Сontemporary Eastern European theater
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{ ABOUT }

International Director and Dramaturgy Lab
Sammelpunkt / FOCAL POINT / TOCHKA SBORKI

The project creatively explores the impact of current European events on the lives and subjectivity of individuals through the lens of dramaturgy and theatre.
Playwrights, directors, actors and scenographers from Germany and Eastern European countries —Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and Estonia — are invited to participate in the Lab.
{ What and How }
FOCAL POINT
точка збiрки
Within the International Directors and Dramaturgy Lab "Focal Point", seven work-in-progress performances will be developed by theater makers from Germany and Eastern European countries. These performances, presented in English or German, will be open to the public on February 22 and 23, 2025, at Theater Strahl.

You can purchase tickets for either one of the two days (day ticket) or both days (two-day ticket).
The Lab will proceed in several stages
Sammelpunkt
click
01
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Playwriting Competition
beginning
03.09.2024 — 10.10.2024
An open competition for dramatic works
20.10.2024
The announcement of competition selection
The dramaturgy competition of the Lab has come to an end. A total of 159 plays were submitted by 135 authors from Belarus, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Spain, the USA, Ukraine, etc.

A longlist of 33 plays has been selected.
OUR READERS
You can click on the name!
*PS. Please note that the readers do not provide reasons for their decision.
20.10.2024 — The announcement
Due to the high quality of the submitted plays, the selection of the initially announced 7 plays for the shortlist was a great challenge for the readers and the Jury. As a result, a total of 10 plays were included in the shortlist. These selected plays will be available for the directing competition from November 1 to December 10, 2024.
The seven plays that will be chosen for the Lab productions in February 2025 will be announced on December 20, 2024, together with the names of the directors.
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+
02
Directors’ Competition
01.11.2024 — 10.12.2024
An open competition for director's concepts
23.12.2024
The announcement of competition selection
The results of the directors’ competition: out of the 83 submitted directing applications, the following 7 directors and plays were chosen for the Lab production in February 2025:

  • Nikolai Berman (Russia/Germany) — "Say Hi to ABDO" by Mikita Ilyinchyk (Belarus/Poland)


  • Marfa Gorvitz (Russia/Israel) — "Dogs and People" by Vyacheslav Volkonsky (Ukraine)


  • Stephanie LeBolt (USA/Germany) — "Undead" by Zukhra Yanikova (Russia/Montenegro)


Directors can submit their applications until December 10th, 2024. We welcome applications from directors of all ages residing around the world. We‘re waiting your applications at project@urban-theater.com

Conditions for participation in the competition:

• In-person attendance at the Berlin Lab from February 16 to 23, 2025
• Proficiency in English or German
• Professional education
• Directing experience


Documents for application:

• Director’s explication for one to three selected plays
• Completed application form (Questionnaire for directors)
• CV.
PLAYS
We can now reimburse the travel expenses of the directors and provide accommodation in Berlin for the duration of the Lab.
Click on the play to see more
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03
Actor casting
10.12.2024 — 03.01.2025
Actor casting
bY 15.01.2025
The determination of the cast for the seven Lab productions in collaboration with the directors
NB!
Actors can submit their applications until January 3rd, 2025. We welcome applications from actors of all ages residing around the world. We‘re waiting your applications at project@urban-theater.com

Conditions for participation:
• In-person attendance at the Berlin Lab from February 16 to 23, 2025
• Proficiency in English or German
• Professional education
• Acting experience

Documents for application:
• CV
• Completed application form (Questionnaire for actors)
• Video introduction in English or German or both
• 2 photos: close-up, full-length
• additional materials of your choice that may help directors better understand your acting personality (excerpts from performance, films, your roles during the training process, showcases, etc.).
Additional musical skills, such as proficiency in musical instruments and/or vocal performance, can be an advantage. If you possess such skills, please record a performance of any musical piece in a separate video and include it with your application.
NB!
Be sure to specify which of the languages — English or German — is preferable for you.
The most important time!
04
Creation and Presentation of Work-In-Progress Productions
CREATION OF WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRODUCTIONS
PRESENTATION OF WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRODUCTIONS
3:00 PM
first
then
Program
Program
22.02
23.02
Director: Wojciech Urbański (Poland)
Duration: approx. 50−55 minutes
Language: English
4:30 PM
4:30 PM
Director: Anton Kiseljus (Estonia)
Duration: approx. 50-55 minutes
Language: English
Director: Nikolai Berman (Russia/Germany)
Duration: approx. 50-55 minutes
Language: English
6:00 PM
6:00 PM
Director: Dmitrijs Petrenko (Latvia)
Duration: approx. 50-55 minutes
Language: English
Director: Sava Cebotari (Moldova/Great Britain)
Duration: approx. 50-55 minutes
Language: German
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
Director: Stephanie LeBolt (USA/Germany)
Duration: approx. 50-55 minutes
Language: German
Director: Marfa Gorvitz (Russia/Israel)
Duration: approx. 50-55 minutes
Language: English
8:30 PM
8:30 PM
Audience discussion
Audience discussion
Entry free
Entry free
Day Tickets
With this day ticket, you can experience up to four work-in-progress productions being performed on February 22, 2025.
With this day ticket, you can experience up to three work-in-progress productions being performed on February 23, 2025.
Day Ticket for February 23, 2025
Day Ticket for February 22, 2025
BUY
BUY
16.02.2025 — 21.02.2025
Theater Strahl (Marktstr. 11, 10317 Berlin)
22.02.2025 — 23.02.2025
With this two-day ticket, you can experience up to seven work-in-progress productions being performed on February 22 and 23, 2025.
Two-Day Ticket for February 22 and 23, 2025
After further development,
A total of seven plays by contemporary playwrights, written from February 2022 onward, will be selected for participation in the Lab. These plays will be presented to the public as work-in-progress by seven directors during the in-person phase of the Lab in Berlin on February 22 and 23, 2025.
From the outset to the final discussion, the Lab events will be moderated by curators and accompanied by masterclasses and public lectures given by a jury of internationally recognized European theatre professionals. Names of the jury members will be announced at the beginning of October 2024.
точка сборки
!!!
The most successful productions
will be included in the repertoire
of Urban Theater Berlin and other interested theaters.
{ WHY }

One of the first attempts at dialogue in the cultural sphere since 2022

By exploring the interplay of dramaturgy and theatre, the Lab creates a platform for the theatrical exploration of the dramatic social and political issues of our time. One of the main goals of the project is to contribute to mutual understanding between the residents of Eastern and Western Europe and to draw attention to the work of Eastern European theatre figures, many of whom are in exile/emigration. The project aims to facilitate an exchange of experience in the theatrical sphere among artists from different countries, especially those who have been affected in one way or another by the war in Ukraine, and to share their perspectives on the current situation in Europe and the world.
As one of the first attempts at dialogue in the cultural sphere since February 2022, the project represents not only a creative but also a socio-political phenomenon, enhancing its international significance. The Lab opens up space for deep cultural and artistic reflection on the current challenges in Europe and the promotion of European democratic values.
koondumispunkt
ŽIDINIO taška
Media Partner
PARTNERS
Saint Petersburg Urban Theater
Teatr Brama
pulcēšanās punkts
SUPPORTED BY
месца зборкi
Natalia Skorokhod

Worked as a Full Professor of Theatre and Dramaturgy at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts (RGISI) in St. Petersburg
Founder of the School of Playwriting in St. Petersburg
Author of several books and more than a hundred articles on theatre and drama
Public lecturer on contemporary theatre and drama
Member of AICT/International Association of Theatre Critics
Curator and leader of numerous Playwright’s Labs, including Miracle Spring: Theatre Laboratory in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg
Participant in numerous international festivals and projects
{ Dr. in Art Studies }
Participated in the Russian Program at George Washington University as a Non-Resident Fellow
Served as a Board Member of EuNetArt (European Network for Artists working for and with Young People)
Natalia Lapina
Worked as an Artistic Director of State Russian Theater of Estonia (Vene Teater, Tallinn), then became an Artistic Director of St. Petersburg Urban Theatre — one of a few female Artistic Directors in Russia
Worked as Associate Professor of Acting in Russian State Institute of Performing Arts (St. Petersburg)
Theatre Director and Author of more than 50 shows in Germany, Estonia, Russia, Poland, USA
Participant and winner of many International Theatre Festivals (Finland, Estonia, Ukraine, Russia, Spain, Romania, United Kingdom)
Nominee and winner of a few Russian prestigious Theatre Awards such as "Golden Mask", "Golden Soffit" etc.
Participant of New York Lincoln Center Director’s Lab and Chicago Director’s Lab
Curator of numerous Director’s Labs
Сonducted workshops on different acting techniques and methods (Stanislavski, Meyerhold, M. Chekhov, Adler) in Poland, Sweden, USA, Russia
{ Artistic Director of Urban Theater }
Witalij Schmidt
Earned a PhD in the theory of declamation at the Institute for Slavic Studies, University of Regensburg
Was a key figure in numerous international research, book, exhibition, and cultural projects funded by public grants
Was awarded the University Prize of the City of Regensburg (formerly the Professor Josef Engert Prize) for outstanding academic work
Editor of a monograph and two collected volumes on the theory of declamation by S. I. Bernshtein, as well as several academic articles
Contributed as an actor, director, and leader of various student theater groups at the Theater of the University of Regensburg
Organized the festival "III. Russian Cultural Days in Europe"
Owner of the cultural agency "AD ASTRA events"
Worked at the funding organization Initiative Musik gGmbH as the head of music club funding and project manager of five NEUSTART KULTUR subprograms under the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, aimed at supporting clubs, promoters, and festivals
{ Commercial Director of Urban Theater }
Daniel Jacewicz
Daniel Jacewicz is a theater director, actor, and artistic director of the Brama Theater in Goleniów, established in 1996. He invented and created Goleniowskie Spotkania Teatralne BRAMAT and Festiwal Młodości Teatralnej ŁAKNIENIA, winner of international theater festivals. He directed the performances Zabava (2000), Gaz (2003), My (2007), Uczucia w dziwięku (2009) and others. In addition to active activities in Poland, the Brama Theater under Daniel’s leadership also participates in international projects, for example, with the Stella Polaris Theater from Norway, centers in Germany, Greece, Spain, Ukraine, Peru, the USA, and recently also with Odin Teatret from Denmark.
In his theater, Daniel develops a cultural and educational direction, the main task of which is to prove that theater is a tool of social interaction, without which it is impossible to conduct an international cultural dialogue.
Poland