News

  The "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre of Bucharest (TNB) is defining its new strategic vision for the coming period, aimed at strengthening its status as the country's leading stage. NTB aims to become a living cultural space, anchored in the realities of society and recognized as an essential node in the European theatre network. Thus, starting this season, the institution's repertoire will be structured around seven major programs. This complex system ensures a balanced ratio between the aesthetic and thematic diversity of the productions, while also streamlining the theatre's internal organization. The main goal of the new strategy is to strengthen a permanent and open dialogue with the audience. The seven programs that will define NTB's activity starting with the new season opening in early September are: 1. Teatrokosmos (The Pillar of Great Productions)Dedicated to the great works of classical and contemporary, Romanian and universal dramaturgy. The program brings to the wider public large-scale productions, stage adaptations, and original scripts, creating a dialogue between humanity's fundamental texts and the questions of the present. 2. Sensorium (Theatre, Emotion, and Technology)An innovative program that transforms the performance hall into a space of aesthetic exploration, proposing the meeting of art and technology. Multimedia technology, virtual reality, dance theatre, and musicals come together to stimulate all the spectator's senses. It is dedicated primarily to young audiences, but also to the general public eager for new experiences. 3. Agora (Theatre and Community)This program will draw on dramaturgy with strong social impact, offering productions on pressing social themes, based on documentary research and urban memory. The program will challenge the general public to turn the cultural experience into an active debate and a civic exercise. 4. Genesis (Incubator of New Generations)A launching platform for young artists and a hub of cultural innovation. The program combines research with production, giving emerging artists the resources needed to turn contemporary visions into landmark productions. The program encourages current dramaturgy and theatrical education, aimed especially at young people, but also at the general public. 5. Proscenium (Laboratory of Excellence)A program dedicated exclusively to the professional development of the NTB team and the training of future specialists in stagecraft. It includes laboratory-productions, workshops, and masterclasses, the results of which will be presented periodically to the public. 6. Axis (National and International Openness)A program aimed at NTB's national and international connectivity within international theatre networks: it will include, in NTB's mobility platform, national and international co-produced or guest productions, and will take the form of sets of performances for each production within the program. 7. Sirinx (Theatre in Unconventional Spaces)A dynamic program offering theatre, music, dance, film, and experimental performance shows in unusual spaces and at various hours. The project is aimed at the general public, but also seeks to attract spectators who do not usually attend the theatre. The repertoire architecture proposed by NTB's manager, Ada Hausvater, builds NTB's profile as an essential civic landmark, a place of encounter, reflection, and cultural joy for the entire community. We remind you that starting September 5, 2026, the doors of the National Theatre will reopen wide to the public, with a rich offer of more than 80 performances scheduled night after night throughout the month of September, in all 5 performance halls under the theatre's roof: the "Ion Caramitru" Hall, Studio, Pictura, Atelier, and the Small Hall. Tickets can be purchased both online and in person, at NTB's recently reopened Ticket Agency.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

In a media landscape where rapid access to information and the quality of visual content are essential, the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest offers media representatives “Media TNB – Digital Media Center,” an online platform designed for journalists, theater critics, and creators of cultural content. Available on the institution’s official website at https://www.tnb.ro/ro/materiale-foto-video, the platform provides access to a constantly updated multimedia archive that includes official photos of performances and can provide trailers, videos, and other resources designed to illustrate articles, reviews, reports, and broadcasts dedicated to the activities of the Bucharest National Theater. The Bucharest National Theater reminds media representatives that this resource is available and may be used to document and illustrate journalistic pieces dedicated to the performances and projects of the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest. Media TNB is part of the initiative to modernize and digitize institutional communication, undertaken as part of the Bucharest National Theater’s management project, which aims to develop modern tools for engaging with the public and the institution’s partners. The platform helps facilitate the press’s access to official multimedia resources and supports the professional promotion of the theater’s performances and events. Access for Media Professionals Access to the platform is free and is intended exclusively for media representatives and specialized content creators. To protect the copyright of the materials and ensure their use for journalistic purposes, access is granted through an individual account. Journalists and theater critics can create an account directly on the platform’s website, and applications are reviewed and approved by the Bucharest National Theater team. Once approved, users receive the login credentials needed to access the multimedia library via email. The platform allows for quick identification of materials through search and organization features, providing an efficient tool for newsrooms and cultural publications. A constantly expanding multimedia archive The NTB Media Library is constantly updated with photos and video footage of premieres, repertoire performances, festivals, press conferences, and other events organized by the Bucharest National Theater. By developing this platform, the institution demonstrates its commitment to transparent, effective communication tailored to the digital environment, facilitating the press’s access to high-quality resources and encouraging the promotion of the arts in the public sphere. Media representatives who wish to access the platform can create an account by visiting the page: Media TNB     Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The Bucharest National Theater’s production, Any Other Candidates? a play-concert based on A Lost Letter by I.L. Caragiale, has been selected for the program of the 36th edition of the National Theater Festival, which will take place from October 16 to 25, 2026. The festival’s curatorial team—composed this year of theater critics Raluca Cîrciumaru, Alina Epîngeac, and Sebastian-Vlad Popa—has included the NTB production on an exclusive list of 36 titles that define the excellence and complexity of this year’s Romanian theater scene. The concert-performance Any Other Candidates?, whose concept, adaptation, music, and songs were created by the well-known artist Ada Milea, stands as undeniable proof of the creative strength of the show’s artistic team—a team that brings together actors Petre Ancuța, Emilian Mârnea, Florin Călbăjos, Laura Gabriela Oana, Aylin Cadîr, Tiberiu Enache, Natalia Călin, Emilia Popescu, Mihai Munteniță, Silviu Biriș, Vitalie Bichir, Alina Petrică, and Florentina Țilea. The creative team is rounded out by Anca Hanu (co-writer of the songs, alongside Ada Milea), set designer Maria Constantin, and choreographer Florin Fieroiu, with sound design by Victor Pamfilov and lighting design by Daniel Tiuntiuc. The concert-performance was produced at the National Theater’s “Ion Sava” Center for Theater Research and Creation. In this production—which, incidentally, kicked off the current summer season at the NTB Amphitheater—Ada Milea’s inventiveness meets Caragiale’s genius and the Bucharest National Theater actors’ enthusiasm for the craft, in 70 effervescent and humorous minutes. Met with enthusiastic applause from the audience, "Any Other Candidates?" is a production that has stood out for its originality and the bold way it connects classic satire with current events. Starting with the new season—which opens on September 5, 2026—NTB will present the performance "Any Other Candidates?" in the Pictură Hall. In order to welcome the audience, tickets will go on sale online at www.tnb.ro starting July 10, 2026.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Ada Hausvater, General Director of the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest, is implementing a fundamental strategic direction of her management plan: the principle of recognizing and integrating major artistic and human milestones. To this end, with the full support of the Ministry of Culture, renowned director Andrei Șerban has been appointed Honorary Director of the NTB. This decision reflects the vision Ada Hausvater has for the country’s premier theater: the evolution of NTB as a center of excellence that recognizes and cherishes its values at the highest level. The initiative was fully aligned with the vision of the Ministry of Culture, which supported the decision, recognizing the cultural significance of this move. The awarding of this honorary title to director Andrei Șerban reaffirms the place that NTB and Romanian theater occupy in the history of world theater. NTB General Director Ada Hausvater elaborated on the principle underlying this project: “A national theater develops through the memory and recognition of its own values. My management plan is based on this principle: we have the opportunity to bring together the people who are leading Romanian theater toward universality. The appointment of Andrei Șerban is a clear signal that the NTB’s doors are open to excellence, human generosity, and uncompromising performance. “I would like to thank the Ministry of Culture for its openness; it promptly supported this initiative, confirming the importance of this moment.” For his part, director Andrei Șerban emphasized the coherence of this shared vision: “I assume that the initiative by the manager and the minister to confer upon me the title of Honorary Director is based on recognition of the National Theater’s achievements during my three years as director, which began in 1990—years during which, despite immense difficulties, a mini-cultural revolution took place, enabling the country’s premier theater to live up to its name. The Greek Trilogy sparked a collective energy as vibrant as the tumultuous life on the streets in those days, and, together with the productions that followed, paved the way for a new, bold, daring, and vibrant theater. Above all, vibrant, with an upward aspiration toward this essential word: Quality. Artistic quality, impossible without human quality. This symbolic title confers upon me no rights, obligations, or benefits. I thank the manager and the minister, and I accept it with joy and with the hope that, by evoking the effervescence I inspired while at the helm of the NTB, the living spirit of those years will be reawakened under Ada Hausvater’s leadership.”   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

  A Spotlight on Romanian Drama at the National Theater Festival The 36th edition of the National Theater Festival, which will take place in Bucharest from October 16 to 25, 2026, announces the launch of the fifth edition of the playwriting competition. By July 10, 2026, playwrights are invited to submit two scenes (maximum 10 pages) from a play they will later develop for one of the project’s partner theaters, along with a brief narrative biography (maximum half a page), to dramaturgie@fnt.ro. Three Romanian plays will be presented as staged readings at this year’s edition of the National Theater Festival. During the 2026–2027 season, the plays will be staged at three theaters: the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest, the “Mihai Eminescu” National Theater in Timișoara, and the “Vasile Alecsandri” National Theater in Iași. The text selection committee consists of Cristiana Gavrilă—a theater scholar and artistic consultant at the “Ion Sava” Center for Theater Research and Creation (representing the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest), director and playwright Radu Iacoban (representing the “Mihai Eminescu” National Theater in Timișoara), and director Ovidiu Lazăr (representing the “Vasile Alecsandri” National Theater in Iași). The program coordinators are Mihaela Michailov (author, performing arts critic, and co-curator of the FNT’s staged reading program) and Bobi Pricop (director, artistic director of the “Regina Maria” Theater in Oradea, and co-curator and organizer of the FNT’s staged reading module). The areas of focus for the three partner theaters, which have undertaken to stage the plays, are: - Urban alienation, mechanisms of information manipulation, persuasion, and control in new communication technologies, the individual at the center of today’s digital ecosystem—addictions and vulnerabilities; - Idealism and Realism in the 21st Century; AI: Friend or Foe?; Generations—Connections, Affinities, and Divisions; Social Media: Communication and Non-Communication; Fast-Paced Life in Major Cities (Bucharest, Iași, Timișoara); Excesses, Vices, and Addictions in the 21st Century. How do we save ourselves?; Hope in times of war. - Specific issues facing younger generations. Three plays written by Anamaria Feraru, Alex Gorghe, and Alexandru Ivănoiu have been selected for the 2025 edition of the National Theater Festival; these plays will be presented as staged readings. The MASCA Theater in Bucharest will stage Alex Gorghe’s play by the end of December 2026. The “Fani Tardini” Drama Theater in Galați will stage Alexandru Ivănoiu’s text at the end of 2026, and the “Regina Maria” Theater in Oradea will stage the play written by Anamaria Feraru in 2027. In 2026, the staged reading module will focus primarily on Romanian texts. The main objective of this module is to create an environment for exploration and creation that showcases new voices in playwriting and works that address themes and topics representative of today’s realities. A new feature of this year’s edition is the partnership with the three national theaters. The selected texts will enter a development phase, during which playwrights will have the opportunity to work alongside directors and the acting companies of the partner theaters to develop the concept and content of the plays. We are continuing the partnership initiated in 2022 with www.liternet.ro through the subsequent online publication of the texts, thereby offering another avenue for support and visibility. The Contest Schedule:July 10: the submission deadline (two scenes from a play that the authors will write and later develop for the partner theaters—maximum 10 pages—and a brief narrative biography—maximum half a page), to the email address dramaturgie@fnt.ro.July 23: announcement of the winning entriesJuly 23 - 26: online meetings with the teams from partner theatersSeptember 5 - 25: initial reviews of the draft textsOctober 16 - 25: the presentation of the texts in the form of staged readings at FNT36.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Starting May 25, 2026, the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest is launching TNB Activ, its official WhatsApp channel for theatergoers. TNB Activ is a direct information channel through which the public receives quick updates on premieres, performances, and tours; stays up to date in real time on tickets going on sale and special events; and learns everything about upcoming projects and meet-and-greets with their favorite artists. This makes communication simpler, more personal, and more efficient—only relevant information, delivered directly to the audience’s phones. By launching this channel, TNB aims to be closer to its community and provide quick access to everything happening on the theater’s stages. Subscription is free, and viewers can unsubscribe at any time. TNB Activ – information reaches viewers directly from the stage. Subscription link: TNB Activ   Or QR code below                                     Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest will present, starting April 3, 2026, the premiere of “The Bride's Time and Her Gown″ (The Wedding) by Gavril Pătru, a new chapter in the theatrical universeinaugurated by the success of “Ghosts and Dandelions.” The second part of the upcoming “Oltenia trilogy,” the play continues the story of the characters from a contemporary Oltenian village, in a recognizable blend of humor, drama, and authenticity. Created by Gavril Pătru—who serves as writer, director, and actor—the new play offers a glimpse into a world where tradition and inner conflict coexist, and laughter and tension intertwine naturally. This time, the action revolves around a wedding—a seemingly festive setting that becomes the backdrop for an avalanche of tragicomic events. Amidst the musicians, stuffed cabbage rolls, and zaibăr, uncomfortable truths surface, appearances crumble, and hidden dramas are revealed. Nothing is what it seems, and the masks fall one by one, in a universe where even those who do not speak end up saying it all. Dynamic “like the rush of a sârba” and, at the same time, profound “like a doina,” the new play by Gavril Pătru offers an intense theatrical experience, where laughter and emotion converge in a story about family, identity, and truth. “The Bride’s Watch and Shirt” preserves the distinctive language and atmosphere of the Oltenia region that established Gavril Pătru’s reputation, shaping a vivid world, full of color and expressive power. The play can be viewed independently, yet it stands in direct dialogue with “Ghosts and Dandelions” developing the same destinies and delving deeper into the themes already explored. The cast features actors from the National Theater of Bucharest, in a lineup that supports the show’s brisk pace and energy: Costina Cheyrouze, Raluca Petra, Ileana Olteanu, Petre Ancuța / Ciprian Nicula, Gavril Pătru, Alexandra Sălceanu / Teodora Calagiu, Maia Morgenstern / Victoria Dicu, Silviu Biriș. On April 2 and 3, 2026, at 8:30 p.m., in the lobby of the Pictura Hall, immediately following the preview performances of the play, there will be a book launch for “Ceasu’ și cămașa miresii” (The Bride's Time and Her Gown) by Gavril Pătru, a special event that complements the theatrical universe of the play of the same name. The book brings to life the same recognizable world created by Gavril Pătru: a vibrant Oltenian village, full of humor, tension, and poetry, where the characters’ destinies intertwine between tradition and contemporary reality. The audience will have the opportunity to meet the author, discover the behind-the-scenes of the creative process, and get autographs. The official premiere of the production will take place on April 18 and 19, 2026, at the Pictura Hall; the production is already scheduled in the NTB’s current repertoire for April 8 and 9 and May 9, 2026.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

On the occasion of World Theatre Day, on March 27, 2025, the Bucharest National Theatre invites you to a new series of Podcasts of the Bucharest National Theatre. Beloved actors, who you often see on the TNB's stages, chat with the theater's artistic director, Marius Bodochi, about theater and life. Podcasts of the National Theater Bucharest can be watched on NTB's youtube channel TNB-TV. To subscribe to the TNB-TV channel, which gives you the opportunity to quickly learn about our programs online, you can use the following link: The first episode of the new series Podcasts of the Bucharest National Theatre, will be available on TNB-TV, premiering on March 27, at 21:00.   The audio podcast can be listened to on youtube music (formerly google podcast) and on the redcircle and spotify platforms   All the episodes are available here.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

  Starting with the month of April 2016, on the website of the ”I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre, a totally exceptional virtual tour can be accessed, in the form of an interactive documentary film, consisting of 310 panoramas, enabling the navigation of the NTB building, inside and outside, before, during and at the end of the restyling works of the theatre building. The material published on the website further includes the virtual presentation of the sceneries of six performances from the NTB production of the last years: Scourge, The Avalanche, Master Leonida Facing the Reactionaries, Lottery Tickets, The Cherry Orchard, The Visit. The time frame for the creation of the 310 published panoramas (accomplished in the period 2010-2016) has been estimated to over 1500 hours and approximately 30.000 separate photographs have been used. The high-resolution images enable the study of the spaces in detail and from a bird’s eye view, presenting the users even areas inaccessible to the audience (workshops, dressing rooms, the costume stock, the off-stage area etc). The application is accompanied by a brief ”visualisation guideline” in Romanian and English. Not lastly, the publishing of this complex virtual tour also aims at promoting the « new » National Theatre as an institution open to a new audience, interested in theatre, but also in the latest technologies. The material used for the creation of the virtual tour is part of an extensive documentary archive compiled over 7 years, in the time frame 2008-2016. Completed at the end of 2015 (except for some photographs taken in 2016), the archive comprises video and photo materials, panorama images, architecture layouts, interviews and media coverage, following the National Theatre evolution and of its former and current employees throughout the entire duration of the building site for the building restyling. Through the spatial and temporal deployment, the archive has been first and foremost gathered as a study material on the topic of the architecture project, of the habitation of areas and the place occupied by NTB in the public space, aimed at both the audience and theatre professionals or those wishing to pursue a training in this field. The project has been entirely produced, in his capacity as author, by Mihai Bodea-Tatulea, graduate of the National University of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography, who even from the launch of his initiative, had the theatre’s consent to film and shoot all key moments in connection with the evolution of the institution. The entire documentary archive is subject to a potential publishing, and the author is seeking financial aid for supporting this effort. The National Theatre encourages the affiliation of other people, institutions or companies for supporting the project continuation.   Translated by Simona Nichiteanu