Short history of The Iasi “Luceafarul” Theatre
in data and events

1949 – Iulia and Iosif Ligeti work hard to stage the first puppet show, “The Golden Fish” after A.S. Pushkin, at the begining with a private company, later on that with state support.

1-st March 1950 – It is founded, by The Provisional Commitee of the Urban Commune of Iasi, The Puppet Theatre, having 10 employees, Iulia Ligeti as general manager and Iosif Ligeti as stage director.

May 1950 – The theatre receives as seat the “Dacia” hall, an old cinema hall, in the courtyard of the Catholic Church, where the theatre will carry on his activity till 1977.

1952 – The leadership of the institution is taken by Manole Al. Foca, ex-professor at the Conservatoire in Iasi and stage director at the National Theatre. He is interested in training a professional company, which had as components for several years Lucretia Carausu, Elena Brehnescu, Emil Petcu, Constantin Brehnescu, Petre and Emilia Valter, George Zaharia, Ion and Simona Agachi, Nicolae Brehnescu, Eliza Florescu.

1956 – The Puppet Theatre obtains its first great success at the Regional Puppet Theatre’s Week in Bucureati: 6 prizes awarded to “Tupence in a Pouch” by Ion Creanga, directed by Manole Al. Foca, scenery by Viorica Groapa, puppets by Rodica Scraba, music by C. Constantinescu. The most important distinctions are the Prize for the best performance and the First Prize obtained by Constantin Brehnescu for his interpretation in the Rooster’s part.

1958 – Petre Valter works out the first performance for adults, “The Puppets’ Stage”, which reveals the puppeteers’ interest in the extension of the stage devices scale.

1963 – Marieta Dumitriu becomes the general manager of the theatre, a teacher of Romanian literature and language; she leads the institution till 1968. Manole Foca remains only stage director till 1965, when he retires.

1968 – As a result of Manole Foca’s efforts to prepare new stage directors for the puppet theatre, Constantin Brehnescu’s stage-set “Chirita at the Puppets” by Vasile Alecsandri is a great succes which brings the director a very important Prize at the Puppet Theatre’s Week in Constanta and marks his final passing to the puppet staging, profession he serves continously for almost 50 years. The greates improvement of the performance is the actors’ acting in front of the curtain.

1969 – Manole Foca becomes again the leader of the institution.

1972 - Manole Foca retires for good and the leadership of the theatre is taken by Natalia Danaila.

1973 – As an effect of the extension of the repertory area and of the stage devices scale through the animation theatre, in which the actor combines puppets with acting, music, dance and pantomime, the name of the theatre changes into Theatre for Children and Youth. The composition of the troupe changes too, some of actors belonging to the old generation being replaced by younger ones. Till the ’80s the company has the following composition: Simona and Ion Agachi, Nicolae Brehnescu, Constantin Ciofu, Ortansa Stanescu, Constantin Amuntencei, Camelia Bujdei-Poenaru, Cristina Anca Ciubotaru, Liviu Smantanica, Doina Iarcuczewicz, Nina Dimitriu, Mircea Sava, Emilia Prajinaru.

1973 - Begins the abroad tours series, the first one being “The Dew Drop Green Frog” by Al. T. Popescu, a one-woman-show of the actress Simona Agachi. The show is first presented at a Festival in Hungary, at Bekescsaba, then in Yugoslavia, at Zagreb, where the actress obtaines an honourable Prize for the Interpretation of the 11 parts of the performance.
- The european course of Iasi’s puppet performances continues with the participation of “Tuppence in a Pouch” by Ion Creanga, a new version by Constantin Brehnescu, and of “Hercule in Pursuit of the Golden Apples” by Valentin Silvestru, directed by Petre Bokor, scenery by Cik Damadian, at the festival organized by the journal “L’Unita” in Venice-Italy.

1975 – The stage director Constantin Brehnescu produces in Damasc, the show “Invitation to Fun” after the poems of Taisar Hilal Edine, show with which a similar theatre is opened there.
- Axenti Marfa becomes the scene painter of the Theatre for Children and Youth.

1976 – The performance “Bing-Bang-Bing” by Dumitru Vacariu (directed by Constantin Brehnescu, scenery by Axenti Marfa) receives at the National Festival of Theatre for Children and Youth in Piatra Neamt the Prize for the Best Show for children and the actress Camelia Bujdei-Poenaru the Prize for the Best Acting in a role for children.
- The same play is performed in Germany, and also in a long tour together with “Tuppence in a Pouch” in cities from India, Pakistan, Iran, Jordania.
- “Snow White” after Grimm Brothers (directed by Constantin Brehnescu, scenery by Hristofenia Cazacu) takes part in the International Festival in Charleville-Mézières-France and also in Esslingen and Bremen-Germany.

1977 – Because of the building’s damage by an earthquake, for the next ten years the theatre seat comes to be the Youth House. Approximatively in the same period rises the idea of the necessity of a new building.
- The performance “Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi (stage-directing Constantin Brehnescu) brings to Axenti Marfa the Prize for the scenery at the National Festival of Theatre for Children and Youth in Piatra Neamt.

1979 – “Fram, the Polar Bear” after Cezar Petrescu (directed by Constantin Brehnescu, scenery by Axenti Marfa) is presented at the International Festival in Mistelbach-Austria, where the theatre participates at other editions too, till the ’90s.

1982 - The same play is performed in Bruxelles-Belgium and “The Curious Little Elephant” by Nina Cassian (stage director and scenery painter Constantin Brehnescu) travels to Charleville-Mézières-France.

1983 - “Mary Poppins” after Pamela Travers (directed by Natalia Danaila, scenery by Axenti Marfa) obtains the ATM Prize for the Best Performance for children at the Piatra Neamt Festival.

1985 – Cristina Anca Ciubotaru receives the ATM Prize for the Best Role in a performance for children, “The Prince and the Pauper” after Mark Twain, at the same Festival.

1987 – “The Toy Shop” by Al. T. Popescu (directed by Natalia Danaila, scenery by Axenti Marfa) is performed in Rodez-France.

28-th December 1987 – The new theatre building is inaugurated and its name becomes “Luceafarul”. The building is extremely modern, and has two performance halls – the largest having 450 seats, the smallest 150 seats, large lobbies and production workshops. The troupe’s composition changes again being enriched with young puppeteers: Toma Hogea, Liliana Mavris, Viorel Varlan, Gigi Sfaiter.

1988 – “Tuppence in a Pouch” by Ion Creanga, another new version by Constantin Brehnescu, scenery by Axenti Marfa, obtaines at the Puppeteers Recital Gala in Botosani a Special Prize for Interpretation. The two rewarded actors are Doina Iarcuczewicz and Viorel Varlan.

1990 – As a result of the revolutionary movements, the poet Nichita Danilov becomes for one and a half season general manager.

1991 - “The Sleeping Beauty” after Charles Perrault (directed by Natalia Danaila, scenery Mioara Buescu) is performed at the Mistelbach-Austria Festival. One year later, at the same festival goes “Ala-Bala” by Natalia Danaila, and in 1993, the last edition for the Iasi theatre, “The Golden Fish”, staged by Constantin Brehnescu, is performed in Mistelbach.
- Natalia Danaila comes again for almost a year at the leadership of the theatre.

1992 – General manager is the retired actor of the National Theatre, George Macovei. Under his leadership the theatre is isolated from the national puppeteer movement and the theatre critics.

1994 – After the contest organised by the Inspectorate for Culture of the County, the position of general manager is gained by Mircea Radu Iacoban.

1995 - The “Luceafarul” Theatre organizes the first edition of the Young Directors Reunion, where his “Duty’s Victims” by Eugen Ionescu (directed by Cezarina Udrescu) obtaines an ex-aequo Second Prize.

1996 – Together with the Ministry of Culture and the National Theatre, the “Luceafarul” co-organises in Iasi the National Theatre Festival “I.L. Caragiale”.
- “On Pinocchio’s Anniversary” made by Constantin Brehnescu wins at the “Gulliver” Festival in Galati a Special Prize of the Jury and “The Perfect Princess”, based on a story by George Calinescu, staged by Bogdan Ulmu, is also rewarded with the Special Prize of the Jury at the Short Comique Theatre Festival in Buzau.

1997 – “The Golden Fish” (staged by Constantin Brehnescu) obtains at the Pupeteer Recitals Gala in Botosani a Special Prize and “The Perfect Princess“ a Special Prize for repertorial option at the “Gulliver” Festival in Galati.

1998 – After an international isolation during several years, the “Luceafarul” Theatre succeds to perform abroad again, participating at the Days of the Iasi Culture in USA, a program organised by the Inspectorate of Culture of the County. “Tuppence in a pouch” (directed by Constantin Brehnescu, scenery by Axenti Marfa) is presented at the Romanian Ambassy and The Child Museum in Washington, as well as at the Romanian Cultural Center and at the Community School District 29 Queens-New York.

1999 – “Tuppence in a Pouch” and “On Pinocchio’s Anniversary” participate at the 181-st edition of the traditional carnival in Spoleto-Italy.
2000 – “Luceafarul” Theatre celebrates his 50-st anniversary.
– “Pacala” was awarded with a Special Prize at the “Ion Creanga” Festival in Bacau for turning to good our popular traditions

2001 - At the National Theatre Festival “I.L. Caragiale” in Bucuresti the book “Luceafarul 50 – an evenimential history” by Oltita Cantec receives a Special Prize for Theatre Book.