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Romanian Writing Contest

12 June 2026

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 entries
July 23 - 26: online meetings with the teams from partner theaters
September 5 - 25: initial reviews of the draft texts
October 16 - 25: the presentation of the texts in the form of staged readings at FNT36.

Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

The National Theater of Bucharest is TNB Activ on WhatsApp 25 May 2026

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

YEN by Anna Jordan, 9G premiere at NTB 19 April 2026

The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest announces a new premiere as part of the 9G Program at NTB, dedicated to young independent artists: “Yen” by Anna Jordan, directed by Ciprian Chiricheș, with set design by Maria Constantin, and starring Teodora Antal, Diana Pomparău, Sevi Stan, and Mario Monțescu. The premiere will take place on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., in the Sala Mică Hall The play Yen tells the story—at times brutal, at times deeply tender—of two brothers surviving almost entirely on their own in a suburb, with a mother unable to provide them with the care a child needs. Together, amid arguments and violence, the two teenagers try to discover what affection—and first love—feels like and how to express it, in the absence of a parental role model. Thus, first love becomes a tough test, full of innocence and missteps. How much of our social skills are innate, and how much are acquired through our environment and the education we receive? It is a long-debated dilemma that remains relevant today, which author Anna Jordan explores with harshness and directness, yet with care and sensitivity toward her characters. Yen is about growing up, about family, and, above all, about the fundamental human need to love and be loved. „What won me over from the very first reading was the sincerity with which life—and, in particular, hope—is portrayed. In real life, things aren’t like in fairy tales, where Prince Charming appears out of nowhere and sets everything right. In reality, we often long for something we cannot have, and then that feeling becomes even stronger; this sentiment is very well conveyed by the author. The production that we put together with the team is based on desire and hope. I hope it’s contagious and that the audience leaves, just as I like to leave the theater—changed, pensive, with my thoughts on my loved ones.” Ciprian Chiricheș, the director of the production Anna Jordan is a renowned British playwright, director, and screenwriter. She graduated from the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) with a degree in acting and is a professor of acting. For her play “Yen,” she won the prestigious Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting (2013) Cast: Sevastian Stan, Mario Monțescu, Teodora Antal, Diana Pomparău. Regie Ciprian Chiricheș, set design Maria Constantin, sound design Teodor Zamfir and llighting design Cristian Ciopată. This performance is not recommended for children under 14. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

A new premiere at the National Theater of Bucharest: “The Bride's Time and Her Gown” – a continuation of the world of Oltenia created by Gavril Pătru 02 April 2026

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

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