rodica Ionescu - NTB actress, Simona Mihaescu - actress of the Small Theatre, Marius Calugarita - actor of the Jewish State theatre or Gabriel Rauta - actor of the Nottara Theatre.

The jury deliberated, pursuing the evaluation of the following artistic performances: The best performance was awarded ex aequo to the shows Fam-wely- the drama group of the Nicolae Tonitza High School of Fine Arts and Pockets Full of Bread - the drama group of the CA Rosetti Theoretical High School.

The Awards for acting performance were granted as follows: female lead role - Steliana Michael Mircea Vulcănescu Technological High School for the role She from "Feminine", female supporting role ex aequo - Tina Purcaru from the Mircea Vulcănescu Technological High School for the role Mother in "Feminine" and Daria Minca from Stefan Odobleja Theoretical High School for the role of Puck in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream", male supporting role - Stefan Agache from theStefan Odobleja Theoretical High School for the role of Puck in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream", male lead role - Ricardo Ispas from the Gheorghe Asachi Technical College for the role of Ricardo in "Messengers".

The audience voted as the most popular show, the play Fam / wely - by the drama group of the Nicolae Tonitza High School of Fine Arts.

Since the first edition, which started in 2011 at the initiative of ECDL Romania, 1350 students from 40 different high schools from Bucharest participated in 5 High Schools - 5 Theatres. Alternative education is of crucial importance for the development of young people, who must continue to be directed towards real and fair values, including cultural values. ECDL initiatives promote the balanced development of young people, who pursue international IT & C careers and certifications, but also understand the act of culture, as a complement to the knowledge and skills accumulated in the school.

Translated by Simona Nichiteanu