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We would like to inform you that the performance of “No Magic Pill,” scheduled for September 9, will be presented with English surtitles. We look forward to seeing you at the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest! Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The universe began with a single point, with a single order. For perhaps a fraction of a second—or even less—everything was perfectly arranged. Then came the explosion that proved that nothing can remain in place. “Like Alice in Wonderland, I descend into the rabbit hole of my thoughts and memories, searching to see what triggered this illness within me—one I’ve been battling for 16 years. I’m trying to offer a glimmer of hope to those who are currently fighting this battle and who believe they’ll never recover.” – Alex Bogdan Life Under Construction offers the opportunity to delve into the deepest intimacy of an addict: into his mind, his soul, and all the—sometimes contradictory—mechanisms through which he tries to survive his own addiction. It is an invitation to introspection and to acknowledging a problem we often talk about, but which still seems misunderstood. The performance lays bare something deeply personal, not to assign blame, but rather to seek understanding, forgiveness, and acceptance. However, it does not turn addiction into an excuse, nor does it create the illusion that, once the problem is identified, life suddenly becomes pink. A Touchstone Creative x Pulse co-production with the “I. L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest Partners: “Salvați Copiii”, Romania Institutional partners: Constanța State Theater, “Andrei Mureșanu” Theater in Sfântu Gheorghe, Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theater in Timișoara Media partners: ProTV, “Zile și Nopți”, LiterNet, “Cultura la dubă” Sponsors: Vidra Productions, ING Bank, Regina Maria, Metropolis Philanthropic Foundation Warning: The performance makes references to gambling addiction, suicide, self-harm, illness and death, drug and alcohol use, as well as explicit language. The performance contains strobe and lighting effects that may affect people with photosensitive epilepsy, odorless stage smoke, and loud sounds. The performance is not recommended for people under 14 years of age. The performance “Life Under Construction” is part of a cultural project co-funded by the National Cultural Fund Administration. The project does not necessarily reflect the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. The National Cultural Fund Administration is not responsible for the content of the project or for how the project’s results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grant recipient. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The National Theater – a close partner of the B-Inclusive Festival 2026 The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest is joining forces with the Better Inclusion Association to organize the second edition of the B-Inclusive Festival, which will take place from September 7 to 13, 2026. The second edition of the festival, organized by the Better Inclusion Association in collaboration with a network of cultural institutions, universities, and organizations, brings approximately 27 activities to Bucharest for people with and without disabilities, with an estimated attendance of about 1,000 people. The goal of this edition: to ensure that disability and accessibility are encountered naturally, through participation, rather than in a separate sphere. The National Theater will organize a free guided tour on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., will offer free tickets to two NTB performances, and will host, on September 9, 10, 11, and 12, at 6:00 p.m., in the Media Hall, the screening of four films on themes related to people with disabilities, followed by discussions with the audience. More details about the Festival and its program are available on the website https://b-inclusive.ro Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

  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 

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